# Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors

> Instruct or coach groups or individuals in exercise activities for the primary purpose of personal fitness. Demonstrate techniques and form, observe participants, and explain to them corrective measures necessary to improve their skills. Develop and implement individualized approaches to exercise.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/exercise-trainers-and-group-fitness-instructors
- SOC code: 39-9031.00
- Career family: Personal care and service
- Median annual pay: $47,160 (10th percentile $28,800, 90th percentile $83,100)
- Projected growth: Faster than average, +7.3%
- Openings a year: 68,000
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code SRE)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 71 |
| Investigative (I) | 28 |
| Artistic (A) | 23 |
| Social (S) | 77 |
| Enterprising (E) | 42 |
| Conventional (C) | 33 |

## What you'd do

- Performing General Physical Activities (importance 88/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 81/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 79/100)
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 78/100)
- Thinking Creatively (importance 78/100)
- Training and Teaching Others (importance 75/100)
- Getting Information (importance 74/100)
- Assisting and Caring for Others (importance 73/100)
- Coaching and Developing Others (importance 72/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 70/100)

## Skills

Instructing, Service Orientation, Speaking, Active Listening, Learning Strategies, Social Perceptiveness, Active Learning, Coordination, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making

## Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service, Education and Training, English Language, Psychology, Biology, Administration and Management, Sales and Marketing, Communications and Media, Computers and Electronics, Mathematics

## Also called

Aerobics Instructor, Aerobics Teacher, Aquatics Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Pilates Instructor, Certified Yoga Instructor, Exercise Specialist, Exercise Teacher, Fitness Attendant, Fitness Coach

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/3105) (CIP 3105, 1,394 colleges)
- [Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1313) (CIP 1313, 1,257 colleges)
- Movement and Mind-Body Therapies and Education (CIP 5136, 25 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Rice University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/rice-university-2227) | Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $48,301 | $87,404 | not reported |
| [Emory University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/emory-university-main-campus-916) | Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $40,920 | $87,254 | $12,250 |
| [California State University-Sacramento](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-state-university-sacramento-375) | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $69,280 | $82,062 | $23,000 |
| [University of Virginia-Main Campus UVA](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-virginia-main-campus-uva-3072) | Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | not reported | $81,110 | $15,250 |
| [CUNY Brooklyn College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cuny-brooklyn-college-735) | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $54,793 | $80,207 | $12,875 |
| [University of Scranton](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-scranton-3036) | Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $30,531 | $79,700 | $27,000 |
| [Wake Forest University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/wake-forest-university-3149) | Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $39,950 | $79,599 | $19,500 |
| [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor-main-campus-2956) | Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $47,967 | $79,411 | $20,234 |

## Related careers

- [Fitness and Wellness Coordinators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/fitness-and-wellness-coordinators): $69,770 median pay
- [Exercise Physiologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/exercise-physiologists): $59,460 median pay
- [Coaches and Scouts](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/coaches-and-scouts): $47,320 median pay
- [Self-Enrichment Teachers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/self-enrichment-teachers): $46,800 median pay
- [Recreational Therapists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/recreational-therapists): $61,960 median pay
- [Physical Therapist Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/physical-therapist-assistants): $68,380 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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.