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Job outlook for fitness trainers in the United States
Fitness trainer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected fitness trainer job growth rate is 19% from 2018-2028.
About 57,800 new jobs for fitness trainers are projected over the next decade.
Fitness trainer salaries have increased 6% for fitness trainers in the last 5 years.
There are over 114,175 fitness trainers currently employed in the United States.
There are 23,881 active fitness trainer job openings in the US.
The average fitness trainer salary is $28,702.
Are fitness trainer jobs in demand?
Fitness trainer job and salary trends over time
Fitness trainer jobs over time
Fitness trainer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 114,175 | 0.03% |
| 2020 | 127,814 | 0.04% |
| 2019 | 167,708 | 0.05% |
| 2018 | 158,934 | 0.05% |
| 2017 | 144,306 | 0.04% |
Average fitness trainer salary over time
Fitness trainer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $28,702 | $13.80 | +0.3% |
| 2024 | $28,617 | $13.76 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | $28,213 | $13.56 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $27,781 | $13.36 | +2.8% |
| 2021 | $27,037 | $13.00 | +5.5% |
Fitness trainer jobs by state
Most common states for fitness trainers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 292 | 8% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 80 | 8% |
| 3 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 453 | 7% |
| 4 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 415 | 7% |
| 5 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 233 | 7% |
| 6 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 203 | 7% |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 75 | 7% |
| 8 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 821 | 6% |
| 9 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 527 | 6% |
| 10 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 492 | 6% |
| 11 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 420 | 6% |
| 12 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 348 | 6% |
| 13 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 309 | 6% |
| 14 | Louisiana | 4,684,333 | 284 | 6% |
| 15 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 253 | 6% |
| 16 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 193 | 6% |
| 17 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 47 | 6% |
| 18 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 40 | 6% |
| 19 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 76 | 5% |
| 20 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 70 | 5% |
Most common cities for fitness trainers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bangor | 1 | 3% | $31,247 |
| 2 | Leander | 1 | 2% | $28,773 |
| 3 | Orlando | 2 | 1% | $26,918 |
| 4 | Boynton Beach | 1 | 1% | $27,186 |
| 5 | Coral Springs | 1 | 1% | $27,220 |
| 6 | Fort Lauderdale | 1 | 1% | $27,225 |
| 7 | Lafayette | 1 | 1% | $26,285 |
| 8 | Chicago | 3 | 0% | $29,272 |
| 9 | Atlanta | 2 | 0% | $28,372 |
| 10 | San Francisco | 2 | 0% | $39,437 |
| 11 | Gilbert | 1 | 0% | $30,451 |
| 12 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $39,143 |
| 13 | Miami | 1 | 0% | $27,261 |
Fitness Trainer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of fitness trainer experts
California State University - San Marcos
Eastern Kentucky University
University of Nebraska - Kearney
What general advice would you give to a Fitness Trainer?
John John Petrizzo PT, DPT, CSCS: I think that having good people skills will become increasingly important in our field in the next few years. You can be knowledgeable, but if you can't communicate what you know well to others, it is going to hurt your chances of being successful.
What Fitness Trainer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
John John Petrizzo PT, DPT, CSCS: I would encourage a graduate beginning their career in the field to be open to new opportunities as you never know where they might take you.
What will help Fitness Trainers increase their earning potential?
John John Petrizzo PT, DPT, CSCS: There are several things you can do to maximize your salary potential when starting your career in the field. First, I would suggest taking advantage of the fact that there are a lot of job opportunities out there right now. I think it is certainly possible for new graduates to get multiple job offers, so they should take the time to make sure the job they select is the right fit for them. Additionally, for motivated individuals, it is not uncommon for new graduates to be able to work multiple jobs. Personally, I have always maintained some form of part-time work in addition to my full-time job. I do so because I enjoy it, and it allows me to live a little bit more comfortably than if I was reliant on a single source of income. Lastly, I would encourage new graduates to get a good quality certification from a nationally-recognized organization such as the ACSM or the NSCA.
Dr. Todd Astorino Ph.D FACSM
ProfessorCalifornia State University - San Marcos
Sports, Kinesiology, And Physical Education/Fitness
What general advice would you give to a Fitness Trainer?
Dr. Todd Astorino Ph.D FACSM: Network with their faculty, professionals working in the field, and gain experience in Kine immediately rather than waiting to do an internship in their last semester.
What Fitness Trainer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Todd Astorino Ph.D FACSM: Be unique-don't be like everyone else i.e. have a niche and/or be really really good at what you do--
What will help Fitness Trainers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Todd Astorino Ph.D FACSM: Computer literacy, bilingual, etc.
