XAll compensation data shown are gross, national 10th to 90th percentile ranges. Pay can vary greatly by location. To view local data, take the PayScale survey.
XAll compensation data shown are gross, national 10th to 90th percentile ranges. Pay can vary greatly by location. To view local data, take the PayScale survey.
XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).
)
$19,049 - $71,480
Country: United States | Currency: USD | Updated: 29 Jan 2012 | Individuals Reporting: 281
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FAQs on Salaries for
Fitness Trainer or Aerobics Instructor
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Personal Trainers - Not Just for the Rich and Famous
It seems like everywhere you look in the news lately, the words "obesity" and "epidemic" are appearing together. As American waistlines swell, many are turning to fad diets, complicated home exercise equipment, and non-FDA-approved diet supplements, all in the name of losing weight quickly and easily. Those who do manage to get in shape are often surrounded by hordes of the would-be slender, all demanding, "What's your secret?" The truth is, the real secret to getting and staying in shape isn't a secret at all - it's that old standby, eating right and exercising. Intending to eat better and exercise more is easy - just look at the rise in gym memberships in January, as New Year's resolutions make their presence known. But, sticking with it is another story.
For many of those who do make a long-term change in their fitness habits, the help of a personal trainer is what spurred them to success. Not only do regular appointments keep clients accountable, a personal trainer's superior fitness knowledge can help people get the most out of their workouts, avoiding the inefficiency, plateaus and just plain cheating that plague so many hopeful solo fitness plans. A successful fitness trainer is not only familiar with a wide variety of workouts for different body types, he or she also possesses a strong personality, capable of building rapport with clients and motivating them to success. For those who fit the profile, these attributes can also lead to a healthy personal trainer salary. And researching PayScale's salary data can give anyone a head start toward finding the best personal trainer salaries.
Personal Trainer Salary Data
For the average personal trainer, "salary" isn't quite the right term. Most personal trainer salaries are paid by the hour, so researching the average hourly rate for a personal trainer may provide more helpful results than looking for the average salary of a personal trainer. As the field is fairly new in the grand scheme of things, personal trainer salaries are among the few that are often more equal for men and women; measuring a Personal Trainer Salary Range by Gender shows that the average salary of a personal trainer is neck-and-neck between the genders. Because training is such a one-on-one activity, many personal trainers choose to ditch the gym and work for themselves, a smart decision that will most likely increase a personal trainer's salary. Comparing the median Personal Trainer Salary Range by Employer Type shows that the average salary of a personal trainer is highest when self-employed. As for location - another important factor affecting the average salary of a personal trainer - be sure to check both the Personal Trainer Salary by City and Personal Trainer Salary by State charts to see which locations tend to offer higher salaries.
For those who are truly committed, it may be worth it to parlay fitness trainer skills into a career as a physical therapist. Expand your personal trainer salary research by comparing Salaries for Physical Therapy with personal trainer salaries.
Average Salary of a Personal Trainer
Does your personal trainer salary need a lift? Dr. Salary is here to pump you up! Before continuing your salary research, learn why searching for "median personal trainer salary" will give you better results than "average salary of a personal trainer" in the Ask Dr. Salary post, "Why is median better than mean for a typical salary?" If all this personal trainer salary talk has you convinced to try it as a career, you won't want to miss "Personal Trainer Salary: How to Become a Personal Trainer" over in the Salary Stories blog.
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Stay true to yourself - regardless
Fitness Trainer or Aerobics Instructor - (City withheld for privacy), South Carolina, United States
I worked for an individual that had no conscious. She would not hesitate to tell a lie to better herself or to demean you. As long as she looked good - nothing else mattered - not the business, not an individual, nothing. It was self first. I worked for the company for sixteen years, but the last five for her. She was promoted to a directorship from a secretary's position. There is nothing wrong with this and I'm all for bettering yourself, but she had no management skills except deceit, lies,...