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The differences between health fitness specialists and fitness 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 fitness specialist and a fitness trainer. Additionally, a health fitness specialist has an average salary of $37,089, which is higher than the $28,702 average annual salary of a fitness trainer.
The top three skills for a health fitness specialist include customer service, health fitness and administrative tasks. The most important skills for a fitness trainer are customer service, front desk, and CPR.
| Health Fitness Specialist | Fitness Trainer | |
| Yearly salary | $37,089 | $28,702 |
| Hourly rate | $17.83 | $13.80 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 57,379 | 23,881 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A health fitness specialist's role is to promote fitness through different strategies and health programs. Their responsibilities mostly revolve around researching and developing exercise routines for various people, conducting fitness training sessions for small or large groups, assisting clients in their fitness goals, and ensuring a safe and healthy environment for all clients. Moreover, a health fitness specialist may provide private training sessions at home, to clients who are recovering from ailments or injuries, and even to private institutions such as universities and hospitals.
The job of a fitness trainer is to instruct and motivate individuals and groups in physical activities, including stretching, cardiovascular exercise, and strength training. The typical duties of a fitness trainer include demonstrating how to perform various exercises, guiding them during the exercise to improve fitness and minimize injuries, and monitoring their progress. As a fitness trainer, you are also responsible for explaining and enforcing safety rules on exercise equipment usage, recreational activities, and sports, and giving clients resources and information about weight control, lifestyle issues, and nutrition.
Health fitness specialists and fitness trainers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Health Fitness Specialist | Fitness Trainer | |
| Average salary | $37,089 | $28,702 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $49,000 | Between $19,000 And $41,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Clara, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | STG International | Kohler Co. |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a health fitness specialist and a fitness trainer in terms of educational background:
| Health Fitness Specialist | Fitness Trainer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Kinesiology | Kinesiology |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between health fitness specialists' and fitness trainers' demographics:
| Health Fitness Specialist | Fitness Trainer | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.3% Female, 58.7% | Male, 59.8% Female, 40.2% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 13% | 13% |