Best Online Personal Trainer Certification

BEST-ONLINE-PERSONAL-TRAINER-CERTIFICATION

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: NASM Certification: NASM Personal Training Review | ISSA Review: Costs, Exam, Salary, How to Become a CPT & More | ACE CPT Review Updated for 2019 | ACE vs NASM: What’s the Best CPT for You? | ISSA vs. NASM: Which Personal Training Certification is For You?

Best Online Personal Trainer Certification

Last Modified On: October 16, 2023

Watch Our Video: Best Online Personal Trainer Certification

There has never been a better time to invest in a certification as an online personal trainer.

Not only is the industry as a whole earmarked for expansion — the BLS forecasts a 13% growth rate through 2028 — but the success of brands like Peloton, Mirror, and other online fitness options showcase America’s desire for convenient and at-home training.

Couple this with the closure and uncertain future of many gyms due to coronavirus and you have a cocktail of opportunity for those trainers who are able to adapt to the times.

That said, it may seem like a no-brainer to get an Online Personal Trainer Certification but therein lies the question: what is the best online personal trainer certification and which is right for me?

Luckily for you, Fitness Mentors has done the heavy lifting for you and compiled this list of the best personal training certifications based on the following objective criteria:

Accreditation: third-party certifying bodies who ensure the health, safety, and standards for the industry.
Price: the costs associated with the online CPT cert.

Mentorship Structure: the interaction you can expect with mentors.

Primary Focus of Education: the primary educational focus you can expect from a particular certification.

Program Duration: how long the program takes to complete.
Location of Certification: the country the certification derives from.
Sign-up Process: what can you expect from the sales and onboarding process.

Today we’ll be looking at these popular online personal trainer certification options:

But before we begin, let’s distinguish some very important characteristics of online personal training certifications and personal trainer certifications you can get online.

Online Personal Trainer Certification VS Personal Trainer Certification Online

Our focus today is on online personal trainer certifications, or certifications that help you learn how to train clients online. Personal trainer certifications online refer to the standard in-person personal training certifications with online study options. An example of the latter would be the Fitness Mentors Certified Personal Trainer course, a class dedicated to certify trainers with the needed credential to train in-person clients.

Now that we are all clear on the differences between the two, let’s learn more about the best online personal training certifications.

Related: How to Become an Online Personal Trainer

Accreditation

Accreditation is one of the most important aspects for personal trainer certifications as it sets the stage for trust and authority. Without an accreditation, trainers (and clients) won’t really know if any professional organization has reviewed the certification curriculum to determine its efficacy.

For consumers, this also ensures their online trainer has gone through the required education to ensure their success and safety. There are certain limitations that exist with an online training environment and a certification helps trainers safely deal with those challenges through additional perspective and understanding of variables — such as form, injury prevention, and communication — that don’t exist as clearly via online mediums.

As it stands today, Fitness Mentors is the only company nationally recognized by the National Board of Fitness Examiners (NBFE), or any other esteemed certification body, to offer an online personal training certification.

Unfortunately, all other online training programs are not third-party reviewed or certified. This is partly due to the fact that online personal training is so new and likely due to the fact that a third-party accreditation is not free for a certification body. Thirdly, most online personal trainer courses are not steeped in science backed information but rather marketability, which makes them unlikely candidates for a third-party accreditation.

Personal Trainer Takeaway: A online personal trainer certification is not a requirement to coach online, however, it does showcase the quality and credibility of a certification as it relates to the trainers and the emphasis on science, business/marketing skills and a college-level curriculum. If this is important to you, the Fitness Mentors Certified Online Personal Trainer is an ideal choice.

Price

The Price includes the cheapest study option and final exam, where relevant. Keep in mind, however, that each of these products is not a formal certification, some are geared to be marketing tools above all else. They are noted accordingly.

Fitness Mentors: $699. Option to add a weekly mentorship program for $199/month.

