How Much Money Do Personal Trainers Make?


how much money do personal trainers make

Thinking about starting a business helping people get in shape? The average personal trainer salary in the United States is $36,427 per year. That translates into $22.51 per hour.

What personal trainers earn is flexible. For example, the median salary is $63,385. It all depends on where you are too. A personal trainer’s salary goes up 25% over the national average in New York.

One of the other big bonuses is you can own your own personal training business. That means you’ll be self-employed.

  • Here’s how you can join other fitness professionals in the United States. And build up a roster of personal training clients.

Top Personal Trainer Salaries in the United States

Generally the fitness industry offers on-site services. But you can often book online. And make videos. Specifically, the industry helps individuals or groups achieve fitness goals.

Here’s some more labor statistics on personal trainers’ salary expectations by state. These should cover some of your personal trainer salary FAQ.

  • Washington. The state has an annual salary of just over $54,000 and an hourly rate of $26.15.
  • New York. The same numbers are $51,824 a year and an hourly rate of $24.92.
  • Texas. This state is about in the middle with an annual salary of $44,000 and an hourly rate of just over $21 per hour.
  • Michigan. Closer to the bottom of the list is Michigan. The annual salary there is lower at just under $39,000 per year. The hourly wage is $18.67.
  • North Carolina. The state at the bottom of the list has an annual salary of $35,393. Hourly rate is $17.02.

There’s a variety of numbers for the personal training industry.

How to Make Money as a Personal Trainer

Making money supplying these sessions is the goal. Looking to start a fitness career? Aspiring personal trainers read on.

You’ll find out how to make money. Including how to implement a persona into your training career.

1. Make YouTube Videos

Top fitness influencers have multiple sources of revenue from their YouTube channel. This is one way to offer 24-hour fitness on a flexible schedule.

2. Sell Videos On Other Platforms

People are always looking to get fit on their own time. Personal trainers can sell videos on platforms like Skillshare. Learn the basics here. Divide them up into an hour session each. These types of training sessions cater to your client’s schedules.

3. Work With a Group

An independent contractor can make more money working with a group. Keep things safe by allowing everyone enough room. And leave one on one time in each training session. A personal trainer working like this needs to focus on people skills.

4. Sell Home Based Equipment

Both private and online trainers have clients who like to work out between sessions. You can add to the average personal trainer salary by selling things like mats and resistance bands.

5. Work At a Big Gym

Personal trainers who work at bigger gyms have some advantages. There’s access to equipment and no overhead. Wondering how much do personal trainers make in a health club? Gyms pay a low average salary . Fitness centers dont let you set your prices either.

6. Be Self Employed

This can be a hard road for an independent personal trainer. Rent part of a commercial gym or get your own facility. Either way you ‘ll need to put together a roster of your own clients. Independent contractors like this focus more on a successful business than other personal trainers who work for someone else.

7. Put Together Meal Plans

Group exercise instructors need to focus on nutrition too. You can make some money by offering tailored meal plans to your clients. These are an add on to personal training sessions.

8. Offer In Home Training

Certified personal trainers offering in home training earn more. The client pays a little more for experienced trainers. And you don’t need to share that with commercial gyms.

How to Maximize Your Earnings as a Personal Trainer

Certified personal trainers deserve to make much more than minimum wage. They offer a healthier lifestyle to potential clients. But at the same time they want to make a good living. Here’s some tips on how to do that. Most successful personal trainers use ideas like these.

Get A College Degree

You don’t need anything more than a personal training certification to get started. But getting a degree adds areas like kinesiology to your credentials. Here’s some colleges that can help you earn a master trainer title.

Create An Ebook

A personal trainer salary goes up and you’re considered an expert with these. You can sell these on your website or through a portal like Selz.

Build Your Own Website

Most trainers increase their income digitally. There are some rules for building a website. Like being specific on exactly what your domain name says.

Become a Personal Trainer Today

Becoming a private personal trainer requires some effort.

Here’s a review of the steps involved.

  1. You need to look at the numbers. Asking how much do personal trainers make is the first step. It’s the first move in deciding if this career is for you.
  2. Then become a certified personal trainer. Here’s some of the best places to get your personal trainer certification.
  3. Decide on the types of training sessions you’ll use. Remember, health clubs hire. But you get more money through private personal training. Decide what you’ll charge for an hour long session. Remember, a private personal trainer salary is more than you’d get working in health clubs.
  4. The salary for personal trainers goes up with the tips listed above. Getting more clients can include a website and an ebook. A referral program works with healthcare professionals.

Finally, dont forget to consider becoming an online personal trainer. Get to be an Influencer on YouTube and you’re set.

Is a personal trainer a good career?

Helping people to get fit is a rewarding career. There is work available in one of the bigger fitness chains like LA Fitness. However, as an entrepreneurial personal trainer, you could sign up your own clients, establish classes and wellness clinics, and promote your brand online to boost your earnings potential.

There’s a flexible schedule for entrepreneurs looking for a personal training career and the reward of doing something you’re passionate about.

Image: Depositphotos



Rob Starr Rob Starr is a staff writer for Small Business Trends and has been a member of the team for 7 years. He is a graduate of Ryerson University in Toronto with a Bachelor of Journalism degree. His print credentials include employment with various Toronto area newspapers and three works of fiction: The Apple Lady (2004), Creekwater (2006) and Sophistry By Degrees (2008) published by Stonegarden Press In California.