SOC 39-9031 · May 2025
Personal Trainer Salary
Personal Trainers in the US earn a median of $47,160 a year ($25.20 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Personal Trainer pay climbed from $45,110 in 2019 to $52,420 in 2025, a +16.2% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$47,160
Half of all Personal Trainers in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+16.2% since 2019 · +2.1% YoY
Hourly
$25.20
Job growth 2025-35
+7.3%
US workers
322,930
BLS series
Annual median wage for Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Personal Trainers is $28,800 – $83,100.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$28,800
25th
$35,280
Median
$47,160
75th
$61,730
90th
$83,100
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Personal Trainers. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $28,800 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $35,280 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $47,160 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $61,730 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $83,100 |
Geography
Personal Trainer pay by state
Personal Trainers earn the most in Massachusetts ($64,620, +37% against the national median) and the least in Mississippi ($30,540). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 51 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$47,160
Highest-paying states for personal trainers
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $64,620 | +37% | 9,200 |
| Connecticut | $61,580 | +31% | 2,850 |
| New Jersey | $59,870 | +27% | 11,350 |
| Oregon | $58,510 | +24% | 4,800 |
| California | $57,990 | +23% | 43,600 |
| Nevada | $57,960 | +23% | 3,010 |
| Vermont | $57,300 | +22% | 710 |
| Washington | $50,830 | +8% | 9,270 |
| Wyoming | $50,250 | +7% | 560 |
| Colorado | $49,900 | +6% | 10,500 |
All 51 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $64,620 | 9,200 |
| Connecticut | $61,580 | 2,850 |
| New Jersey | $59,870 | 11,350 |
| Oregon | $58,510 | 4,800 |
| California | $57,990 | 43,600 |
| Nevada | $57,960 | 3,010 |
| Vermont | $57,300 | 710 |
| Washington | $50,830 | 9,270 |
| Wyoming | $50,250 | 560 |
| Colorado | $49,900 | 10,500 |
| Idaho | $49,780 | 2,360 |
| New Hampshire | $49,360 | 1,500 |
| Hawaii | $48,290 | 990 |
| Arizona | $47,980 | 7,010 |
| Maryland | $47,420 | 8,650 |
| Tennessee | $47,380 | 5,080 |
| Georgia | $47,150 | 7,500 |
| New York | $47,090 | 20,140 |
| Maine | $47,060 | 1,140 |
| Illinois | $46,800 | 19,830 |
| North Carolina | $46,450 | 10,670 |
| Alaska | $46,210 | 800 |
| Rhode Island | $45,640 | 990 |
| Michigan | $45,520 | 6,050 |
| Kentucky | $45,280 | 1,990 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,250 | 11,580 |
| Utah | $44,800 | 6,830 |
| New Mexico | $44,680 | 1,030 |
| Oklahoma | $44,520 | 2,300 |
| Louisiana | $44,410 | 2,290 |
| Delaware | $44,340 | 1,210 |
| Wisconsin | $44,200 | 6,330 |
| Montana | $43,940 | 1,420 |
| South Carolina | $43,630 | 5,130 |
| Minnesota | $43,620 | 7,010 |
| Arkansas | $42,140 | 1,390 |
| Texas | $40,880 | 19,260 |
| Virginia | $40,820 | 12,100 |
| South Dakota | $40,070 | 950 |
| D.C. | $39,210 | 1,480 |
| Alabama | $39,180 | 2,680 |
| Florida | $38,800 | 18,070 |
| West Virginia | $38,120 | 500 |
| North Dakota | $37,760 | 680 |
| Missouri | $36,450 | 5,060 |
| Ohio | $36,370 | 9,040 |
| Iowa | $36,160 | 2,510 |
| Kansas | $35,900 | 4,510 |
| Indiana | $34,960 | 5,360 |
| Nebraska | $31,440 | 2,410 |
| Mississippi | $30,540 | 1,260 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Personal Trainers
Fitness trainers and instructors (BLS SOC 39-9031) lead exercise programs at gyms, fitness clubs, corporate wellness programs, and as private trainers. Most positions require a nationally recognized certification (NASM, ACE, ACSM); higher-end specializations (corrective exercise, sports performance, nutrition) command premium rates. OEWS figures reflect employer wages and substantially understate earnings for established independent trainers and online coaches who set their own per-session rates.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $28,800 – $83,100. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Jersey. Pay in Massachusetts runs 2.1 times the level in Mississippi, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as high school diploma or equivalent, and projects about 68,000 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to grow 7.3% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Personal Trainer salary in the US?
How much does a Personal Trainer make an hour?
How much do Personal Trainers make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Personal Trainers the most?
Is the average Personal Trainer salary higher than the median?
Is Personal Trainer a growing career?
Open positions
Open Personal Trainer roles hiring now
Browse current Personal Trainer listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 39-9031. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.