TribeFit: $3,500 (3 month coaching program). Not a certification.

Online Trainer Academy: $799 for shortened course and $1,999 for complete course. Also offer level 2 Mentorship for a Monthly fee (Estimated at $400-$1000 per month)

Online Trainers Federation: Their bare bones intro course (not a certification), OC 101, is $199. It only runs twice per year, with the goal to upgrade you to the Elite which is estimated to run $300 – $600 per month.

PT Distinction University: Various courses with a la carte pricing. $1,100 for complete course package. Not a Certification.

Personal Trainer Takeaway: There are a lot of options for courses and the depth of the educational options are reflected in the costs. If you are just looking for one-off courses on very specific knowledge, the PT Distinction University has the lowest barrier to entry in terms of cost. You’ll sacrifice depth of knowledge here, however. If you are looking for in-depth knowledge from the ground up on how to become an online trainer, create a business, and market it, the most comprehensive courses are the Fitness Mentors COPT and Online Trainer Academy.

Mentorship Structure

Today’s trainers may feel a bit overwhelmed when trying to take in all the components of online training. In addition to knowledge in program design, physiology, injury prevention, and client achievement, certain aspects of online training can be particularly challenging.

For example, learning how to set up your business for online training, taking your business online if you have existing in-person clients, learning how to generate online leads, and caring for clients via online mediums can be a struggle for many trainers unaccustomed to these challenges.

Each program may have different approaches in terms of access to mentors versus having students solely rely on the digital assets they are provided.

The Fitness Mentors Certified Online Personal Trainer has roots in college-level curriculum creation and has established real trainers as mentors into its program. In addition to access to instructors via phone or email, students can also leverage Facebook support groups to ask questions and help them gain real-world understanding of course contents.

TribeFit is thought to provide email access to a competitor. It was difficult to find any info on the site.

The Online Trainer Academy also provides direct access to fitness business mentors via online chat and phone, as well as engagement with Facebook. Their Level 2 appears to have a weekly mentorship call, but exact information is not posted on their site.

Online Trainers Federation: Students have access to a Facebook group with non-paying students and paid students as well as the option for a weekly call that is only included in the Elite Program. Difficult to find any info on the site.

PT Distinction University has little to no mentor interaction as it seems the entire suite of coursework is built into their bundles or modules.

Personal Trainer Takeaway: The concept of online personal training can be daunting for some and access to real mentors invaluable in determining success. For trainers who are interested in a legit point of contact that is dedicated to your understanding of important concepts, opt for a certification with access to mentorship.

Primary Focus of Education

As you can imagine, there is a lot of overlap in terms of some of the education you’ll take away from each course. Rather than focusing on the similarities, below is an overview of what makes each program unique: Fitness Mentors Certified Online Personal Trainer: Fitness Mentors’ COPT goes in-depth on business structure and learning how to build and sell an online business based on one of the six business models online trainers use (or the combination of the six). Additionally, they provide info and all templates on nutrition programs, online assessments, structuring memberships, affiliate programs, and other monetization models. Also included are brandable program design templates so you can start training immediately online.

TribeFit: TribeFit’s focus is on marketing your business and building out your online training sales funnel. Difficult to find any further info on the site. Online Trainer Academy: OTA provides access to a physical textbook (digital as well) that some students really like. Their course also includes sales scripts, social media scripts and other documents that you can use to operate your business. Online Trainers Federation: OTF is geared towards health and fitness professionals that have experience with in-person clients but want to help scale their business to service online clients. They admittedly mention that if you are not a coach already, the program probably is not for you. PT Distinction University: PTDU provides students access to modules they can leverage as they see fit. A particularly unique option is the course with access to previously recorded webinars from fitness gurus. Personal Trainer Takeaway: Each trainer is unique in their approach and goal with online personal training. Those that want a ground-up baseline for building and scaling their business should go for one of the programs that focus on all aspects of online training such as FM COPT or the OTA. If you are a trainer that is more concerned with marketing an existing online business then TribeFit, OTF, or PTDU may be a better fit.

