29 Series · SOC 29-1128
Exercise Physiologists Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $59,460
- Median / year
- +2.2%
- 2024→2025
- $80,560
- Top 10% earn
- +9.5%
- Growth '24–'34
- 8,560
- Estimated US jobs
Exercise Physiologists earn a median of $59,460 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $59,460, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $42,760 (10th percentile) to $80,560 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 8,560 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Washington ($81,310).
The pay verdict
Exercise Physiologists earn a median of $59,460, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 47% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks #62 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 9.5% by 2034.
- $59,460
- Median annual wage
- Top 53%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #62 of 71
- in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- 1.9×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Washington at $81,310. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Exercise Physiologists moved from $49,170 in May 2019 to $59,460 in May 2025 (+20.9%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Exercise Physiologists sits -3.5 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Exercise Physiologists (SOC 29-1128) has a national median of $59,460 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $42,760 to $80,560, and the published mean is $60,940. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 8,560 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 42 state or territory areas and 55 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $58,160 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $59,460 in May 2025, a rise of $1,300 (+2.2%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +9.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as much faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 1,700 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Washington pays the highest state median at $81,310, which is +37% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $84,300. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$59,460
per year
Median Hourly
$28.59/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$60,940
average
Employment
8,560
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Exercise Physiologists pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$59,460 Bottom 47% higher than 47% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 (this entry) | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$59,460 · 47th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 29-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Exercise Physiologists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Registered Nurses: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $97550
- Licensed Practical a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.6%, Median annual wage $64400
- Pharmacy Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $45750
- Physicians, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $265930
- Clinical Laboratory …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $62930
- Nurse Practitioners: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 40.1%, Median annual wage $132300
- Pharmacists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $140910
- Physical Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10.9%, Median annual wage $102760
- Radiologic Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $80110
- Dental Hygienists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7%, Median annual wage $98100
- Medical Records Spec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.1%, Median annual wage $51140
- Speech-Language Path…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 15%, Median annual wage $97870
- Health Technologists…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.2%, Median annual wage $50290
- Emergency Medical Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.1%, Median annual wage $44470
- Occupational Therapi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13.8%, Median annual wage $100330
- Physician Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20.4%, Median annual wage $135880
- Psychiatric Technici…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20%, Median annual wage $45130
- Respiratory Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.1%, Median annual wage $82280
- Veterinary Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.1%, Median annual wage $47380
- Dentists, General: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $170950
- Surgical Technologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $64650
- Family Medicine Phys…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.7%, Median annual wage $244180
- Paramedics: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5%, Median annual wage $60600
- Diagnostic Medical S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13%, Median annual wage $96590
- Exercise Physiologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.5%, Median annual wage $59460
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+9.5%
Much faster than average
Annual Openings
1,700
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+2,300
23,900 (2024) → 26,100 (2034)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
0.7/100K
Injury Rate
1.5/100
Danger Index
6.4/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Exercise Physiologists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Develop exercise programs to improve participant strength, flexibility, endurance, or circulatory functioning, in accordance with exercise science standards, regulatory requirements, and credentialing requirements.
- ▸ Provide emergency or other appropriate medical care to participants with symptoms or signs of physical distress.
- ▸ Demonstrate correct use of exercise equipment or performance of exercise routines.
- ▸ Recommend methods to increase lifestyle physical activity.
- ▸ Interpret exercise program participant data to evaluate progress or identify needed program changes.
- ▸ Prescribe individualized exercise programs, specifying equipment, such as treadmill, exercise bicycle, ergometers, or perceptual goggles.
- ▸ Provide clinical oversight of exercise for participants at all risk levels.
- ▸ Explain exercise program or physiological testing procedures to participants.
- ▸ Interview participants to obtain medical history or assess participant goals.
- ▸ Assess physical performance requirements to aid in the development of individualized recovery or rehabilitation exercise programs.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Exercise Physiologists pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $47,010 |
| 2016 | $47,340 |
| 2017 | $49,090 |
| 2018 | $49,270 |
| 2019 | $49,170 |
| 2020 | $50,280 |
| 2021 | $47,940 |
| 2022 | $51,350 |
| 2023 | $54,860 |
| 2024 | $58,160 |
| 2025 | $59,460 |
2015 median
$47,010
2025 median
$59,460
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$10,290 (+20.9%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+3.2%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $47,010 | First banked release | 6,620 |
| May 2016 | $47,340 | +0.7% | 6,880 |
| May 2017 | $49,090 | +3.7% | 6,300 |
| May 2018 | $49,270 | +0.4% | 6,740 |
| May 2019 | $49,170 | Classification break | 7,280 |
| May 2020 | $50,280 | +2.3% | 7,330 |
| May 2021 | $47,940 | -4.7% | 6,860 |
| May 2022 | $51,350 | +7.1% | 6,580 |
| May 2023 | $54,860 | +6.8% | 8,060 |
| May 2024 | $58,160 | +6.0% | 8,110 |
