Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$28,800
- 25th Percentile — Junior$35,280
- 50th Percentile — Median$47,160
- 75th Percentile — Senior$61,730
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$83,100
The top 10% of Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors earn $83,100 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $28,800, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $72,370 | +38.1% |
| Connecticut | $66,870 | +27.6% |
| New Jersey | $65,470 | +24.9% |
| California | $62,890 | +20.0% |
| Washington | $61,800 | +17.9% |
| New York | $60,770 | +15.9% |
| Oregon | $60,470 | +15.4% |
| Vermont | $59,960 | +14.4% |
| Nevada | $58,100 | +10.8% |
| Wyoming | $57,570 | +9.8% |
| Colorado | $56,400 | +7.6% |
| District of Columbia | $55,190 | +5.3% |
| Hawaii | $54,980 | +4.9% |
| New Hampshire | $54,120 | +3.2% |
| Maryland | $54,110 | +3.2% |
| Maine | $53,380 | +1.8% |
| Illinois | $53,300 | +1.7% |
| Rhode Island | $52,990 | +1.1% |
| Arizona | $52,540 | +0.2% |
| Idaho | $52,410 | +0.0% |
| Delaware | $50,560 | -3.5% |
| Georgia | $50,460 | -3.7% |
| Utah | $49,360 | -5.8% |
| Tennessee | $48,380 | -7.7% |
| North Carolina | $48,270 | -7.9% |
| Michigan | $47,990 | -8.5% |
| Montana | $47,870 | -8.7% |
| Pennsylvania | $46,620 | -11.1% |
| Kentucky | $46,580 | -11.1% |
| Minnesota | $46,190 | -11.9% |
| Virginia | $46,030 | -12.2% |
| Alaska | $45,860 | -12.5% |
| Oklahoma | $44,960 | -14.2% |
| Texas | $44,880 | -14.4% |
| Florida | $44,630 | -14.9% |
| Wisconsin | $44,300 | -15.5% |
| South Carolina | $43,370 | -17.3% |
| New Mexico | $43,080 | -17.8% |
| South Dakota | $42,850 | -18.3% |
| Louisiana | $42,450 | -19.0% |
| Arkansas | $42,310 | -19.3% |
| Missouri | $41,870 | -20.1% |
| North Dakota | $41,180 | -21.4% |
| Kansas | $40,730 | -22.3% |
| Ohio | $40,250 | -23.2% |
| West Virginia | $39,520 | -24.6% |
| Alabama | $39,330 | -25.0% |
| Iowa | $38,290 | -27.0% |
| Nebraska | $37,940 | -27.6% |
| Mississippi | $37,390 | -28.7% |
| Indiana | $37,330 | -28.8% |
What Factors Affect Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Massachusetts pays an average of $72,370, while Indiana pays $37,330 — a gap of $35,040 per year.
The middle half of Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors earn between $35,280 and $61,730 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $28,800, while the top 10% earn more than $83,100.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors?
The average salary for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors in the United States is $52,420 per year, with a median of $47,160.
What is the starting salary for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors?
Entry-level Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors typically earn between $28,800 and $35,280 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors the most?
Massachusetts pays Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors the most at $72,370 per year on average, followed by Connecticut ($66,870) and New Jersey ($65,470).
How much do Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $52,420, Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors earn approximately $25.2 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 322,930 Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $52,420 and a median of $47,160 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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