How much do Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors make?
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors earn a median annual salary of $47,160 in the United States, which works out to roughly $22.67 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $28,800 at the entry level and $83,100 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $35,280 and $61,730 a year.
That is $14,230 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors salary range by percentile
Half of all Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors earn between $35,280 and $61,730 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $28,800 | $13.85 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $35,280 | $16.96 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $47,160 | $22.67 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $61,730 | $29.68 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $83,100 | $39.95 |
Highest-paying states for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Massachusetts leads the country for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors pay at $64,620 a year, followed by Connecticut ($61,580) and New Jersey ($59,870). At the other end, Mississippi posts the lowest median at $30,540 — a gap of $34,080 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $64,620 | $31.07 | +37% |
| 2 | Connecticut | $61,580 | $29.61 | +31% |
| 3 | New Jersey | $59,870 | $28.78 | +27% |
| 4 | Oregon | $58,510 | $28.13 | +24% |
| 5 | California | $57,990 | $27.88 | +23% |
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 51 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 323,000 people work as Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $52,420 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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