| May 2025 | $59,460 | +2.2% | 8,560 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $47,010 in May 2015 to $59,460 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.2% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 7,280 in May 2019 to 8,560 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 42 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $81,310 | +37% above national |
| 2 | Oregon | $71,630 | +20% above national |
| 3 | Minnesota | $67,230 | +13% above national |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $65,950 | +11% above national |
| 5 | New Jersey | $64,680 | +9% above national |
| 6 | Colorado | $63,800 | +7% above national |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $63,590 | +7% above national |
| 8 | Wisconsin | $63,210 | +6% above national |
| 9 | Connecticut | $62,510 | +5% above national |
| 10 | California | $62,440 | +5% above national |
| 11 | Arizona | $62,350 | +5% above national |
| 12 | Maryland | $62,220 | +5% above national |
| 13 | Wyoming | $62,070 | +4% above national |
| 14 | Illinois | $60,130 | +1% above national |
| 15 | Florida | $60,100 | +1% above national |
| 16 | New York | $59,940 | +1% above national |
| 17 | Kansas | $59,090 | 1% below national |
| 18 | Georgia | $58,170 | 2% below national |
| 19 | Delaware | $57,940 | 3% below national |
| 20 | Texas | $56,780 | 5% below national |
| 21 | Idaho | $56,750 | 5% below national |
| 22 | Iowa | $56,640 | 5% below national |
| 23 | Nevada | $55,240 | 7% below national |
| 24 | Michigan | $55,080 | 7% below national |
| 25 | Tennessee | $53,570 | 10% below national |
| 26 | Missouri | $52,570 | 12% below national |
| 27 | Louisiana | $52,450 | 12% below national |
| 28 | North Carolina | $52,450 | 12% below national |
| 29 | Virginia | $52,400 | 12% below national |
| 30 | Ohio | $51,660 | 13% below national |
| 31 | South Dakota | $51,630 | 13% below national |
| 32 | Kentucky | $51,070 | 14% below national |
| 33 | Alabama | $50,820 | 15% below national |
| 34 | North Dakota | $50,430 | 15% below national |
| 35 | West Virginia | $50,270 | 15% below national |
| 36 | Indiana | $49,740 | 16% below national |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $49,190 | 17% below national |
| 38 | Arkansas | $48,850 | 18% below national |
| 39 | Pennsylvania | $48,040 | 19% below national |
| 40 | South Carolina | $46,550 | 22% below national |
| 41 | Utah | $43,850 | 26% below national |
| 42 | Mississippi | $43,060 | 28% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 54 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $84,300 | +42% above national |
| 2 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $79,840 | +34% above national |
| 3 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $74,380 | +25% above national |
| 4 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $72,760 | +22% above national |
| 5 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $68,560 | +15% above national |
| 6 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $66,210 | +11% above national |
| 7 | Madison, WI | $66,100 | +11% above national |
| 8 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $66,060 | +11% above national |
| 9 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $64,610 | +9% above national |
| 10 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $64,170 | +8% above national |
| 11 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $63,960 | +8% above national |
| 12 | Richmond, VA | $63,840 | +7% above national |
| 13 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $63,730 | +7% above national |
| 14 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $63,570 | +7% above national |
| 15 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $63,480 | +7% above national |
| 16 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $62,680 | +5% above national |
| 17 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $62,670 | +5% above national |
| 18 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $62,440 | +5% above national |
| 19 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $62,200 | +5% above national |
| 20 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $61,640 | +4% above national |
| 21 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $61,600 | +4% above national |
| 22 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $61,510 | +3% above national |
| 23 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $61,430 | +3% above national |
| 24 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $61,380 | +3% above national |
| 25 | Ogden, UT | $61,170 | +3% above national |
| 26 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $60,360 | +2% above national |
| 27 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $59,650 | same as national |
| 28 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $58,770 | 1% below national |
| 29 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $58,580 | 1% below national |
| 30 | Jacksonville, FL | $58,520 | 2% below national |
| 31 | Cleveland, OH | $58,400 | 2% below national |
| 32 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $58,260 | 2% below national |
| 33 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $57,640 | 3% below national |
| 34 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $57,590 | 3% below national |
| 35 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $55,770 | 6% below national |
| 36 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $55,700 | 6% below national |
| 37 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $55,230 | 7% below national |
| 38 | Wilmington, NC | $55,200 | 7% below national |
| 39 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $53,480 | 10% below national |
| 40 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $53,250 | 10% below national |
| 41 | Colorado Springs, CO | $52,950 | 11% below national |
| 42 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $52,950 | 11% below national |
| 43 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $51,810 | 13% below national |
| 44 | Columbus, OH | $51,230 | 14% below national |
| 45 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $50,470 | 15% below national |
| 46 | Winston-Salem, NC | $50,230 | 16% below national |
| 47 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $50,140 | 16% below national |
| 48 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $49,260 | 17% below national |
| 49 | Columbia, SC | $48,800 | 18% below national |
| 50 | Akron, OH | $48,710 | 18% below national |
| 51 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $48,220 | 19% below national |
| 52 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $45,830 | 23% below national |
| 53 | Pittsburgh, PA | $42,240 | 29% below national |
| 54 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $28,860 | 51% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 29 (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Acupuncturists
SOC 29-1291
Anesthesiologists
SOC 29-1211
Athletic Trainers
SOC 29-9091
Audiologists
SOC 29-1181
Cardiologists
SOC 29-1212
Showing 5 of 70 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($59,460 here) and reported employment (8,560 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Exercise Physiologists make? ▼
Where does Exercise Physiologists pay rank nationally? ▼
What state pays Exercise Physiologists the most? ▼
What education do Exercise Physiologists need? ▼
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Exercise Physiologists? ▼
Is Exercise Physiologists a good career? ▼
How does Exercise Physiologists pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Exercise Physiologists? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Exercise Physiologists pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $67,230/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Washington leads at $81,310/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.