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Health and wellness instructor vs personal trainer

The differences between health and wellness instructors and personal trainers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a health and wellness instructor and a personal trainer. Additionally, a health and wellness instructor has an average salary of $39,996, which is higher than the $37,214 average annual salary of a personal trainer.

The top three skills for a health and wellness instructor include home health, CPR and yoga. The most important skills for a personal trainer are CPR, customer service, and resuscitation.

Health and wellness instructor vs personal trainer overview

Health And Wellness InstructorPersonal Trainer
Yearly salary$39,996$37,214
Hourly rate$19.23$17.89
Growth rate19%19%
Number of jobs76,45134,023
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age3737
Years of experience1212

What does a health and wellness instructor do?

A health and wellness instructor or coach is someone who guides people and helps them set goals for their lives. These goals may be to manage stress better, improve energy, lose weight or even attain a certain body goal. You may be required to give nutrition and exercise counseling to clients as well as give advice on lifestyle and behavioral changes to help improve the lives of people.

What does a personal trainer do?

A personal trainer is responsible for monitoring the client's fitness goals by assisting the client with specific and customized routines and exercises to promote healthy well-being. Duties of a personal trainer also include evaluating the client's fitness progress, creating safe programs to improve the client's stamina, educating the client with workout benefits, suggesting on a client's best nutrition plans, and motivating clients with their capabilities. A personal trainer should have excellent knowledge of the fitness industry to support the client's needs.

Health and wellness instructor vs personal trainer salary

Health and wellness instructors and personal trainers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Health And Wellness InstructorPersonal Trainer
Average salary$39,996$37,214
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $58,000Between $26,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City-San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-AEA Investors
Best paying industry-Retail

Differences between health and wellness instructor and personal trainer education

There are a few differences between a health and wellness instructor and a personal trainer in terms of educational background:

Health And Wellness InstructorPersonal Trainer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common majorKinesiologyKinesiology
Most common collegeUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Health and wellness instructor vs personal trainer demographics

Here are the differences between health and wellness instructors' and personal trainers' demographics:

Health And Wellness InstructorPersonal Trainer
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 33.7% Female, 66.3%Male, 63.3% Female, 36.7%
Race ratioBlack 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 Percentage13%13%

Differences between health and wellness instructor and personal trainer duties and responsibilities

Health and wellness instructor example responsibilities.

  • Lead group exercise classes and teach CPR classes.
  • Conduct testing for BMI, flexibility, height, weight, and blood pressure.
  • Teach yoga, mindfulness meditation and body awareness tailor to clients' mental and emotional needs.
  • Design programs for clients, including nutrition, yoga, Pilates, cardiovascular and weight training.
  • Educate patients about healthy lifestyle behaviors -Developed anaerobic and aerobic exercise routines derive from a doctor's physical examination of patients
  • Instruct group exercise classes including tabata, tone, and spinning.

Personal trainer example responsibilities.

  • Help clients achieve fitness goals through diet and heavy weight lifting with HIIT cardio.
  • Achieve high customer satisfaction and budget efficiency in the group fitness department and yoga department.
  • Provide market research and generate leads using social media (facebook) in order to target prospective clients.
  • Shape the social media aspect of the facility which include Facebook and Instagram.
  • Ensure trainers and team members are consistent in punctuality, dress code, compliance, and customer service.
  • Follow ACSM guidelines ensuring safe and healthy exercise technique for strength training and cardiovascular activity.
  • Show more

Health and wellness instructor vs personal trainer skills

Common health and wellness instructor skills
  • Home Health, 29%
  • CPR, 13%
  • Yoga, 12%
  • Wellness Programs, 5%
  • Membership Sales, 4%
  • Physical Education, 4%
Common personal trainer skills
  • CPR, 23%
  • Customer Service, 21%
  • Resuscitation, 7%
  • Fitness Programs, 7%
  • NASM, 5%
  • Physical Fitness, 4%

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