Program Duration

Program duration refers to how much time it takes to complete the course or the investment of learning you can expect from each course.

Fitness Mentors: 60-80 hours or one to two months, self-paced.
TribeFit: 3 months
Online Trainer Academy: 32 hours of content, self-paced.
Online Trainers Federation: 2 weeks for OC 101 introductory course. Elite course is continuous weekly meetings.
PT Distinction University: A la carte courses with varying lengths, self-paced.

Personal Trainer Takeaway: Consider the length of the course into your final decision as it relates to how quickly you may be able to monetize online training. However, consider that the more knowledge-rich courses will obviously demand a greater time investment for good reason.

Location of Certification

The Location of Certification refers to the country where the certifying company is located.

Fitness Mentors: USA

TribeFit: AUS

Online Trainer Academy: Canada

Online Trainers Federation: Canada

PT Distinction University: UK

Sign-up Process

We found that many courses have a considerable amount of salemenship involved in the sign-up process. Some students interviewed did not like that they were pressured to purchase a course via a sales call and preferred the straightforward approach of an easy checkout process. In the Online Training Education industry sales calls are used for very high ticket products to try and build the most value.

Fitness Mentors: Open enrollment, start when ready, proceed at your own pace. No pushy sales calls.
TribeFit: Introductory call and then a sales call.
Online Trainer Academy: Open enrollment, start when ready, proceed at your own pace. No pushy sales calls.
Online Trainers Federation: Enrollment once every six months for intro course. Sales call required for the Elite program.
PT Distinction University: Open enrollment, start when ready, proceed at your own pace. No pushy sales calls.

Personal Trainer Takeaway: When it comes to the online world, many of us like it because it is convenient. Numerous students we spoke to strongly disliked having any sort of sales calls involved to get started with a course and preferred options where they could checkout online and interact with mentors on an as-needed basis.

Online Personal Trainer Certification FAQ

How do I become an online personal trainer?

To become an online personal trainer it is advisable to first have a certification in personal training. Then, it is up to you to choose the type of online training you want to offer clients and how to market your services.

How much should I charge for online personal training?

The amount you charge for online personal training greatly depends on the service you offer, your experience as a trainer, competitor rates, the economy, the target population of your services, and your cost to train a client.

How big is the online personal training and coaching space?

There are 330,000 personal training jobs forecast in the US by 2026. The exact number practicing online training is unknown.

What is the most effective approach to starting an online personal training business?

The best approach to starting an online personal training business is to transition your existing in-person clients over to online clients. This allows you to get better at online training and expand your existing services to further monetize existing clients rather than starting from scratch.

Is online training as good as in-person training?

Online training has many advantages over in-person training including: time-savings, flexibility, recording options, cheaper training sessions for clients, sharing of digital assets (meal plans, DIY workout programs, etc). They are different but can be equally effective in terms of client results.

So What is the Best Online Personal Trainer Certification?

The best online personal trainer certification is the one that is best for you. Each course has its own unique product position as well as educational focus. Some focus on the full stack of knowledge you’d want to know about understanding the industry, focusing on a niche, and building a business from scratch. Others assume you already have training experience and are just adding another element to your offerings in the digital space. Other certs focus extensively on marketing and bypass business development fundamentals altogether.

At the end of the day the choice is a subjective one. You have to ask yourself what you want to get out of an online personal training certification and then find the course that works best for your specific goals.

If you have any questions about any of the courses we covered or want to provide some suggestions based on your experiences with the course, please leave them in the comments below.

Instructor

CEO of fitnessmentors.com – Teaching 30,000+ students how to become CPT’s

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BS Kinesiology, NASM-CPT, CES, PES FNS, MMAS, WLS, FM-CPT, ACE-CPT, Master Personal Trainer

Eddie Lester is the founder and CEO of Fitness Mentors. With more that 17 years experience in the health, fitness and athletics field, he has helped tens of thousands of personal trainers transform their careers and reach their business goals. With a background in Kinesiology and Exercise Physiology Eddie has assisted in research that is spearheading the exercise science field.

