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The differences between personal fitness trainers and group exercise instructors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a personal fitness trainer and a group exercise instructor. Additionally, a personal fitness trainer has an average salary of $38,198, which is higher than the $34,348 average annual salary of a group exercise instructor.
The top three skills for a personal fitness trainer include CPR, program design and customer service. The most important skills for a group exercise instructor are CPR, yoga, and kids.
| Personal Fitness Trainer | Group Exercise Instructor | |
| Yearly salary | $38,198 | $34,348 |
| Hourly rate | $18.36 | $16.51 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 33,387 | 33,704 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Personal Fitness Trainers are responsible for developing fitness plans entailing exercise routines for groups and individuals. Their duties include determining clients' health and fitness levels, facilitating exercise regimen completions, monitoring physical progress, and implementing individualized exercise plans. They are responsible for undertaking group and individual training sessions, supervising proper fitness equipment, and educating on comprehensive training techniques. Personal Fitness Trainers also assist in providing consultation regarding nutrition, health, and weight control inquiries. They ensure safety regulations are adhered to and can perform first aid.
A group exercise instructor is responsible for leading fitness training and programs for different class groups. Group exercise instructors develop correct conditioning techniques, as well as observing the proper form of the student from their movements and exercises. A group exercise instructor also recommends nutritional foods and beverages that would help the students maintain a healthy lifestyle and development. They identify each student's strengths and weaknesses and develop comprehensive training programs to address their needs.
Personal fitness trainers and group exercise instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Personal Fitness Trainer | Group Exercise Instructor | |
| Average salary | $38,198 | $34,348 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $57,000 | Between $22,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Massachusetts General Hospital |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a personal fitness trainer and a group exercise instructor in terms of educational background:
| Personal Fitness Trainer | Group Exercise Instructor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| 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 personal fitness trainers' and group exercise instructors' demographics:
| Personal Fitness Trainer | Group Exercise Instructor | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.8% Female, 42.2% | Male, 23.5% Female, 76.5% |
| 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% |