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The differences between life skills trainers and fitness specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a life skills trainer and a fitness specialist. Additionally, a fitness specialist has an average salary of $32,472, which is higher than the $30,822 average annual salary of a life skills trainer.
The top three skills for a life skills trainer include medication administration, therapeutic recreation and medical appointments. The most important skills for a fitness specialist are CPR, fitness assessments, and ACSM.
| Life Skills Trainer | Fitness Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $30,822 | $32,472 |
| Hourly rate | $14.82 | $15.61 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 39,666 | 28,175 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Life skills trainers are personal health professionals who provide training assistance and supervision to patients, such as personal care, financial management, and social integration. These trainers are required to assist their clients with disabilities with daily living activities while documenting their behaviors and personal hygiene. They can organize therapeutic activities for individuals or groups to maximize their quality of life. Life skills trainers must also assist in meal preparation as well as perform tasks that include glucose monitoring, insulin therapy, and diabetes management.
A Fitness Specialist is focused on promoting a healthy lifestyle through exercise and working with clients in various settings. They teach individuals or groups how to properly perform exercises and use exercise equipment.
Life skills trainers and fitness specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Life Skills Trainer | Fitness Specialist | |
| Average salary | $30,822 | $32,472 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $41,000 | Between $24,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | University Settlement |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a life skills trainer and a fitness specialist in terms of educational background:
| Life Skills Trainer | Fitness Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Kinesiology |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between life skills trainers' and fitness specialists' demographics:
| Life Skills Trainer | Fitness Specialist | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1% | Male, 44.8% Female, 55.2% |
| 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% |