How to hire a fitness trainer

How to hire a fitness trainer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step fitness trainer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a fitness trainer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new fitness trainer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a fitness trainer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a fitness trainer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A fitness trainer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, fitness trainers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of fitness trainers.

   Type of Fitness Trainer	Description	Hourly rate
   Fitness Trainer	Fitness trainers and instructors lead, instruct, and motivate individuals or groups in exercise activities, including cardiovascular exercises (exercises for the heart and blood circulation), strength training, and stretching. They work with people of all ages and skill levels.	$9-19
   Group Exercise Instructor	A group exercise instructor is responsible for leading fitness training and programs for different class groups. Group exercise instructors develop correct conditioning techniques, as well as observing the proper form of the student from their movements and exercises... Show more	$10-25
   Yoga Instructor	A yoga teacher or instructor is an individual who teaches yoga lessons and works at yoga studios, gyms, or fitness centers. Yoga teachers are wellness and fitness professionals who lead yoga classes... Show more	$15-30

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Front Desk
   • CPR
   • Cleanliness
   • Physical Fitness
   • Fitness Equipment
   • Healthy Lifestyle
   • Blood Pressure
   • Group Training
   • Fitness Assessments
   • Program Design
   • Fitness Programs
   • Fitness Training
   • Weight Loss

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Provide market research and generate leads using social media (facebook) in order to target prospective clients.
   • Monitor the swimming area and CPR certify.
   • Certify for CPR and a and always have first aid available.
   • Improve the cleanliness of the community recreations centers by implementing an hourly maintenance and cleaning schedule.
   • Maintain fitness center cleanliness while assisting members.
   • Assist in the cardiac rehabilitation clinic which include implementing progressive rehabilitation methods with education for long term health and wellness.

   More fitness trainer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your fitness trainer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A fitness trainer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, fitness trainers' average salary in iowa is 53% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level fitness trainers 54% less than senior-level fitness trainers.
   • Certifications. A fitness trainer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a fitness trainer's salary.

   Average fitness trainer salary

   $13.80hourly

   $28,702 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level fitness trainer salary

   $19,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average fitness trainer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$39,437	$19
   2	Massachusetts	$33,948	$16
   3	New Hampshire	$33,634	$16
   4	Washington	$32,914	$16
   5	New York	$32,539	$16
   6	Maryland	$32,313	$16
   7	Oklahoma	$32,079	$15
   8	Rhode Island	$31,997	$15
   9	Nevada	$30,834	$15
   10	Colorado	$30,741	$15
   11	Arizona	$30,614	$15
   12	Texas	$29,448	$14
   13	Mississippi	$29,335	$14
   14	North Carolina	$29,303	$14
   15	Illinois	$29,272	$14
   16	Kentucky	$29,021	$14
   17	Georgia	$28,372	$14
   18	Utah	$28,253	$14
   19	Virginia	$28,050	$13
   20	Florida	$27,261	$13

   Average fitness trainer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Kohler Co.	$39,348	$18.92	4
   2	Uline	$35,926	$17.27	1
   3	Jewish Community Center of San Francisco	$35,588	$17.11
   4	Services for the UnderServed	$34,129	$16.41	1
   5	Five Star Senior Living	$33,102	$15.91
   6	EXOS	$32,343	$15.55	11
   7	Miami Children's Museum	$31,664	$15.22
   8	City of Burlington	$31,423	$15.11
   9	F45 Training	$31,317	$15.06	225
   10	The Center for Health Care Services	$31,288	$15.04	1
   11	THE MAX Challenge	$30,861	$14.84
   12	IAP Worldwide Services	$30,801	$14.81
   13	Rumble	$30,498	$14.66
   14	Xponential Fitness	$30,421	$14.63	13
   15	Nicklaus Children's Health System	$30,388	$14.61
   16	Club	$29,705	$14.28	25
   17	Marriott International	$29,696	$14.28	6
   18	Orangetheory Fitness	$29,558	$14.21	1,018
   19	Nicklaus Children's Hospital	$29,079	$13.98	1
   20	U.S. Physical Therapy	$28,178	$13.55	40

4. Writing a fitness trainer job description

   A job description for a fitness trainer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a fitness trainer job description:

   Fitness trainer job description example

   Job DescriptionThe Almaden Valley Athletic Club (AVAC) is seeking deeply passionate individuals who care about healthy living and enjoy imparting that passion on others.
   
   AVAC Fitness Specialist care for hundreds of our members ages 9 to 99, in our multiple upscale, updated, and constantly-clean Fitness Studios. Through personal training, lifestyle consultation, small group sessions, and nutrition we enrich lifestyles daily.
   
   AVAC offers a highly competitive compensation plan, assistance with sales and marketing techniques to build your clientele, benefits including an AVAC membership, and a family atmosphere that transcends the meaning of "working as a team."
   
   Are you motivated to continue your education, perform at a high level, host fitness demos, spread your knowledge to our 5000+ membership base, and participate in a growth culture? Are you 100% customer-oriented and driven to obtain results for every single one of your clients? Come join Team AVAC! Folks new to the fitness industry and experienced trainers with a nationally recognized certification are encouraged to apply.
   The Fitness Team Member:
   
   Lives, eats, breathes Team AVAC culture and our customer service standards every day Is aware of body language, poise, tone, and other subtle and non-verbal cues. Is professional, organized, reliable, outgoing, energetic and self-motivated. Is a team player, but able to work with minimal supervision. Has excellent verbal and written communication skills. Has a proven record of high quality customer service and results-based training. Is passionate about fitness, recreation, and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Holds a nationally recognized personal training certification Maintains a current CPR/AED certification. Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
   
   An AVAC Personal Trainer Holds a nationally recognized personal training certification Maintains a current CPR/AED certification Is a team player, but able to work with minimal supervision. The ideal candidate will:
   
   Already have contacts/relationships of clients. A Bachelors Degree in Kinesiology or fitness related field. Previous experience in a health-related fitness field. Member schools are independently owned and operated. Your application will go directly to the member school, and all hiring decisions will be made by the management of this school. All inquiries about employment at these schools should be made directly to the school location, and not to US Swim School Association.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right fitness trainer for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your fitness trainer job on Zippia to find and recruit fitness trainer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit fitness trainers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new fitness trainer

   Once you've decided on a perfect fitness trainer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new fitness trainer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a fitness trainer?