Spa director vs fitness director

The differences between spa directors and fitness directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a spa director, becoming a fitness director takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a fitness director has an average salary of $53,238, which is higher than the $47,024 average annual salary of a spa director.

The top three skills for a spa director include customer service, reservations and front desk. The most important skills for a fitness director are customer service, CPR, and kids.

Spa director vs fitness director overview

	Spa Director	Fitness Director
Yearly salary	$47,024	$53,238
Hourly rate	$22.61	$25.60
Growth rate	6%	19%
Number of jobs	6,401	9,837
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age	44	37
Years of experience	4	12

What does a spa director do?

A spa director is the operator and caretaker of a spa. They are responsible for managing the spa's employees, scheduling events, and advertising it to clients. They ensure the spa is a welcoming environment, including making sure all hygiene procedures are followed and all equipment is functional. They create business development plans to help the spa grow.

What does a fitness director do?

A fitness director manages a fitness facility's operations. These operations include creating fitness programs, monitoring staff, scheduling shifts, and even managing the fitness center budget. They can also train fitness instructors and even hire and terminate them. They procure the equipment necessary and make sure it works well and is safe. Aside from these tasks, fitness directors must also be akin to the needs of the center, decide on solutions, and have the ability to motivate clients to follow the program that was created for their betterment.

Spa director vs fitness director salary

Spa directors and fitness directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Spa Director	Fitness Director
Average salary	$47,024	$53,238
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $89,000	Between $33,000 And $85,000
Highest paying City	Napa, CA	Springfield, MA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Lincoln Holdings LLC	Google
Best paying industry	Professional	Government

Differences between spa director and fitness director education

There are a few differences between a spa director and a fitness director in terms of educational background:

	Spa Director	Fitness Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common major	Business	Kinesiology
Most common college	Stanford University	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Spa director vs fitness director demographics

Here are the differences between spa directors' and fitness directors' demographics:

	Spa Director	Fitness Director
Average age	44	37
Gender ratio	Male, 15.8% Female, 84.2%	Male, 54.8% Female, 45.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 5.1% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%	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	8%	13%

Differences between spa director and fitness director duties and responsibilities

Spa director example responsibilities.

Manage outside appointment bookings which include traveling, security, POS systems, equipment storage & maintenance.
Ensure routine maintenance of all spa equipment are kept along with the highest level of cleanliness throughout spa.
Produce all event materials and handle reservations.
Monitor inventory, coordinate purchasing and process payroll.
Recommend improved cleaning products or cleaning methods towards optimal levels of sanitation and cleanliness.
Develop and implement standard operating procedures including payroll systems, training protocols, inventory control and purchasing methods.

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Fitness director example responsibilities.

Manage business administration including cash management, budgets and payroll; interface with members and resolve conflicts.
Enforce fitness center policies and ensure cleanliness of fitness equipment and customer safety.
Create SaaS offering for global central booking and POS management.
Assist patrons in workouts design to improve structural integrity, cardio capacity, and overall fitness.
Provide staff with information to keep up CPR education and safety procedures according to policy within the facility.
Implement biannual employee safety training that consist of first aid, CPR training, and job-relate safety precautions.

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Spa director vs fitness director skills

Common spa director skills

Customer Service, 18%
Reservations, 8%
Front Desk, 7%
Guest Satisfaction, 6%
Spa Services, 6%
Cleanliness, 5%

Common fitness director skills

Customer Service, 20%
CPR, 15%
Kids, 9%
Payroll, 7%
Yoga, 5%
Training Sessions, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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