Personal Trainer Average Salary

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“Salary Surveys never give enough of the right info. Look at job advertisements for gym jobs to get an idea of the salaries available. Also check the training rates for independent trainers. You won't survive long as an independent trainer if you only charge $40/hour.” (about me)

Personal Trainer Average Salary

This is the "show me the money" section where I gather personal trainer average salary information from many sources to try to make some sense of it.

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So what kind of salary for a certified personal trainer can I expect?

The answer to that one is a big "it depends". If you compare the various industry surveys, both those that are conducted by independent sources and those from certification providers like ACE, the numbers vary widely.
Personal trainer average salary depends on factors like:

geographic region
are you a personal trainer consultant or an employee
do you work for a gym/club or a corporation outside of the fitness industry
how many years experience do you have
do you have a college degree
are you certified
are you certified for special needs training

With this many factors involved, it takes a lot of data to come to any solid conclusions on personal trainer average salary rates. But we can makes some generalities.

Personal Trainer Average Salary by Region

Average Salary in Beverly Hills, CA

Average Salary in Memphis, TN

The first aspect of region is country. If you are in the United States, Canada or Western Europe you are in the prime spot for personal training. This shouldn't come as a surprise since personal training is largely a luxury item and relies on the presence of strong economic prosperity.

In short, people worry about feeding themselves before worrying about how they look in the mirror. If you are a personal trainer in a less developed country, you will likely earn less unless you seek out a niche working with rich clients.

Just like economic conditions vary by country, they can also vary by region within a country. An don't forget about cultural differences by region. You probably won't be surprised that personal trainer average salary rates are the highest in Sunny, Health-Conscious California. But you might be surprised that the salary for a certified personal trainer in California is nearly double that of Ohio.

But if you live in other states, don't panic yet. The numbers still are strong in New York, Illinois, Washington, Florida, Texas, Oregon, Connecticut, Colorado and Massachusetts. Personal trainer average salary rates are highest in the Western U.S., but also strong in the Northeast and Southeast regions. Rates tend to dip strongly in the Central Northern states.

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The top cities for personal trainer average salary rates probably won't surprise you either: New York, Boston, Los Angeles, San Diego, Washington, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami.

Who Do You Work For?

Independent personal trainer consultants make more money than trainers who work as employees at chain health clubs (but the benefits are not as good).

If you don't want to go the independent route, consider targeting a job personal training for a corporation that is NOT in the fitness industry. Having in house personal trainers is an innovative benefit that many corporations are adding. You can work with clients throughout the day in the corporate gym.

While these jobs are hard to find (you really have to go out and convince them to start an in house program), the benefits and pay are great. The business world usually pays much better than the fitness world.

So What are some of the Personal Trainer Average Salary rates?

The U.S. national average salary for a certified personal trainer is $34,000 - $48,000. Why the range? Because of all those other factors listed above. Many trainers earn over $60,000 and if you start your own personal training business you can easily grow to over $120,000 per year ($150,000 if you sell complimentary products and services).

The Disappearing Gender Gap

Good news Ladies! Personal trainer average salary rates are statistically the same for men and women with equal experience. This is rare, so enjoy!

Next Page: Personal Trainer Salary Survey

Insider Tips

Don't let these rates scare you. If you are good, you can charge more and even turn away clients because you are so busy. If you are just average, then you will earn just an average salary.

- Tami, Tampa FL

As my business filled up I started raising rates for new clients. It made the existing clients feel like they were getting a good deal so they kept coming, and I was able to make more money on the new clients. Eventually as older clients get replaced by newer clients your income rises. But I still have clients that are paying rates based upon years ago. I just don't want to raise rates on my most loyal clients that have supported me over the years.

- Greg, Phoenix AZ

I work at a higher-end club and the trainers make close to six figure salaries, so there is a lot more money to be made than what is published here. I know trainers that charge $40-$60 an hour for their services.

- name withheld

The personal trainer average salary rates are depressing, especially if you are working for a chain health club. It seems like there is somebody else always willing to undercut you on price. I didn't like the cut-throat aspect to it so I started specializing in pregnant women. I don't charge any more for these clients but the referrals through the mommy networks are a great way to get clients.

- Samantha, Richmond VA

I work strictly part-time. In the region I am in it is a hard way to make money as a full time PT. I have done both gym work and at home work and the at-home work is definately more lucrative. $25/ session and keep $20 at the gym and usually charge about $40 for in homes.

- Keene, NH

You can read many more salary comments and submit your own below. Also check out reader comments on our Personal Trainer Salary Survey page.

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