SOC 29-1128.00Bright outlook

    Exercise Physiologists

    Assess, plan, or implement fitness programs that include exercise or physical activities such as those designed to improve cardiorespiratory function, body composition, muscular strength, muscular endurance, or flexibility.

    Median pay
    $59,460
    Growth
    +12.8%
    Much faster than average
    Openings a year
    1,400
    Typical education
    Bachelor's degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $42,760
    Median
    $59,460
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $80,560
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    8,560 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Exercise physiologists design and implement fitness programs to improve cardiorespiratory health, body composition, and strength. The median annual pay for this profession is $59,460, with opportunities growing much faster than average.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What exercise physiologists do

    Job Zone 4: Considerable preparation

    Assess, plan, or implement fitness programs that include exercise or physical activities such as those designed to improve cardiorespiratory function, body composition, muscular strength, muscular endurance, or flexibility.

    Most need a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.

    What the work is like

    Exercise physiologists spend their days assessing, planning, and carrying out fitness programs tailored to individual health needs. They work directly with people to improve muscular strength, flexibility, and cardiorespiratory function. Much of their day involves assisting and caring for others, teaching, and gathering information to solve complex problems. They must keep detailed records, communicate with other healthcare professionals, and use computers to track progress.

    To succeed in this role, individuals need strong skills in instructing, active listening, and critical thinking. They must understand medicine, biology, therapy, and counseling. This career appeals to people with realistic interests who enjoy practical, hands-on work. Success in this field requires work styles such as dependability, empathy, cooperation, and a strong attention to detail.

    How to get there

    Entering this career typically requires a bachelor's degree, which falls under O*NET Job Zone 4 for considerable preparation. Most professionals also need several years of experience in a related field. Students preparing for this career often major in physiology, pathology, kinesiology, sports and physical education, or rehabilitation and therapeutic professions.

    While education is the primary step, professional credentials can help. Individuals can earn the Exercise Physiologist Certification from the American Society of Exercise Physiologists. Additionally, some states list a license for this work, so requirements can vary depending on where you practice.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for exercise physiologists is $59,460. The lowest 10% of earners in this field make less than $42,760, while the highest 10% earn more than $80,560.

    There are currently 8,560 people employed in this occupation. The field is projected to grow by 12.8% from 2025 to 2035, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. This growth is expected to result in approximately 1,400 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    71 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    65 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    8 / 100
    Social (S)
    62 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    33 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    46 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RIS. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Assisting and Caring for Others
    92
    Documenting/Recording Information
    86
    Getting Information
    83
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    79
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    79
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    79
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    78
    Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
    78
    Working with Computers
    77
    Training and Teaching Others
    76
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Instructing
    • Active Listening
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Speaking
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Critical Thinking
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Monitoring
    • Service Orientation
    • Social Perceptiveness

    Knowledge

    • Medicine and Dentistry
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • English Language
    • Biology
    • Education and Training
    • Psychology
    • Therapy and Counseling
    • Administrative
    • Mathematics
    • Public Safety and Security

    Abilities

    • Oral Expression
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Speech Clarity
    • Speech Recognition
    • Written Comprehension
    • Information Ordering
    • Written Expression

    Work styles

    • Dependability
    • Cooperation
    • Attention to Detail
    • Social Orientation
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Intellectual Curiosity
    • Empathy
    • Perseverance
    • Adaptability
    • Integrity

    Also called

    Applied Exercise Physiologist · Bariatric Weight Loss Counselor · Cardiac Exercise Physiologist · Cardiac Exercise Specialist · Cardiac Rehabilitation Exercise Physiologist · Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Practitioner · Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Therapist · Certified Exercise Physiologist (Certified EP) · Clinical Cardiac Exercise Physiologist · Clinical Exercise Physiologist

    Career pathway

    From your interests to exercise physiologists

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Exercise Physiologists$59,460 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Nova Southeastern University logo
      Nova Southeastern University

      Fort Lauderdale, FL · Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $122,809
      Median debt
      $12,500
    2. 2Rice University logo
      Rice University

      Houston, TX · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $48,301
      4 yrs after
      $87,404
      Median debt
      Not reported
    3. 3Emory University-Main Campus logo
      Emory University-Main Campus

      Atlanta, GA · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $40,920
      4 yrs after
      $87,254
      Median debt
      $12,250
    4. 4
      George Washington University

      Washington, DC · Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $81,548
      Median debt
      Not reported
    5. 5University of Virginia-Main Campus UVA logo
      University of Virginia-Main Campus UVA

      Charlottesville, VA · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $81,110
      Median debt
      $15,250
    6. 6University of Scranton logo
      University of Scranton

      Scranton, PA · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $30,531
      4 yrs after
      $79,700
      Median debt
      $27,000
    7. 7Wake Forest University logo
      Wake Forest University

      Winston-Salem, NC · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $39,950
      4 yrs after
      $79,599
      Median debt
      $19,500
    8. 8University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus logo
      University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus

      Ann Arbor, MI · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $47,967
      4 yrs after
      $79,411
      Median debt
      $20,234

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What exercise physiologists may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology
    • Exercise Science and Kinesiology
    • Kinesiotherapy/Kinesiotherapist

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    6 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about exercise physiologists

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative job titles for an exercise physiologist?

    People in this profession are also called clinical exercise physiologists, cardiac exercise specialists, bariatric weight loss counselors, or cardiopulmonary rehabilitation therapists.

    Do I need a license to work as an exercise physiologist?

    Licensing requirements vary by location, as some states list a license for this work. It is important to check the specific regulations in your state.

    What college majors are relevant to this career?

    Students often pursue degrees in physiology, pathology and related sciences, kinesiology, sports and physical education, or rehabilitation and therapeutic professions.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.