His in-depth knowledge of the Health, Wellness and Fitness industry has earned him a place as a regular contributor on high profile sites such as the Personal Trainer Development Center, (Dan to list top sites) online where he writes about nutrition and personal training.

His contributions to help personal trainers include a weekly blog, podcast, youtube channel and multiple books including: Business and Sales: the Guide to Success as a Personal Trainer.

Eddie’s Philosophy often times includes focusing on the bigger picture in which daily positive contributions lead to a major impact on himself, his family, his community and the world.

Eddie is commonly found at the beaches of Southern California with his wife Courtney and five kids.

Certifications COPT Popup online personal trainer certification video

Best Personal Trainer Certification

BEST-PERSONALTRAINING-CERTIFICATION

Here are the Best Personal Training Certifications in 2024

Best overall: ISSA – International Sports Sciences Association (Check ISSA Pricing)
Best for private & online trainers: FM – Fitness Mentors (Check FM Pricing)
Most respected: NASM – National Academy of Sports Medicine (Check NASM Pricing)
Best holistic approach: ISSA – International Sports Sciences Association (Check ISSA Pricing)
Lowest cost: FM – Fitness Mentors (Check FM Pricing)
Best for training athletes: NCSF – National Council on Strength & Fitness (Check NCSF Pricing)

With multiple certification options available, myself and the team here at Fitness Mentors wanted to clearly state the pros and cons of each certification based on their cost, customer support, curriculum, pass rate, and accreditation.

By the end of this article, you will have learned the main features and benefits of the best personal training certifications and be able to choose and learn how to get the personal training certification that fits your needs.

If you feel like you need assistance in choosing the best personal training certification for you, launch our quiz below.

Why I am qualified to recommend top personal trainer certifications

Hi, I’m Eddie Lester, the founder and CEO of Fitness Mentors. I’ve been a personal trainer for nearly 20 years and have 10 personal training certifications. In addition, I used to be a personal trainer certification teacher at a vocational college making me highly familiar with the educational materials and learning styles of each major CPT body and prospective students, respectively.

The contents of this article have also been reviewed by Alex Cartmill and Matt McLeod, both of which are experienced personal trainers holding multiple personal training certifications themselves, as well as having more than 10 years of training experience.

I am excited to share with you my analysis of the best personal trainer certifications that will specifically cover:

Certification cost
Exam and curriculum contents
Exam pass rates
Accreditation status
Overall rating

Best Personal Training Certification Reviews

Best overall

International Sports Science Association (ISSA)

COST

★★★★★ 4/5

support

★★★★★ 5/5

CURRICULUM

★★★★★ 5/5

DIFFICULTY

★★★★★ 5/5

OVERALL

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Pros

Cons

Summary: I’ve weighed factors such as accreditation, price, curriculum, CEU requirements and more to provide this review of ISSA. With all of these factors considered (and more weight placed on certain factors such as cost and curriculum), ISSA is our current top pick for the best personal training certification for 2023.

Their certification provides a job placement guarantee, sets you up to train in-person and in online environments, and is the most highly rated certification as indicated by third-party reviews on this list.

ISSA Most Commonly Considered Factors:

Cost: $828 with most popular package at $1199
Exam Pass Rate: 72% of students pass on their first attempt (2022 data)
Exam Passing Score: 70%
Suggested Study Timeline: 3 months
Accepted at Gyms: Yes, accepted at all gyms
NCCA Accredited: Yes

View on ISSA Website

View on ISSA Website

Starting at $828

Prices listed are non-promotional, full-price, non-member prices.

ISSA overview

ISSA stands for The International Sports Sciences Association. Founded in 1988 by a team of fitness experts and exercise scientists, their personal training certification is recognized worldwide.

