Post job

Wellness director vs wellness coach

The differences between wellness directors and wellness coaches 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 $40,248 average annual salary of a wellness coach.

The top three skills for a wellness director include quality care, home health and direct supervision. The most important skills for a wellness coach are CPR, health education, and rehabilitation.

Wellness director vs wellness coach overview

Wellness DirectorWellness Coach
Yearly salary$73,888$40,248
Hourly rate$35.52$19.35
Growth rate28%12%
Number of jobs31,52221,963
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 57%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
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 wellness coach do?

A wellness coach is responsible for guiding clients on their fitness and health objectives, mentoring them on activities for a healthy lifestyle, and creating customized wellness plans to manage their developmental conditions. Wellness coaches conduct counseling sessions to listen to the clients' issues, including their stress, practices, meal plans, and other daily lifestyle activities. They also plan and suggest activities for the clients while observing their behaviors and create instructional guides to sustain a positive emotional and mental perspective.

Wellness director vs wellness coach salary

Wellness directors and wellness coaches have different pay scales, as shown below.

Wellness DirectorWellness Coach
Average salary$73,888$40,248
Salary rangeBetween $42,000 And $127,000Between $25,000 And $62,000
Highest paying CityHartford, CTRichmond, CA
Highest paying stateConnecticutAlaska
Best paying companyEmma Willard SchoolStanford University
Best paying industryHealth CareFinance

Differences between wellness director and wellness coach education

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

Wellness DirectorWellness Coach
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 57%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common majorNursingKinesiology
Most common collegeUniversity of Michigan - Ann ArborUniversity of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Wellness director vs wellness coach demographics

Here are the differences between wellness directors' and wellness coaches' demographics:

Wellness DirectorWellness Coach
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 23.0% Female, 77.0%Male, 34.2% Female, 65.8%
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, 10.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 4.4% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage12%16%

Differences between wellness director and wellness coach 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

Wellness coach example responsibilities.

  • Provide market research and generate leads using social media (facebook) in order to target prospective clients.
  • Develop nutritional classes and provide some exercises for patients with diabetes, cholesterol, hypertension and obesity.
  • Front desk liason for clients, aid in booking and rescheduling appointments, suggesting additional services.
  • Aid patients with EKG setup, monitoring of blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen levels during exercise.
  • Calibrate EKG strips and transfer client data such as maximum blood pressure, heart rate, workload, and perceive exertion.
  • Teach TRX classes, abs and core.
  • Show more

Wellness director vs wellness coach skills

Common wellness director skills
  • Quality Care, 15%
  • Home Health, 14%
  • Direct Supervision, 14%
  • CPR, 7%
  • State Regulations, 6%
  • Oversight, 6%
Common wellness coach skills
  • CPR, 20%
  • Health Education, 9%
  • Rehabilitation, 8%
  • Patients, 8%
  • Health Promotion, 7%
  • Wellness Programs, 5%

Browse executive management jobs