Physical trainer vs life skills instructor

The differences between physical trainers and life skills 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 physical trainer and a life skills instructor. Additionally, a life skills instructor has an average salary of $30,844, 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 life skills instructor are developmental disabilities, CPR, and kids.

Physical trainer vs life skills instructor overview

	Physical Trainer	Life Skills Instructor
Yearly salary	$25,278	$30,844
Hourly rate	$12.15	$14.83
Growth rate	19%	19%
Number of jobs	72,865	64,039
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Average age	37	37
Years of experience	12	12

Physical trainer vs life skills instructor salary

Physical trainers and life skills instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Physical Trainer	Life Skills Instructor
Average salary	$25,278	$30,844
Salary range	Between $17,000 And $35,000	Between $21,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	-	Norwich, CT
Highest paying state	-	Connecticut
Best paying company	-	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	-	Professional

Differences between physical trainer and life skills instructor education

There are a few differences between a physical trainer and a life skills instructor in terms of educational background:

	Physical Trainer	Life Skills Instructor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common major	Kinesiology	Psychology
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Physical trainer vs life skills instructor demographics

Here are the differences between physical trainers' and life skills instructors' demographics:

	Physical Trainer	Life Skills Instructor
Average age	37	37
Gender ratio	Male, 67.2% Female, 32.8%	Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1%
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 life skills instructor 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.

Life skills instructor example responsibilities.

Train and experience at managing challenging classroom situations using CPI methods and positive behavior reinforcement practices.
Conduct classes to certify individuals in first aid, CPR, a, environmental emergencies, and pediatric asthma care.
Teach lifesaving CPR, a (automate external defibrillator), and first aid courses for the medical and non-medical communities.
Provide educational, residential, and support services for children and adolescents with development disabilities, including autism.
Provide services to adolescents and adults requesting treatment and educational programs that have been diagnose with autism and behavior disorders.
Provide leadership and direction to new and existing staff members; identify training development assuring that training/certification are obtained and maintain.

Physical trainer vs life skills instructor skills

Common physical trainer skills

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

Common life skills instructor skills

Developmental Disabilities, 10%
CPR, 8%
Kids, 7%
Adaptive, 6%
Independent Living, 6%
Incident Reports, 5%

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Physical Trainer vs Life Skills Instructor

Updated January 8, 2025

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