Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors Salary: $64,082 Median Pay (2026 stats)
TL;DR
About 303,620 exercise trainers and group fitness instructors nationally earn a mean of $64,082. Projections imply about 1.7% annual growth; CA accounts for about 38,070 jobs in our geographic extract.
Key Statistics
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 percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,304 |
| 25th percentile | $41,106 |
| Median (50th) | $58,209 |
| 75th percentile | $78,346 |
| 90th percentile | $104,756 |
What education do you need?
For Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.
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 Workforce in 2023
The Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$64,082 Average Wage
In 2023, Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors earned an average of $64,082.
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.
Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 38,070 employees, $64,396 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 9,810 employees, $63,625 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 4,400 employees, $58,302 avg wage
- Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 4,370 employees, $64,797 avg wage
- Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 3,030 employees, $72,187 avg wage
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 2,860 employees, $59,268 avg wage
- San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 2,640 employees, $76,005 avg wage
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 2,530 employees, $61,356 avg wage
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 2,500 employees, $70,108 avg wage
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA: 830 employees, $58,291 avg wage
- Santa Rosa-Petaluma MSA: 730 employees, $66,858 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 workforce of Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors in 2023 was 303,620 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
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
The average yearly wage for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors was $64,082 in 2023.
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.