Typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
Personal trainer
Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors lead workouts, design training plans, and coach clients one on one or in classes at gyms, studios, and online. Pay is often hourly or per session.
By the Degreeless Jobs research deskUpdated Sep 7, 2026Sources: BLS, O*NET
What a personal trainer makes
Median pay, May 2025, United States
$47,160
$22.67 an hour, median
- 25th percentile
- $35,280
- 75th percentile
- $61,730
- 90th percentile
- $83,100
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Wages of employed workers, not offers.
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- BLS
- Workers without a bachelor's
- 62%
- O*NET
- Growth, 2025 to 2035
- +7.3%
- BLS projections
- Openings a year
- 68,000
- BLS projections
How people get in without a degree
Gyms hire trainers with a recognized certification (NASM, ISSA, ACE, or similar), a current CPR/AED card, and the ability to sell sessions. No degree is required by employers or by any state law. Most people self-study for the exam over a few months while working another job, then build a client list at a gym before going independent.
The work, as O*NET defines it: 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.
The next step
Certified Personal Trainer credential
- Typical cost
- $700 to $1,500 for the study program and exam (frequent discounts)
- Time to complete
- 3 to 6 months of self-study
Where to start Certified Personal Trainer program
Costs and durations are ranges gathered from provider and state sources; confirm the current price and your state's rules before you pay anything. Never pay a fee to apply for a job.
Pay by state
Median pay for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors by state, May 2025, sorted by annual median. States without a published estimate are omitted.
| State | Hourly median | Annual median | 25th to 75th | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $31.07 | $64,620 | $50,760 to $96,140 | 9,200 |
| Connecticut | $29.61 | $61,580 | $45,660 to $80,790 | 2,850 |
| New Jersey | $28.79 | $59,870 | $39,300 to $80,020 | 11,350 |
| Oregon | $28.13 | $58,510 | $43,720 to $65,500 | 4,800 |
| California | $27.88 | $57,990 | $45,350 to $74,160 | 43,600 |
| Nevada | $27.87 | $57,960 | $45,190 to $70,920 | 3,010 |
| Vermont | $27.55 | $57,300 | $43,140 to $62,380 | 710 |
| Washington | $24.44 | $50,830 | $46,760 to $67,510 | 9,270 |
| Wyoming | $24.16 | $50,250 | $35,030 to $71,780 | 560 |
| Colorado | $23.99 | $49,900 | $39,190 to $62,670 | 10,500 |
| Idaho | $23.94 | $49,780 | $44,270 to $59,210 | 2,360 |
| New Hampshire | $23.73 | $49,360 | $37,600 to $63,720 | 1,500 |
| Hawaii | $23.22 | $48,290 | $42,620 to $61,080 | 990 |
| Arizona | $23.07 | $47,980 | $34,510 to $59,110 | 7,010 |
| Maryland | $22.80 | $47,420 | $36,110 to $63,510 | 8,650 |
| Tennessee | $22.78 | $47,380 | $32,560 to $59,190 | 5,080 |
| Georgia | $22.67 | $47,150 | $35,240 to $58,140 | 7,500 |
| New York | $22.64 | $47,090 | $35,630 to $76,360 | 20,140 |
| Maine | $22.63 | $47,060 | $37,300 to $67,980 | 1,140 |
| Illinois | $22.50 | $46,800 | $35,190 to $61,960 | 19,830 |
| North Carolina | $22.33 | $46,450 | $33,210 to $60,100 | 10,670 |
| Alaska | $22.22 | $46,210 | $37,020 to $57,460 | 800 |
| Rhode Island | $21.94 | $45,640 | $36,240 to $77,180 | 990 |
| Michigan | $21.88 | $45,520 | $33,130 to $55,900 | 6,050 |
| Kentucky | $21.77 | $45,280 | $35,090 to $55,080 | 1,990 |
| Pennsylvania | $21.75 | $45,250 | $33,030 to $57,830 | 11,580 |
| Utah | $21.54 | $44,800 | $31,010 to $58,250 | 6,830 |
| New Mexico | $21.48 | $44,680 | $30,210 to $50,960 | 1,030 |
| Oklahoma | $21.40 | $44,520 | $26,570 to $58,430 | 2,300 |
| Louisiana | $21.35 | $44,410 | $25,040 to $51,190 | 2,290 |
| Delaware | $21.32 | $44,340 | $36,900 to $65,330 | 1,210 |
| Wisconsin | $21.25 | $44,200 | $31,470 to $50,570 | 6,330 |
| Montana | $21.13 | $43,940 | $33,930 to $52,150 | 1,420 |
| South Carolina | $20.98 | $43,630 | $31,310 to $50,980 | 5,130 |
| Minnesota | $20.97 | $43,620 | $32,150 to $51,020 | 7,010 |
| Arkansas | $20.26 | $42,140 | $29,310 to $51,470 | 1,390 |
| Texas | $19.65 | $40,880 | $29,340 to $56,930 | 19,260 |
| Virginia | $19.63 | $40,820 | $30,750 to $54,410 | 12,100 |
| South Dakota | $19.26 | $40,070 | $33,960 to $47,490 | 950 |
| District of Columbia | $18.85 | $39,210 | $37,340 to $64,640 | 1,480 |
| Alabama | $18.84 | $39,180 | $26,940 to $48,620 | 2,680 |
| Florida | $18.65 | $38,800 | $28,970 to $52,630 | 18,070 |
| West Virginia | $18.33 | $38,120 | $28,150 to $45,050 | 500 |
| North Dakota | $18.15 | $37,760 | $33,830 to $47,060 | 680 |
| Missouri | $17.52 | $36,450 | $29,360 to $47,830 | 5,060 |
| Ohio | $17.49 | $36,370 | $28,830 to $49,220 | 9,040 |
| Iowa | $17.39 | $36,160 | $28,350 to $44,750 | 2,510 |
| Kansas | $17.26 | $35,900 | $29,000 to $48,480 | 4,510 |
| Indiana | $16.81 | $34,960 | $27,280 to $47,430 | 5,360 |
| Nebraska | $15.11 | $31,440 | $29,310 to $44,530 | 2,410 |
| Mississippi | $14.68 | $30,540 | $21,960 to $47,410 | 1,260 |
Questions
Do you need a degree to be a personal trainer?
No. BLS lists "high school diploma or equivalent" as the typical education for entry, and 62% of workers in the occupation report less than a bachelor's degree (O*NET). The usual credential is certified Personal Trainer credential.
How much does a personal trainer make?
The median pay was $47,160 a year ($22.67 an hour) in May 2025, according to BLS. The middle half earned between $35,280 and $61,730, and the top 10 percent earned more than $83,100.
How long does it take to become a personal trainer?
3 to 6 months of self-study. The typical cost is $700 to $1,500 for the study program and exam (frequent discounts).
Is personal trainer work growing?
BLS projects employment to grow 7.3% from 2025 to 2035 with about 68,000 openings a year from growth and from workers leaving the occupation.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation code 39-9031.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 (Table 1.2).
- O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), CC BY 4.0. The share without a bachelor’s degree is our summary of O*NET’s education distribution; USDOL/ETA has not approved or endorsed it.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile