Personal Trainer Job Outlook (And It Looks Great!)

If you’d like to work in the fitness industry, a personal trainer role is one to consider. Here we briefly explore what a personal trainer does. Then we dive into what to expect regarding job potential over the next several years. This can help you decide if becoming a certified personal trainer is the right decision for you.

What a Personal Trainer Does

Personal fitness trainers devise exercise programs to help clients meet their fitness goals. These goals can be as diverse as the clients themselves. Some want to lose weight while others would like to gain muscle. There are also clients with other fitness goals, such as improved sports performance.

In the end, a personal trainer is tasked with creating a fitness program that helps the client achieve their desired outcomes. For clients with no current exercise routine, they may simply want to increase their physical fitness activity. Personal fitness trainers working with athletes might be responsible for creating a program in line with their sports and athletic goals. 

Personal trainers work in a variety of fitness settings. You can find these professionals in a gym, fitness center, health club, or recreational center. Some provide personal training online. Others go into their clients’ homes.

Personal Trainer Job Outlook

Knowing the outlook for personal fitness trainers can provide realistic expectations when looking for a job. So, what does this projection look like? It’s pretty good.

Fitness trainer roles are projected to grow 19% between 2021 and 2031 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This would mean the addition of 57,800 new fitness trainer and instructor positions. (1)

For comparison, the average growth rate for all other occupations combined is 5%. In short, personal trainer jobs are expected to increase four times faster. That makes it a great time to pursue this fitness role.

Factors Contributing to Personal Training Job Growth

One reason the BLS expects an increase in fitness workers over the next decade is a push from employers. Many companies recognize the value of having fit and healthy employees. To encourage employees to increase their physical activity, companies are giving them more incentives.

Some employers provide employees with gym memberships at discounted rates. Others provide exercise facilities onsite. This makes it even easier for employees to get and stay fit. Either way, personal fitness trainers are needed to staff these facilities.

Another reason for such massive personal training job growth is rising obesity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 41.9% of U.S. adults are obese. This represents an 11.4% increase in obesity over the past twenty years. (2)

Obesity is associated with many chronic health conditions. This includes cancer, heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. By helping people reduce their excess weight, personal training professionals can help change this trend. And they can help clients improve their health.

A third reason for more personal training jobs is the aging population. Engaging in physical activity can help baby boomers age with greater health. This equates to fewer age-related diseases and injuries.

Personal Training Career Options

Based on the BLS projections, now is a great time to start a personal training career. And your career opportunities in this role are expansive.

If you want to train clients one-on-one, you can. You can also provide training as a group fitness instructor. Also known as an aerobics instructor, a group fitness instructor trains several people at one time. They work with classes of all sizes, with some offering group fitness classes online.

You can also teach a specialized area of fitness. Specialized fitness instructors include those who teach yoga, kickboxing, bodybuilding, and powerlifting. These career options allow you to train in the area of fitness you enjoy most.

You may even use the personal trainer role as a steppingstone to a higher-level fitness position. Maybe you dream of becoming an athletic trainer. To get into athletic training, you typically need a bachelor's degree or higher. Since a degree generally isn’t required to work as a personal trainer, starting in this role helps you “get your feet wet” in this field. It also enables you to establish connections with other fitness professionals.

Another career option is to work in physical education. Take your knowledge as a personal trainer and teach others about exercise and fitness. Help them understand the value of regular workouts. Provide a path for them to reach their own fitness goals.

Median Personal Trainer Salary

If you can envision yourself working as a personal trainer, your next question may be what type of wages you could make. The BLS reports that the median wage for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors as of May 2022 was $45,380 per year. To be clear, this is the median. So, one-half of trainers make more and one-half make less. (3)

Several factors can affect your income as a personal trainer. They include the type of facility you train in, your geographic region, and even whether you have your certification. (Some experts suggest that having your certification can increase your earning potential by up to 20%.) (4)

Who you train can impact your income too. If you provide personal training services for a civic organization, you will likely make less than if you train celebrities. Both clients can be rewarding. However, they can also be dramatically different in terms of pay. 

Should you open your own personal training business, your income potential is unlimited. You decide your rates, who you train, how often you train, and more. When you’re an independent trainer, you aren’t limited by an employer’s work hours or rate of pay. This gives you maximum leeway.

Pros and Cons of Being a Fitness Instructor

Even though the job outlook is good for personal trainers, this fitness role does have its pros and cons. Some of the pros include being able to help others, flexible work hours, and doing work you love. You’re also constantly surrounded by fitness enthusiasts. This can make it easier to hit your personal fitness goals.

One of the cons of being a fitness instructor is that you only make money if someone hires you. So, until you build up your client list, it can be a struggle. If you work part-time or are independent, there are also no benefits. This means no paid time off, no insurance, and no access to an employer-provided retirement plan. 

If you have a passion for fitness, the pros may outweigh the cons. There are few things more rewarding than helping someone reach their fitness goals. When you see a smile on their face and know that you helped create it, it can be soothing to your soul.

How to Become a Personal Fitness Trainer

Are you ready to become a personal trainer? Although getting your certification isn’t always required—though, it is often preferred—taking a certification course provides the education and skills needed to work in this role.

In a personal trainer certification course, you’ll learn about:

• human movement science, which includes human movement across all stages of life

• exercise science and kinesiology

• effective training concepts and principles

• exercise modalities and the benefits they provide

• fitness assessment testing importance and applications

• exercise program design and modification

• techniques for working with clients with chronic health issues

Depending on the course you take, you can have your trainer certification within a matter of weeks. This enables you to start working as a personal trainer soon, getting you one step closer to your fitness career goals.

ISSA offers a Personal Trainer Certification program. This program can be taken online and provides the designation of certified personal trainer (CPT). ISSA also offers continuing education courses. These help you further your personal development while keeping your certification current.

References

1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022a, September 8). Fitness trainers and instructors: Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/fitness-trainers-and-instructors.htm 

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, May 17). Adult obesity facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html 

3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, April 25). Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes399031.htm 

4. Pino, I. (2023, May 24). Experts say that earning relevant certifications can boost your salary by as much as 20%. Fortune Recommends. https://fortune.com/recommends/banking/skill-that-can-boost-your-salary/