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The differences between fitness trainers and coaches can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a fitness trainer, becoming a coach takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a coach has an average salary of $42,716, which is higher than the $28,702 average annual salary of a fitness trainer.
The top three skills for a fitness trainer include customer service, front desk and CPR. The most important skills for a coach are customer service, CPR, and food handling.
| Fitness Trainer | Coach | |
| Yearly salary | $28,702 | $42,716 |
| Hourly rate | $13.80 | $20.54 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 20% |
| Number of jobs | 23,881 | 16,688 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 37 | 36 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
The job of a fitness trainer is to instruct and motivate individuals and groups in physical activities, including stretching, cardiovascular exercise, and strength training. The typical duties of a fitness trainer include demonstrating how to perform various exercises, guiding them during the exercise to improve fitness and minimize injuries, and monitoring their progress. As a fitness trainer, you are also responsible for explaining and enforcing safety rules on exercise equipment usage, recreational activities, and sports, and giving clients resources and information about weight control, lifestyle issues, and nutrition.
The main responsibility of a coach is to motivate an individual or an entire team. Coaches are focused on improving the performance and skills of athletes by conducting training sessions, coordinating practice drills, and providing guidance. Their work is conducted both on and off the field - not only while an athletic event is in session. Coaches are sometimes tasked with recruitment activities in order to fill a team's roster to help them succeed. Other duties of a coach include fundraising, overseeing facilities, and promoting a safe environment.
Fitness trainers and coaches have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Fitness Trainer | Coach | |
| Average salary | $28,702 | $42,716 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $41,000 | Between $27,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Piscataway, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Kohler Co. | AEA Investors |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Technology |
There are a few differences between a fitness trainer and a coach in terms of educational background:
| Fitness Trainer | Coach | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Kinesiology | Business |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between fitness trainers' and coaches' demographics:
| Fitness Trainer | Coach | |
| Average age | 37 | 36 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.8% Female, 40.2% | Male, 48.3% Female, 51.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 5.1% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 5.4% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 8% |