Physical trainer vs fitness specialist

The differences between physical 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 physical trainer and a fitness specialist. Additionally, a fitness specialist has an average salary of $32,472, 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 specialist are CPR, fitness assessments, and ACSM.

Physical trainer vs fitness specialist overview

	Physical Trainer	Fitness Specialist
Yearly salary	$25,278	$32,472
Hourly rate	$12.15	$15.61
Growth rate	19%	19%
Number of jobs	72,865	28,175
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age	37	37
Years of experience	12	12

Physical trainer vs fitness specialist salary

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

	Physical Trainer	Fitness Specialist
Average salary	$25,278	$32,472
Salary range	Between $17,000 And $35,000	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

Differences between physical trainer and fitness specialist education

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

	Physical Trainer	Fitness Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common major	Kinesiology	Kinesiology
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Physical trainer vs fitness specialist demographics

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

	Physical Trainer	Fitness Specialist
Average age	37	37
Gender ratio	Male, 67.2% Female, 32.8%	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%

Differences between physical trainer and fitness specialist 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 specialist example responsibilities.

Provide market research and generate leads using social media (facebook) in order to target prospective clients.
Lead group strength training exercises, conduct vitals, and monitor EKG telemetry before during and after exercise.
Conduct CPR and a workshops for facility.
Water safety, CPR, and a certified.
Maintain cleanliness of exercise equipment.
Maintain cleanliness and safety protocol of fitness equipment.

Physical trainer vs fitness specialist skills

Common physical trainer skills

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

Common fitness specialist skills

CPR, 16%
Fitness Assessments, 8%
ACSM, 7%
Sales Floor, 6%
Blood Pressure, 5%
Customer Service, 5%