Just Got Certified? Where Should You Work as a Personal Trainer?

You have many career opportunities as a NESTA Certified Personal Fitness Trainer. After you earn your certification, the world opens for you. You can earn a great living. You can grow within a large corporation and benefit from medical insurance, paid vacations, and more.

Career Opportunities for Certified Trainers and Coaches

As a personal trainer who works at a gym, fitness center or health club, there are a variety of career opportunities available. Here is a list of training and coaching jobs that you can consider, along with the average pay information:

1. Personal Fitness Trainer: A personal trainer is responsible for designing and implementing fitness programs for clients based on their individual goals, abilities, and fitness levels. The average pay for a personal trainer is $20.58 per hour or $42,780 per year.  Of course, the pay can go much higher depending on the company and the location. And you also want to factor in the benefit of paid vacation, sick days, and medical insurance which can increase the value of your salary by many thousands of dollars per year.  Of course, the secondary benefits apply to each of the careers listed in this lesson.
2. Group Fitness Instructor: Group fitness instructors lead group exercise classes such as yoga, Pilates, dance, or cycling. The average pay for a group fitness instructor is $19.42 per hour or $40,390 per year.
3. Fitness Manager: Fitness managers oversee the day-to-day operations of a fitness center or gym, including staff management, scheduling, and program development. The average pay for a fitness manager is $47,620 per year.
4. Fitness Director: Fitness directors are responsible for developing and implementing fitness programs and services for a gym or fitness center. They also manage staff and oversee the facility’s budget. The average pay for a fitness director is $73,067 per year.

Earning your NCCA-accredited NESTA Personal Fitness Trainer Certification can increase your chances of landing a job in these fields and can help you stand out as a qualified and knowledgeable professional. This certification can be obtained by completing an online course and passing an exam, which covers topics such as anatomy, exercise physiology, and program design.

More Career Opportunities for Personal Trainers

Other career opportunities that may be available to personal trainers that receive additional specialty certifications who work at a gym, fitness center, or health club include:

1. Wellness Coach: Wellness coaches work with clients to help them achieve their health and wellness goals. This can include providing guidance on nutrition, stress management, and exercise. The average pay for a wellness coach is $45,000 per year.
2. Sales Representative: Sales representatives for fitness centers and gyms are responsible for promoting the facility and its services, and signing up new members. The average pay for a sales representative in the fitness industry is $34,000 per year, with potential for commission.
3. Rehabilitation Specialist: Rehabilitation specialists work with clients who have injuries or medical conditions, designing exercise programs to help them recover and regain strength. The average pay for a rehabilitation specialist is $52,000 per year.  Your best professional certifications for this career option include the NESTA Biomechanics Specialist Certification, Integrative Health Coach Certification from Spencer Institute, and the Brain Fitness Coach Certification. 
4. Strength and Conditioning Coach: Strength and conditioning coaches work with athletes to improve their performance through weight training, conditioning exercises, and other techniques. The average pay for a strength and conditioning coach is $47,510 per year.  Your best choice for this career is to earn your NESTA Master Personal Trainer Certification.

There are numerous career opportunities available to personal trainers who work at gyms, fitness centers or health clubs. Earning your NCCA-Accredited NESTA Personal Fitness Trainer Certification can help you stand out in the field and increase your chances of landing your dream job.

Be on the lookout for future articles. You will also want to search through the archives of our blog because there are many other articles that go into great depth about a variety of topics.

Here is more information to help you. Read this next lesson on how to feel confident and have a successful interview for your first job at a gym.

There is always something exciting about earning a new training or coaching certification and applying that new knowledge of how you train your clients. This also helps you hit the reset button. Here is a list of current jobs and careers available at fitness centers, health clubs and gyms.

NESTA and Spencer Institute has been helping people like you since 1992. To date, over 65,000 people from around the world have benefited from our various certifications, programs, continuing education courses, and business development systems. We are here for you now and in the future. Feel confident in your decision to work with us as you advance your knowledge and career. We are here for you each step of the way.

That’s it for now.

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PS: Click here to see many helpful business/career resources

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