Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Exercise physiologist salary
Average exercise physiologist salary
$49,399
Understanding Exercise Physiologist Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for an exercise physiologist is $49,399 per year. This figure reflects various factors influencing compensation, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific healthcare setting. For instance, exercise physiologists working in hospitals may earn higher salaries compared to those in private practices.
Factors Affecting Salary
- Location: States like California and New York offer higher average salaries, often exceeding $60,000.
- Experience: Entry-level positions typically start around $38,000, while seasoned professionals can earn upwards of $70,000.
- Specialization: Those focusing on cardiac rehabilitation or sports performance may see increased salary opportunities.
Overall, the demand for skilled exercise physiologists is rising, with opportunities across hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and private practices. This growth reflects the increasing emphasis on health and fitness, presenting a favorable job outlook for aspiring professionals.
Let Zippia find your next exercise physiologist job
Let Zippia find your next exercise physiologist job
Where can an Exercise Physiologist earn more?
Exercise physiologist salary estimates from across the web
Average exercise physiologist salary by state
The average exercise physiologist salary in Alaska, California, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average exercise physiologist salary states are Georgia, Tennessee, and New Mexico.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for exercise physiologists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $65,066 | $31.28 |
| 2 | Mississippi | $57,295 | $27.55 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $58,474 | $28.11 |
| 4 | Nebraska | $56,882 | $27.35 |
| 5 | Indiana | $57,140 | $27.47 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $53,442 | $25.69 |
| 7 | Iowa | $56,374 | $27.10 |
| 8 | Missouri | $56,926 | $27.37 |
| 9 | California | $64,180 | $30.86 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $57,349 | $27.57 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $52,627 | $25.30 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $63,930 | $30.74 |
| 13 | Delaware | $55,411 | $26.64 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $49,543 | $23.82 |
| 15 | Utah | $58,547 | $28.15 |
| 16 | Nevada | $56,479 | $27.15 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $53,859 | $25.89 |
| 18 | Idaho | $52,575 | $25.28 |
| 19 | New York | $59,081 | $28.40 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $49,611 | $23.85 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $54,137 | $26.03 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $52,508 | $25.24 |
| 23 | Arizona | $49,872 | $23.98 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $48,156 | $23.15 |
| 25 | Vermont | $48,146 | $23.15 |
| 26 | Louisiana | $48,067 | $23.11 |
| 27 | Oregon | $54,730 | $26.31 |
| 28 | Ohio | $49,610 | $23.85 |
| 29 | Alabama | $48,723 | $23.42 |
| 30 | Kansas | $48,680 | $23.40 |
| 31 | Montana | $48,664 | $23.40 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $47,545 | $22.86 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $48,325 | $23.23 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $51,288 | $24.66 |
| 35 | Illinois | $50,383 | $24.22 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $54,945 | $26.42 |
| 37 | Michigan | $46,551 | $22.38 |
| 38 | Maine | $45,474 | $21.86 |
| 39 | Washington | $49,624 | $23.86 |
| 40 | Minnesota | $50,217 | $24.14 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $42,729 | $20.54 |
| 42 | Maryland | $45,421 | $21.84 |
| 43 | Florida | $44,722 | $21.50 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $44,244 | $21.27 |
| 45 | Virginia | $47,125 | $22.66 |
| 46 | Georgia | $44,058 | $21.18 |
| 47 | Massachusetts | $42,275 | $20.32 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $43,711 | $21.01 |
| 49 | Texas | $42,316 | $20.34 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $40,840 | $19.63 |
| 51 | Colorado | $44,190 | $21.25 |
Highest paying cities for exercise physiologists
The highest-paying cities for exercise physiologists are Fairfield, CA, New York, NY, and Madison, WI.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairfield, CA | $65,668 | $31.57 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $59,359 | $28.54 |
| 3 | Madison, WI | $57,171 | $27.49 |
| 4 | Lafayette, IN | $56,975 | $27.39 |
| 5 | Waterloo, IA | $56,720 | $27.27 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $54,499 | $26.20 |
| 7 | Hartford, CT | $53,215 | $25.58 |
| 8 | Wilmette, IL | $50,481 | $24.27 |
| 9 | Cleveland, OH | $50,108 | $24.09 |
| 10 | Phoenix, AZ | $49,909 | $23.99 |
| 11 | Alexandria, LA | $48,250 | $23.20 |
| 12 | Alexandria, VA | $47,619 | $22.89 |
| 13 | Dearborn, MI | $46,678 | $22.44 |
| 14 | Baltimore, MD | $45,451 | $21.85 |
| 15 | Orlando, FL | $44,911 | $21.59 |
| 16 | Colorado Springs, CO | $44,204 | $21.25 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $44,142 | $21.22 |
| 18 | Knoxville, TN | $44,026 | $21.17 |
| 19 | Houston, TX | $42,279 | $20.33 |
Exercise physiologist salary details
An exercise physiologist's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $82,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an exercise physiologist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $82,000 | $6,833 | $39 |
| 75th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| Average | $49,399 | $4,117 | $24 |
| 25th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying exercise physiologist jobs
The highest paying types of exercise physiologists are director of cardiac rehabilitation, bariatric weight loss clinic manager and counselor, and physical therapist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athletic Trainer | $47,028 | $3,919 | $22.61 | 56,812 |
| Rehabilitation Technician | $29,533 | $2,461 | $14.20 | 31,196 |
| Wellness Coordinator | $42,471 | $3,539 | $20.42 | 23,186 |
| Certified Athletic Trainer | $47,184 | $3,932 | $22.68 | 90,171 |
| Physical Therapist | $73,070 | $6,089 | $35.13 | 86,697 |
| Clinical Exercise Physiologist | $53,276 | $4,440 | $25.61 | 108,099 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for exercise physiologists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Clinton Brawner Ph.D.
