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Health and fitness instructor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a health and fitness instructor. Health and fitness instructors usually study kinesiology, health education, or psychology. 68% of health and fitness instructors hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 309 real health and fitness instructor resumes to see exactly what health and fitness instructor education sections show.
The most common colleges for health and fitness instructors are the Purdue University and the Purdue University.
There are also many online health and fitness instructor courses to help get the education required to be a health and fitness instructor.
There are certain health and fitness instructor certifications that you should consider. These health and fitness instructor certifications include Certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach Certification.
What education do you need to become a health and fitness instructor?
What degree do you need to be a health and fitness instructor?
- Bachelor's, 68%
- Master's, 17%
- Associate, 7%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a health and fitness instructor?
- Kinesiology, 35%
- Health Education, 12%
- Psychology, 6%
- Business, 5%
- Other Majors, 42%
Most common colleges for health and fitness instructors
| Health and fitness instructor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Purdue University | 11.54% |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania | 7.69% |
| University of Wisconsin Colleges | 5.77% |
| Clark Atlanta University | 5.77% |
| Brigham Young University | 5.77% |
Best majors for health and fitness instructors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kinesiology | 35.3% |
| 2 | Health Education | 12.1% |
| 3 | Psychology | 5.8% |
| 4 | Business | 4.6% |
| 5 | Nursing | 4.0% |
Best colleges for health and fitness instructors
The best colleges for health and fitness instructors are Northwestern University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and University of Tulsa.
A health and fitness instructor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for health and fitness instructors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become health and fitness instructors.
1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
2. Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$46,950
Enrollment
9,407
3. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
5. Rice University
Houston, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$47,350
Enrollment
3,962
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
7. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
8. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
9. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$53,399
Enrollment
7,356
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
20 best online courses for health and fitness instructors
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Top 10 most affordable universities for health and fitness instructors
The most affordable schools for health and fitness instructors are Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, brigham young university, and university of north carolina at chapel hill.
If the best universities for health and fitness instructors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for health and fitness instructors.
1. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
2. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
4. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
6. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
7. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
10. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for health and fitness instructors
The hardest universities for health and fitness instructors to get into are Northwestern University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and University of Tulsa.
Some great schools for health and fitness instructors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for health and fitness instructors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
3. University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,321
4. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
5. Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,321
6. Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, TX • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,287
7. Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
51%
SAT average
1,395
8. Clemson University
Clemson, SC • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,337
9. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
26%
SAT average
1,427
10. Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY • Private
Admissions rate
50%
SAT average
1,284
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for health and fitness instructors
The easiest schools for health and fitness instructors to get into are Wayland Baptist University, barry university, and felician university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a health and fitness instructor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for health and fitness instructors.
1. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
4. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
5. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
6. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
7. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
8. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
9. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
10. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
Average health and fitness instructor salary by education level
| Health and fitness instructor education level | Health and fitness instructor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $36,745 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $33,391 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $36,005 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $34,139 |
Health and fitness instructor education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025