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The differences between health coaches and personal trainers 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 personal trainer takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a health coach has an average salary of $38,671, which is higher than the $37,214 average annual salary of a personal trainer.
The top three skills for a health coach include customer service, patients and optimal health. The most important skills for a personal trainer are CPR, customer service, and resuscitation.
| Health Coach | Personal Trainer | |
| Yearly salary | $38,671 | $37,214 |
| Hourly rate | $18.59 | $17.89 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 63,129 | 34,023 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| 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 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 coaches and personal trainers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Health Coach | Personal Trainer | |
| Average salary | $38,671 | $37,214 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $55,000 | Between $26,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Eureka, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Massachusetts General Hospital | AEA Investors |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Retail |
There are a few differences between a health coach and a personal trainer in terms of educational background:
| Health Coach | Personal Trainer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| 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 personal trainers' demographics:
| Health Coach | Personal Trainer | |
| Average age | 43 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 20.9% Female, 79.1% | Male, 63.3% Female, 36.7% |
| 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% |