Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors Salary: $46,180 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 303,620 exercise trainers and group fitness instructors work nationally, and $46,180 is the BLS national median annual wage. Projections imply about 1.7% annual growth; much hiring sits in arts, entertainment, and recreation.
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors: what the data shows
Common questions about exercise trainers and group fitness instructors careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a exercise trainers and group fitness instructors?
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 39-9031.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 303,620 workers.
What does a exercise trainers and group fitness instructors do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Performing General Physical Activities, Performing for or Working Directly with the Public, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Training and Teaching Others, Coaching and Developing Others, Assisting and Caring for Others, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a exercise trainers and group fitness instructors make?
BLS national median annual wage: $46,180 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $64,082 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,304 |
| 25th percentile | $41,106 |
| Median (50th) | $58,209 |
| 75th percentile | $78,346 |
| 90th percentile | $104,756 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Instructing, Service Orientation, Speaking, Monitoring, Social Perceptiveness, Learning Strategies, and knowledge areas including Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Education and Training, Psychology. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is exercise trainers and group fitness instructors in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 1.7% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 8.6%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 17.9%.
Current U.S. headcount: 303,620.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do exercise trainers and group fitness instructorss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 303,620 | 16.9% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 286,870 | 16.0% |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 206,110 | 11.5% |
| Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries | 204,650 | 11.4% |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | 204,160 | 11.4% |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers | 199,210 | 11.1% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 11,430 | $84,290 |
| Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 12,680 | $75,890 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | 108,010 | $65,510 |
| Physical Therapist Aides | 44,010 | $34,520 |
| Physical Therapists | 248,630 | $101,020 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors workforce.
Employment Over Time
303,620 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors grew from 121,980 in 2009 to 158,680 in 2025 (30.1%).
Historical employment for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$46,180 Median pay (BLS national)
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors earn $46,180 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
Salary distribution for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
Employment Growth Projections
1.7% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
172,274 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 8.6%
187,032 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 17.9%
This occupation is projected to grow at 1.7% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
Wage Trends by Industry
-12.1% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 40,010 employees, $62,310 avg wage
- NY: 19,430 employees, $61,800 avg wage
- TX: 18,730 employees, $42,180 avg wage
- IL: 18,100 employees, $57,930 avg wage
- FL: 17,120 employees, $42,890 avg wage
- VA: 12,150 employees, $43,320 avg wage
- MA: 10,870 employees, $67,320 avg wage
- CO: 10,830 employees, $54,290 avg wage
- WA: 10,480 employees, $60,830 avg wage
- PA: 10,330 employees, $47,150 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 21,540 employees, $65,700 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 15,160 employees, $59,600 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 14,180 employees, $62,220 avg wage
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 8,760 employees, $49,600 avg wage
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 8,400 employees, $67,450 avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 7,180 employees, $52,000 avg wage
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: 6,400 employees, $65,540 avg wage
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA: 6,310 employees, $71,550 avg wage
- Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: 6,220 employees, $55,260 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 5,710 employees, $43,440 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
Diversity
Demographic information on Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors is about 303,620 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors in 2023 were Business Administration, Health Sciences, Education.
Common majors for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors workers.
Education level distribution for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
Skills
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors need many skills, but most especially Instructing, Service Orientation, Speaking, Monitoring, Social Perceptiveness.
Required skills for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors include Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Education and Training, Psychology, Sales and Marketing.
Knowledge areas required for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors include Extent Flexibility, Stamina, Gross Body Coordination, Oral Expression, Speech Clarity.
Required abilities for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
Daily Activities
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors spend their time on activities such as Performing General Physical Activities, Performing for or Working Directly with the Public, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Training and Teaching Others, Coaching and Developing Others.
Most important work activities for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
About
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors earn $46,180 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
39-9031 - Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors reports an average salary of $64,082.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 303,620 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 1.7%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.