Once a student takes and passes the ISSA exam, which covers a wide array of fitness topics, you are qualified to offer fitness and personal training services. Exam topics include Anatomy & Physiology, Kinesiology and Biomechanics, Health and Physical Fitness, Nutrition, and General Fitness.

The ISSA CPT is my top pick for a personal trainer certification program compared to other options available for a number of reasons.

First off, the ISSA’s certification program places a strong emphasis on both theoretical and practical knowledge in the personal training field. This includes an extensive curriculum that covers topics such as nutrition, program design, exercise science, and business principles.

Moreover, the ISSA CPT also provides an opportunity to get a certification by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), the gold standard in certification bodies. Such an accreditation may lend additional credibility to the certification in the eyes of prospective clients or employers.

Furthermore, the ISSA provides a range of specialized certifications in areas such as corrective exercise, strength and conditioning, and fitness nutrition. This may appeal to individuals who seek to develop their skills and knowledge in a particular area of personal training.

Finally, my experience with the ISSA staff has be far better than dealing with other certification bodies. This really matters when you begin your studies and are looking for support like I was. Also, the ISSA offers ongoing resources and support to its certified personal trainers, such as access to a network of professionals in the fitness industry and opportunities for continuing education. Such assistance can enable trainers to remain current with the latest trends and research in their field and may contribute to their success as personal trainers.

Curriculum Overview

The initial part of the curriculum focuses learning the sciences necessary to understand the human body. They then shift to focus on teaching you how to help your clients through exercise programming. You’ll learn all the major muscle groups and unique ways to build workout routines.

Additionally, they help you learn to guide your clients through specific exercises ensuring proper form to minimize the risk of injuries. This content helps to build a valuable foundation for aspiring personal trainers.

ISSA places less emphasis on corrective exercise specialization and screening, but some these topics are addressed in the client screening segment.

When it comes to aerobic training, ISSA equips you with fundamental tools to create training programs based on relative intensities of different client ability levels.

In terms of special populations training, ISSA accels in covering the diverse needs of different client demographics. If you’re employed in health clubs, encountering and training clients that fall into the special populations category is inevitable.

One area where I feel ISSA could improve is in addressing behavioral change, a crucial aspect when working with clients resistant new to forming health and exercise habits.

In my opinion, the ISSA curriculum provides a great spring board from which to start and build your personal training career.

Most respected

National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)

COST

★★★★★ 3/5

support

★★★★★ 5/5

CURRICULUM

★★★★★ 4/5

DIFFICULTY

★★★★★ 4.5/5

OVERALL

★★★★★ 4/5

Pros

Cons

Summary: As an aspiring personal trainer, there is a good chance you’ve considered a NASM certification to add to your list of professional accolades.

There’s good reason too, NASM is considered to be a global leader in credentialing fitness professionals, and their wealth of certifications will prepare you for a promising career in personal training or one of their other areas of specializations.

NASM Most Commonly Considered Factors:

Cost: $849 (FM Exclusive) with most popular package at $1499
Exam Pass Rate: 79% (Proctored), 90% (Non-Proctored) of students pass on their first attempt (January 2024 data)
Exam Passing Score: 70%
Suggested Study Timeline: 4 months
Accepted at Gyms: Yes, accepted at all gyms
NCCA Accredited: Yes (Proctored Exam), No (Non-Proctored Exam)

View on NASM Website

View on NASM Website

Starting at $849

Prices listed are non-promotional, full-price, non-member prices.

NASM overview

NASM stands for the National Academy of Sports Medicine, a 30-year old company best-known for their Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) program. Within the last 10 years, NASM has certified and recertified more personal trainers than any other personal training company, helping nearly 200,000 obtain, or maintain, their CPTs all across the globe.

NASM is also NCCA-accredited, meaning they have the National Commission for Certifying Agencies credentials, the first standards ever developed to ensure a fitness certification body has the essential elements of a high-quality program.

