Physical trainer vs fitness coach

The differences between physical trainers and fitness coaches can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a physical trainer and a fitness coach. Additionally, a fitness coach has an average salary of $38,462, which is higher than the $25,278 average annual salary of a physical trainer.

The top three skills for a physical trainer include physical therapy, strength training and soccer. The most important skills for a fitness coach are CPR, kids, and fitness programs.

Physical trainer vs fitness coach overview

	Physical Trainer	Fitness Coach
Yearly salary	$25,278	$38,462
Hourly rate	$12.15	$18.49
Growth rate	19%	19%
Number of jobs	72,865	22,156
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Average age	37	37
Years of experience	12	12

Physical trainer vs fitness coach salary

Physical trainers and fitness coaches have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Physical Trainer	Fitness Coach
Average salary	$25,278	$38,462
Salary range	Between $17,000 And $35,000	Between $24,000 And $59,000
Highest paying City	-	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	AEA Investors
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between physical trainer and fitness coach education

There are a few differences between a physical trainer and a fitness coach in terms of educational background:

	Physical Trainer	Fitness Coach
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Most common major	Kinesiology	Kinesiology
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Physical trainer vs fitness coach demographics

Here are the differences between physical trainers' and fitness coaches' demographics:

	Physical Trainer	Fitness Coach
Average age	37	37
Gender ratio	Male, 67.2% Female, 32.8%	Male, 46.3% Female, 53.7%
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%

Differences between physical trainer and fitness coach duties and responsibilities

Physical trainer example responsibilities.

Manage various football, basketball, and speed camps while conveying the importance of self-motivation.
Receive NASM certification for personal training service.
Create feedback and progress reports regarding development for on boarding new associates and provide official information on a SharePoint database.
Create original TRX classes and encourage inactive members to participate consistently.

Fitness coach example responsibilities.

Provide market research and generate leads using social media (facebook) in order to target prospective clients.
Train new employees on sales tactics, and point-of-sale (POS) system.
Certify in CPR and first aid to attend appropriately to health issues of participants.
Certify in CPR and first response a medical training in order to provide immediate medical response to members in need.
Develop and conduct group/individual diabetes self-management educational sessions using evidence-base protocols.
Design each HIIT class to match the skill and modifications for all physical levels for all participants.

Physical trainer vs fitness coach skills

Common physical trainer skills

Physical Therapy, 45%
Strength Training, 12%
Soccer, 12%
Weight Loss, 8%
Training Sessions, 8%
Front Desk, 8%

Common fitness coach skills

CPR, 23%
Kids, 17%
Fitness Programs, 13%
Training Programs, 7%
Heart Rate, 6%
Injury Prevention, 4%