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The differences between health coaches and fitness coaches can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a health coach, becoming a fitness coach takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a health coach has an average salary of $38,671, which is higher than the $38,462 average annual salary of a fitness coach.
The top three skills for a health coach include customer service, patients and optimal health. The most important skills for a fitness coach are CPR, kids, and fitness programs.
| Health Coach | Fitness Coach | |
| Yearly salary | $38,671 | $38,462 |
| Hourly rate | $18.59 | $18.49 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 63,129 | 22,156 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 43 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
A Health Coach is an individual health educator who provides lifestyle and behavior guidance. They work with clients to help them feel their best through food and lifestyle changes.
A fitness coach specializes in mentoring clients in their journey for a healthier lifestyle, assisting them in reaching their individual goals for physical fitness. Their responsibilities include developing training programs based on the clients' needs, facilitating physical fitness training sessions in an individual or group setting, learning the clients' medical histories for risk prevention, and monitoring the progress of clients, adjusting programs as needed. Furthermore, as a fitness coach, it is essential to build rapport with clients, motivating them to reach their goals.
Health coaches and fitness coaches have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Health Coach | Fitness Coach | |
| Average salary | $38,671 | $38,462 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $55,000 | Between $24,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | Eureka, CA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Massachusetts General Hospital | AEA Investors |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Education |
There are a few differences between a health coach and a fitness coach in terms of educational background:
| Health Coach | Fitness Coach | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Kinesiology |
| Most common college | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between health coaches' and fitness coaches' demographics:
| Health Coach | Fitness Coach | |
| Average age | 43 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 20.9% Female, 79.1% | Male, 46.3% Female, 53.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 6.2% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | 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 | 21% | 13% |