Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
Human ServicesO*NET 39-9031.00United States
Instruct or coach groups or individuals in exercise activities for the primary purpose of personal fitness. Demonstrate techniques and form, observe participants, and explain to them corrective measures necessary to improve their skills.
- Median annual earnings
- $46,373
- Projected change
- +15%
- Typical education
- Certificate
- Employment
- 411.48K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
38.1% of the workforce
Growing to 473.22K by 2035
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These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
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The work
What exercise trainers and group fitness instructors do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Observe participants and inform them of corrective measures necessary for skill improvement.
- Offer alternatives during classes to accommodate different levels of fitness.
- Plan routines, choose appropriate music, and choose different movements for each set of muscles, depending on participants' capabilities and limitations.
- Monitor participants' progress and adapt programs as needed.
- Evaluate individuals' abilities, needs, and physical conditions, and develop suitable training programs to meet any special requirements.
- Instruct participants in maintaining exertion levels to maximize benefits from exercise routines.
- Teach and demonstrate use of gymnastic and training equipment, such as trampolines and weights.
- Explain and enforce safety rules and regulations governing sports, recreational activities, and the use of exercise equipment.
- Teach proper breathing techniques used during physical exertion.
- Maintain fitness equipment.
- Provide students with information and resources regarding nutrition, weight control, and lifestyle issues.
- Administer emergency first aid, wrap injuries, treat minor chronic disabilities, or refer injured persons to physicians.
- Maintain equipment inventories, and select, store, or issue equipment as needed.
- Advise clients about proper clothing and shoes.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $25,757
- 25th percentile
- $33,319
- 50th percentile
- $46,373
- 75th percentile
- $65,214
- 90th percentile
- $93,934
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $46,373 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+15%much faster than average
2025411,479 jobs
2035 projected473,215 jobs
61,736 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Certificate
- 38.1%
- Bachelor's degree
- 28.6%
- High school diploma or less
- 23.8%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 9.5%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
- Negotiation
- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Personal Trainers5,860 postings
- 02Group Fitness Instructors3,765 postings
- 03Pilates Instructors2,679 postings
- 04Fitness Coaches1,613 postings
- 05Yoga Instructors1,600 postings
- 06Fitness Instructors1,576 postings
- 07Fitness Trainers1,378 postings
- 08Certified Personal Trainers1,343 postings
- 09Group Exercise Instructors1,283 postings
- 10Recreation Leaders1,206 postings
- 11Personal Training Managers845 postings
- 12Pilates Reformer Instructors777 postings
- 13Personal Fitness Trainers399 postings
- 14Group X Instructors371 postings
- 15Certified Pilates Instructors365 postings
- 16Group Fitness Coaches357 postings
- 17Zumba Instructors334 postings
- 18Personal Trainers/Group Fitness Instructors325 postings
- 19Mat Pilates Instructors305 postings
- 20Trainers297 postings
Top employers
- 01YMCA2,207 postings
- 02Colleyville Lifetime Fitness1,759 postings
- 0324 Hour Fitness1,280 postings
- 04Life Time1,101 postings
- 05Crunch Fitness Canada1,006 postings
- 06Planet Fitness976 postings
- 07Equinox788 postings
- 08Vasa Fitness717 postings
- 09LA Fitness484 postings
- 10Anytime Fitness436 postings
- 11Edge Fitness Clubs413 postings
- 12U.S Fitness406 postings
- 13Stretchlab298 postings
- 14Gold's Gym232 postings
- 15Orangetheory Fitness225 postings
- 16EXOS222 postings
- 17UFC Gym198 postings
- 18Onelife197 postings
- 19Health Fitness Corporation188 postings
- 20Edge Fitness164 postings
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