Matthew Sabin PhD, LAT, ATC, SMTC, CIDN
AT Program Director | ProfessorEastern Kentucky University
Sports, Kinesiology, And Physical Education/Fitness
What general advice would you give to a Fitness Trainer?
Matthew Sabin PhD, LAT, ATC, SMTC, CIDN: There are so many different fields within the area of kinesiology that this is often a difficult question to answer. Coming right out of school, I believe content knowledge is important. I think you can maximize your marketability (employers and clients) through strategically pursuing additional certifications/credentials that compliment your education, strengths and desired job setting. If you can balance that with soft-skills, like communication, team building, problem solving and critical thinking, I believe you enhance your marketability.
I think it is also fair to acknowledge that if you plan to pursue an industry that requires you to build a client base, thinking you will graduate and "maximize" your salary may be a misnomer. The goal will be to continue to develop those skills ("hard" and "soft") to maximize your earning overtime. Clients/patients want someone working with them who knows their field and is effective. Employers see that over time or word of mouth and marketing spread the news. That is what leads to your value increasing.
What Fitness Trainer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Matthew Sabin PhD, LAT, ATC, SMTC, CIDN: Adaptability is the first skill that jumps to mind. Graduates need to know the foundational knowledge but I believe how we apply the knowledge and skills will continue to change. Kinesiology is a broad field that is often a starting point for individuals interested in athletic training, exercise physiology, fitness and wellness, physical therapy, and many other possible fields. Each of these fields requires the professional to know their information but more importantly, how to relay that to the client/patient in a way that impacts and brings change. With that being said, graduates need to work on the soft-skills as much they do in understanding the content of their field.
What will help Fitness Trainers increase their earning potential?
Matthew Sabin PhD, LAT, ATC, SMTC, CIDN: This often depends on how well I know the individual, their strengths and weaknesses, etc. In general I would start with... "See your career and occupation as a journey. First, get a good sense of the destination prior to leaving. For your career this means you need to understand why you are going on the trip as well as the destination. A destination without purpose often leads to disappointment or dissatisfaction during the journey. If you can connect each step to your purpose, or your "Why", then you can find joy and fulfillment when things don't work out in your favor all the time. That leads to the idea of the destination. Each graduate needs to understand that there are often many stops along the way in getting to where you want to go. I believe one fallacy we often believe is that graduation leads to the perfect job setting. Individuals working in medicine or health and fitness need to continue gaining skills and knowledge after graduation to become even better and more effective in their careers. This requires you to sometimes accept a job that isn't your final destination or maybe one without the perfect benefits package. Don't delay your career waiting for the perfect setting and opportunity because that final destination may be waiting on you to grow and develop along the way before getting there.
Greg Brown
Professor , Dept. of Kinesiology and Sport SciencesUniversity of Nebraska - Kearney
Sports, Kinesiology, And Physical Education/Fitness
What general advice would you give to a Fitness Trainer?
Greg Brown: A lot of undergraduate students in Kinesiology are planning to move on to post-graduate education in allied health (Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Athletic Training, etc.) so their career advice will come from those allied health professionals. For those students going into a career right out of their undergraduate program, typically in the health and fitness industry (e.g. personal training, strength & conditioning, health coaching, corporate wellness), they need to keep an eye on budding trends in the industry and not jump on the latest fad. Basically, a trend is something that is new or innovative that also has staying power and will still be viable in a few years. Fads often seem too good to be true and only last a short time before fading away. Think of wearable technology as a trend while Tae Bo was more of a fad.
What Fitness Trainer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Greg Brown: A lot of undergraduate students in Kinesiology are planning to move on to post graduate education in allied health (Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Athletic Training, etc.) so their career advice will come from those allied health professionals.
For those students going into a career right out of their undergraduate program, typically in the health and fitness industry (e.g. personal training, strength & conditioning, health coaching, corporate wellness), they need to keep an eye for budding trends in the industry and not jump on the latest fad. Basically, a trend is something that is new or innovative that also has staying power and will still be viable in a few years. Fads often seem too good to be true and only last a short time before fading away. Think of wearable technology as a trend while Tae Bo was more of a fad.
What will help Fitness Trainers increase their earning potential?
Greg Brown: Communication skill are always necessary in this field. You need to be able to talk with others in a relatable way and in a motivating way. Communication through phone, text, email, and other modes will be essential along with in-person.
Being able to motivate elderly people and obese people to adopt a healthier lifestyle is getting to be more important as our population gets older and more obese.