Clinical Exercise Physiology Core Laboratory Edith and Benson Ford Heart & Vascular Institute, Henry Ford Hospital
Top companies hiring exercise physiologists now:
Which companies pay exercise physiologists the most?
Exercise physiologist salaries at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average exercise physiologist salary at companies like University of Maryland Medical System and West Tennessee Healthcare are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | $64,278 | $30.90 |
| 2 | Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital | $63,559 | $30.56 |
| 3 | University of Maryland Medical System | $61,754 | $29.69 |
| 4 | West Tennessee Healthcare | $61,098 | $29.37 |
| 5 | Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center | $61,026 | $29.34 |
| 6 | Sutter Health | $60,842 | $29.25 |
| 7 | RWJBarnabas Health | $60,490 | $29.08 |
| 8 | Mount Sinai Health System | $60,224 | $28.95 |
| 9 | Bozeman Health | $60,067 | $28.88 |
| 10 | Monadnock Community Hospital | $59,999 | $28.85 |
| 11 | Northwell Health | $59,583 | $28.65 |
| 12 | Yale New Haven Health | $59,294 | $28.51 |
| 13 | Novant Health | $58,862 | $28.30 |
| 14 | NCH Healthcare System | $58,638 | $28.19 |
| 15 | Sparrow Health System | $58,567 | $28.16 |
| 16 | Huntsville Hospital | $58,526 | $28.14 |
| 17 | Thomas Jefferson University | $58,189 | $27.98 |
| 18 | Hartford Hospital | $58,055 | $27.91 |
| 19 | Oregon Health & Science University | $57,942 | $27.86 |
| 20 | OSF HealthCare | $57,796 | $27.79 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Exercise physiologist salary trends
The average exercise physiologist salary has risen by $1,140 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average exercise physiologist earned $48,259 annually, but today, they earn $49,399 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for exercise physiologists over the last decade.
Compare exercise physiologist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average exercise physiologist salary over time
Compare exercise physiologist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Exercise physiologist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $49,400 | $23.75 | +2.2% |
| 2024 | $48,300 | $23.23 | -0.2% |
| 2023 | $48,400 | $23.27 | +0.4% |
| 2022 | $48,200 | $23.19 | +3.6% |
| 2021 | $46,500 | $22.36 | +0.7% |
Recently added exercise physiologist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanford Health | Exercise Physiologist-Days | Sanford Health | Bemidji, MN | 06/30/2025 | $39,653 |
| Bethesda Health | MCI Oncology Exercise Physiologist, Rehab-Administration A-5P | Miami, FL | 06/29/2025 | $46,331 |
| Baptisthlth | MCI Oncology Exercise Physiologist, Rehab-Administration A-5P | Miami, FL | 06/29/2025 | $46,331 |
| Uc Health | Exercise Physiologist | Colorado Springs, CO | 06/28/2025 | $50,318 |
| Recora, Inc. | Remote Group Cardiac Exercise Physiologist-Contractor Only | New York, NY | 06/28/2025 | $62,610 |
| Presbyterian Healthcare Services | Exercise Physiologist-Cardiac Rehabilitation | Albuquerque, NM | 06/27/2025 | $60,982 |
| Mayo Clinic Health System | Exercise Physiologist | Eau Claire, WI | 06/27/2025 | $51,632 |
| Sanford Health | Exercise Physiologist-PRN | Sanford Health | Fargo, ND | 06/26/2025 | $39,653 |
| Multicare Health System | Exercise Physiologist I | Auburn, WA | 06/25/2025 | $57,998 |
| Tidalhealth | Exercise Physiologist | Salisbury, MD | 06/25/2025 | $48,523 |
Exercise physiologist salary FAQs
Search for exercise physiologist jobs