SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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. Develop and implement individualized approaches to exercise. Excludes “Educational Instruction and Library Occupations” (25-0000), “Coaches and Scouts” (27-2022), and “Athletic Trainers” (29-9091).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 39-9031.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $28,800 | $2,400 | $554 | $13.85 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $35,280 | $2,940 | $678 | $16.96 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $47,160 | $3,930 | $907 | $22.67 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $61,730 | $5,144 | $1,187 | $29.68 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $83,100 | $6,925 | $1,598 | $39.95 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors is $47,160, which is 7% lower. Among the 32 occupations of the field Personal Care and Service, it ranks number 8 by median pay. With 322,930 jobs, it makes up about 21 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($52,420) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors pay by state
The highest median pay was in Massachusetts ($64,620), Connecticut ($61,580) and New Jersey ($59,870). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($22,020), Mississippi ($30,540) and Nebraska ($31,440). The most jobs were in California (43,600), New York (20,140) and Illinois (19,830). The occupation is most concentrated in Utah, where its share of all jobs is 1.9 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 9,200 | $64,620 | $72,370 | $31.07 |
| Connecticut | 2,850 | $61,580 | $66,870 | $29.61 |
| New Jersey | 11,350 | $59,870 | $65,470 | $28.79 |
| Oregon | 4,800 | $58,510 | $60,470 | $28.13 |
| California | 43,600 | $57,990 | $62,890 | $27.88 |
| Nevada | 3,010 | $57,960 | $58,100 | $27.87 |
| Vermont | 710 | $57,300 | $59,960 | $27.55 |
| Washington | 9,270 | $50,830 | $61,800 | $24.44 |
| Wyoming | 560 | $50,250 | $57,570 | $24.16 |
| Colorado | 10,500 | $49,900 | $56,400 | $23.99 |
| Idaho | 2,360 | $49,780 | $52,410 | $23.94 |
| New Hampshire | 1,500 | $49,360 | $54,120 | $23.73 |
| Hawaii | 990 | $48,290 | $54,980 | $23.22 |
| Arizona | 7,010 | $47,980 | $52,540 | $23.07 |
| Maryland | 8,650 | $47,420 | $54,110 | $22.80 |
| Tennessee | 5,080 | $47,380 | $48,380 | $22.78 |
| Georgia | 7,500 | $47,150 | $50,460 | $22.67 |
| New York | 20,140 | $47,090 | $60,770 | $22.64 |
| Maine | 1,140 | $47,060 | $53,380 | $22.63 |
| Illinois | 19,830 | $46,800 | $53,300 | $22.50 |
| North Carolina | 10,670 | $46,450 | $48,270 | $22.33 |
| Alaska | 800 | $46,210 | $45,860 | $22.22 |
| Rhode Island | 990 | $45,640 | $52,990 | $21.94 |
| Michigan | 6,050 | $45,520 | $47,990 | $21.88 |
| Kentucky | 1,990 | $45,280 | $46,580 | $21.77 |
| Pennsylvania | 11,580 | $45,250 | $46,620 | $21.75 |
| Utah | 6,830 | $44,800 | $49,360 | $21.54 |
| New Mexico | 1,030 | $44,680 | $43,080 | $21.48 |
| Oklahoma | 2,300 | $44,520 | $44,960 | $21.40 |
| Louisiana | 2,290 | $44,410 | $42,450 | $21.35 |
| Delaware | 1,210 | $44,340 | $50,560 | $21.32 |
| Wisconsin | 6,330 | $44,200 | $44,300 | $21.25 |
| Montana | 1,420 | $43,940 | $47,870 | $21.13 |
| South Carolina | 5,130 | $43,630 | $43,370 | $20.98 |
| Minnesota | 7,010 | $43,620 | $46,190 | $20.97 |
| Arkansas | 1,390 | $42,140 | $42,310 | $20.26 |
| Texas | 19,260 | $40,880 | $44,880 | $19.65 |
| Virginia | 12,100 | $40,820 | $46,030 | $19.63 |
| South Dakota | 950 | $40,070 | $42,850 | $19.26 |
| District of Columbia | 1,480 | $39,210 | $55,190 | $18.85 |
| Alabama | 2,680 | $39,180 | $39,330 | $18.84 |
| Florida | 18,070 | $38,800 | $44,630 | $18.65 |
| West Virginia | 500 | $38,120 | $39,520 | $18.33 |
| North Dakota | 680 | $37,760 | $41,180 | $18.15 |
| Missouri | 5,060 | $36,450 | $41,870 | $17.52 |
| Ohio | 9,040 | $36,370 | $40,250 | $17.49 |
| Iowa | 2,510 | $36,160 | $38,290 | $17.39 |
| Kansas | 4,510 | $35,900 | $40,730 | $17.26 |
| Indiana | 5,360 | $34,960 | $37,330 | $16.81 |
| Nebraska | 2,410 | $31,440 | $37,940 | $15.11 |
| Mississippi | 1,260 | $30,540 | $37,390 | $14.68 |
| Puerto Rico | 260 | $22,020 | $23,600 | $10.59 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
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Common questions
How much do Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors earn in the United States?
The median pay was $47,160 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $28,800 and the highest-paid 10% more than $83,100.
How many people work as Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors?
About 322,930 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.