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The differences between fitness trainers and life skills instructors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a fitness trainer and a life skills instructor. Additionally, a life skills instructor has an average salary of $30,844, 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 life skills instructor are developmental disabilities, CPR, and kids.
| Fitness Trainer | Life Skills Instructor | |
| Yearly salary | $28,702 | $30,844 |
| Hourly rate | $13.80 | $14.83 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 23,881 | 64,039 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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.
A life skills instructor advises people that are seeking support and coaching. They are responsible for helping them learn and develop skills like doing day-to-day tasks, interacting with other people, caring for themselves, as well as doing basic duties. Also, they can offer to coach for playing sports, learning new things, doing different exercises, and tips for employment.
Fitness trainers and life skills instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Fitness Trainer | Life Skills Instructor | |
| Average salary | $28,702 | $30,844 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $41,000 | Between $21,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Norwich, CT |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Kohler Co. | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Professional |
There are a few differences between a fitness trainer and a life skills instructor in terms of educational background:
| Fitness Trainer | Life Skills Instructor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Kinesiology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between fitness trainers' and life skills instructors' demographics:
| Fitness Trainer | Life Skills Instructor | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.8% Female, 40.2% | Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1% |
| 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, 7.1% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 5.1% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 13% |