How to hire a strength and conditioning coach

How to hire a strength and conditioning coach, step by step

Here's a step-by-step strength and conditioning coach hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a strength and conditioning coach job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new strength and conditioning coach
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a strength and conditioning coach do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The strength and conditioning coach hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

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   Hiring the perfect strength and conditioning coach also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents strength and conditioning coach salaries for various positions.

   Type of Strength And Conditioning Coach	Description	Hourly rate
   Strength And Conditioning Coach	Coaches teach amateur or professional athletes the skills they need to succeed at their sport. Scouts look for new players and evaluate their skills and likelihood for success at the college, amateur, or professional level... Show more	$13-38
   Athlete	An athlete specializes and competes in a particular sport as an individual or part of a team. Mentored by a coach or instructor, an athlete undergoes rigorous training and practices, even as professionals in the league, to develop and maintain skills... Show more	$11-51
   Coach	The main responsibility of a coach is to motivate an individual or an entire team. Coaches are focused on improving the performance and skills of athletes by conducting training sessions, coordinating practice drills, and providing guidance... Show more	$12-31

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Student Athletes
   • NCAA
   • Weight Room
   • Soccer
   • Softball
   • Injury Prevention
   • Training Sessions
   • Facility Maintenance
   • Volleyball
   • Varsity Sports
   • Sport Coaches
   • CSCS
   • Athletic Performance
   • Program Design

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Create and manage practice plans for volleyball program to ensure team building and improvement in all areas of volleyball.
   • Perform additional responsibilities as deemed appropriate by school and district supervisors such as organizing and managing elementary school mathematics information nights.
   • Help coach triple jump, long jump and javelin (boys and girls).
   • Train and certify for CPR and a.
   • Monitor study hall for freshman on Sunday and Monday nights.
   • Organize and coordinate academic enrichments to enhance a team GPA of 2.7.

   More strength and conditioning coach duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your strength and conditioning coach job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A strength and conditioning coach salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, strength and conditioning coaches' average salary in wyoming is 66% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level strength and conditioning coaches earn 64% less than senior-level strength and conditioning coaches.
   • Certifications. A strength and conditioning coach with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a strength and conditioning coach's salary.

   Average strength and conditioning coach salary

   $49,382yearly

   $23.74 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level strength and conditioning coach salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 26, 2025

   Average strength and conditioning coach salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	West Virginia	$66,598	$32
   2	New York	$66,030	$32
   3	Minnesota	$64,096	$31
   4	Virginia	$62,471	$30
   5	California	$61,781	$30
   6	Texas	$57,431	$28
   7	South Carolina	$55,098	$26
   8	Oregon	$54,384	$26
   9	Nebraska	$52,933	$25
   10	Pennsylvania	$52,865	$25
   11	Colorado	$49,984	$24
   12	Arizona	$49,742	$24
   13	North Carolina	$49,180	$24
   14	Alabama	$48,731	$23
   15	Washington	$48,021	$23
   16	Florida	$47,091	$23
   17	Michigan	$45,782	$22
   18	Missouri	$43,639	$21
   19	Wisconsin	$43,551	$21
   20	Oklahoma	$42,696	$21

   Average strength and conditioning coach salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Mayo Clinic	$76,488	$36.77	3
   2	Frostburg State University	$70,582	$33.93
   3	Loyola University Maryland	$69,608	$33.47
   4	Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania	$65,259	$31.37
   5	Oakland University	$64,759	$31.13	7
   6	Florida State University	$63,263	$30.41	4
   7	Boston College	$63,207	$30.39
   8	Bering Straits	$62,903	$30.24	8
   9	Michigan Technological University	$62,776	$30.18
   10	Stevens Institute of Technology	$61,883	$29.75
   11	University of Nebraska at Omaha	$61,442	$29.54	3
   12	Akron Children's Hospital	$60,176	$28.93	1
   13	South Dakota State University	$58,056	$27.91
   14	West Virginia University	$57,762	$27.77	2
   15	University of Virginia	$57,567	$27.68	4
   16	Denison University	$57,406	$27.60	2
   17	Shenandoah University	$57,102	$27.45	7
   18	California State University, Fullerton	$55,789	$26.82
   19	University of Notre Dame	$55,726	$26.79
   20	Syracuse University	$55,580	$26.72	1

4. Writing a strength and conditioning coach job description

   A strength and conditioning coach job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a strength and conditioning coach job description:

   Strength and conditioning coach job description example

   The St. James is the premier sports, wellness and active entertainment destination in the country, with 450,000 sq. ft. of developmental and competitive programs, teams and opportunities in more than 30 sports, and a wide range of premium fitness, wellness and entertainment experiences.

   The part-time Strength and Conditioning Coach will assist the Director of Strength and Conditioning with coaching of groups and teams of different ages & abilities.

   RESPONSIBILITIES

   • Organize effective program design o help athletes and members achieve their conditioning goals.
   • Conducting warm-ups and testing sessions for The St. James’ teams.
   • Communicate effectively with clients, athletes, as well as the parents of youth athletes.
   • Keeping the Assistant Director and Director of S&C informed with any issues and work with them to provide effective conflict resolution.
   • Carry-out on floor coaching.
   • Track athlete or member progress.
   • Help to ensure facility maintenance.
   • Supporting the safety of all members, guests and employees.

   QUALIFICATIONS

   • Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field of study
   • A reputable Strength & Conditioning certification (CSCS through the NSCA or CSCS within 6 months of hire)
   • Ability and experience to instruct entry level skills through Advanced levels.
   • Strong work ethic and organizational skills within a dynamic environment
   • Great customer service and communication skills
   • Excellent written and oral communication skills
   • CPR/AED certification
   • Knowledgeable of safety training, procedures and best practices used throughout the sports and wellness industry.

   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

   For more information, please visit our website: www.thestjames.com

   The St. James is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We welcome qualified applicants from a variety of backgrounds inclusive of their race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, expression or orientation, genetic information, national origin, age, disability, or status as a disabled or Vietnam-era veteran.

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5. Post your job

   To find strength and conditioning coaches for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any strength and conditioning coaches they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level strength and conditioning coaches with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your strength and conditioning coach job on Zippia to find and recruit strength and conditioning coach candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting strength and conditioning coaches requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new strength and conditioning coach

   Once you've found the strength and conditioning coach candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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