Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of exercise trainers and group fitness instructors to grow 7.3% from 2025 to 2035 (about 28,500 more jobs), with about 68,000 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $47,160 a year ranks 618th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +7.3%
- Openings a year
- 68,000
- Median pay
- $47,160
- Pay rank
- 618th of 825
Is employment of exercise trainers and group fitness instructors growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of exercise trainers and group fitness instructors to rise 7.3% (about 28,500 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is faster than the +4.4% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 32 personal care and service occupations with a projection. That change ranks 117th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 388,400 |
| Employment, 2035 | 416,900 |
| Projected change | +7.3% |
| Openings a year | 68,000 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 388,400 jobs here differ from the 322,930 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 68,000 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 55th most of 830 occupations. About 96% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 2,850 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors rank?
The median of $47,160 a year ranks 618th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on openings and the lower half on pay.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Typical on-the-job training: short-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recreation Workers | +4.3% | 67,000 | $36,560 |
| Animal Trainers | +4.2% | 6,500 | $39,990 |
| Personal Service Managers, All Other | +6.2% | 2,000 | $69,770 |
| Exercise Physiologists | +12.8% | 1,400 | $59,460 |
| Coaches and Scouts | +6.1% | 36,400 | $47,320 |
| Self-Enrichment Teachers | +3.5% | 50,000 | $46,800 |
| Recreational Therapists | +4.8% | 1,400 | $61,960 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | +23.0% | 18,500 | $68,380 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.