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Wellness director vs fitness manager

The differences between wellness directors and fitness managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a wellness director has an average salary of $73,888, which is higher than the $44,522 average annual salary of a fitness manager.

The top three skills for a wellness director include quality care, home health and direct supervision. The most important skills for a fitness manager are CPR, cleanliness, and program design.

Wellness director vs fitness manager overview

Wellness DirectorFitness Manager
Yearly salary$73,888$44,522
Hourly rate$35.52$21.40
Growth rate28%19%
Number of jobs31,52298,611
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 57%Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Average age4747
Years of experience6-

What does a wellness director do?

Typically working at gyms and health centers, a wellness coordinator utilizes their health and fitness expertise by designing and developing health programs involving workout and diet plans. Among their responsibilities include performing research and analysis to identify the clients' needs, gathering and analyzing information to determine the strengths and weaknesses of current programs, and implementing solutions against problem areas. They must also liaise with internal and external parties, coordinate staff, and develop strategies to optimize program operations, ensuring efficiency and client satisfaction.

What does a fitness manager do?

A fitness manager specializes in helping clients to fulfill their goals in health and lifestyle. Typically working in gyms and health facilities, they oversee fitness classes and supervise personal trainers to ensure efficiency and client satisfaction. They also participate in developing workout plans and programs, manage the facility's budget and schedules, offer gym memberships to potential clients, and monitor the conditions of equipment to ensure everyone's safety. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the team to reach goals, all while implementing the facility's policies and regulations.

Wellness director vs fitness manager salary

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

Wellness DirectorFitness Manager
Average salary$73,888$44,522
Salary rangeBetween $42,000 And $127,000Between $30,000 And $65,000
Highest paying CityHartford, CTStamford, CT
Highest paying stateConnecticutConnecticut
Best paying companyEmma Willard SchoolAEA Investors
Best paying industryHealth CareHospitality

Differences between wellness director and fitness manager education

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

Wellness DirectorFitness Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 57%Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Most common majorNursingKinesiology
Most common collegeUniversity of Michigan - Ann ArborUniversity of Southern California

Wellness director vs fitness manager demographics

Here are the differences between wellness directors' and fitness managers' demographics:

Wellness DirectorFitness Manager
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 23.0% Female, 77.0%Male, 65.3% Female, 34.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 7.5% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 7.7% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage12%10%

Differences between wellness director and fitness manager duties and responsibilities

Wellness director example responsibilities.

  • Manage resident and facility accounts, budgets, social security applications, and Medicare and Medicaid benefits.
  • Provide staff training and oversight on medication administration and direct patient care.
  • Provide oversight to ensure appropriate infection control procedures are follow by staff.
  • Assist in keeping key staff in compliance with CPR certification.
  • Implement disease management programs for hypertension, diabetes and back injuries.
  • Process payroll, hire, dismiss, and education to staff.
  • Show more

Fitness manager example responsibilities.

  • Supervise hiring and managing of personal trainers and group exercise instructors, including payroll information.
  • Establish a CPR and AFAA Pre-Training for instructors to comply with industry standards.
  • Individualize exercise prescription plan development and implementation, facility maintenance, payroll management, sales, recreation programming
  • Answer phones, handle any complaints and make sure everything run smoothly in the gym.

Wellness director vs fitness manager skills

Common wellness director skills
  • Quality Care, 15%
  • Home Health, 14%
  • Direct Supervision, 14%
  • CPR, 7%
  • State Regulations, 6%
  • Oversight, 6%
Common fitness manager skills
  • CPR, 29%
  • Cleanliness, 14%
  • Program Design, 10%
  • Fitness Programs, 5%
  • Direct Reports, 5%
  • Punctuality, 5%

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