I really stand behind the training model that NASM created called the Optimum Performance Training (OPT™) model. This is a comprehensive training system that is heavily versed in scientific, evidence-based research. According to NASM, the emphasis on science makes OPT ideal for program design and delivering consistent results. I currently use it to program my clients workouts and it works great and really helps me program effectively.

To dive a little deeper into why I use the OPT Model and explain what it is, the OPT Model is a comprehensive training framework designed to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of exercise programs.

It is structured into three progressive phases: Stabilization, Strength, and Power, which I love as these are the backbone of achieving fitness goals. Here is a bit more about the model:

Stabilization Phase (Phase 1): This initial stage focuses on developing stability and neuromuscular efficiency to address imbalances and improve core function. Exercises emphasize controlled, coordinated movements to enhance joint stability and postural control.

Strength Phase (Phase 2): Building upon the foundation established in the stabilization phase, the strength phase aims to increase muscle strength, endurance, and overall lean body mass. Resistance training is a key component, with an emphasis on multi-joint exercises and progressive overload.

Power Phase (Phase 3): The final phase is dedicated to maximizing power and athletic performance. It integrates the gains from the previous phases into dynamic, explosive movements to enhance speed, agility, and power output.

The above stages help me program my client’s workouts using systematic progression and ensure a safe and effective exercise session. This approach allows for individualized program design based on the client’s goals, fitness level, and any specific needs or limitations. The OPT Model serves as a versatile guide for fitness professionals to tailor programs for clients across various fitness levels and objectives.

Curriculum Overview

The NASM CPT curriculum starts off by discussing the personal training profession including professional development.

It then shifts to teach the necessary skills to help your future clients adhere to exercise behaviors through coaching techniques and exercise psychology.

NASM leans heavy into the sciences of exercise which can be overwhelming for some. They focus almost two hundred pages of the textbook on the human movement system, the cardiorespiratory system, kinesiology, exercise metabolism, and nutrition.

They then dive deep into health and exercise assessments followed by teaching you how to perform exercises with proper form and technique. they finish with a strong section on program design, which I really enjoy to teach, that focuses on the OPT model I mentioned in the section above.

Overall this curriculum is one of the best out there, but can be a bit intimidating as the textbook has over 900 pages! Either way I always recommend NASM as a top option.

Best for private & online trainers, & lowest cost

Fitness Mentors

COST

★★★★★ 5/5

support

★★★★★ 5/5

CURRICULUM

★★★★★ 4/5

DIFFICULTY

★★★★★ 5/5

OVERALL

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Pros

Cons

Summary: Originally known as a study guide provider for NASM and ACE, Fitness Mentors decided that it was time to provide better value to the personal trainer of today. This meant creating an original curriculum and certification that catered to private trainers, online trainers and trainers who sought an entrepreneurial route with a focus building a lifelong career.

With a certification focused on mastering all the roles of a personal trainer – business owner, coach, salesman, and mentor – it is unique in that it is specifically catered towards program design and business success. As the lowest cost personal trainer certification, it is also a viable option for those looking to get started at a lower investment.

Fitness Mentors Most Commonly Considered Factors:

Cost: $499 with the most popular package being $729
Exam Pass Rate: 92% of students pass on their first attempt (2022 data)
Exam Passing Score: 70%
Suggested Study Timeline: 2 months
Accepted at Gyms: Yes, accepted at most gyms
NCCA Accredited: Included with $729 package and above

View on FM Website

View on FM Website

Starting at $499

Prices listed are non-promotional, full-price, non-member prices.

Fitness Mentors Overview

The Fitness Mentors CPT is the new kid on the block in terms of training certifications, giving it an edge in terms of curriculum without the brand recognition of the bigger players.

It is known for being the best value certification around, while boasting the highest exam pass rate due to the company’s background in education. What separates Fitness Mentors’ certified personal trainer certification is their excellent customer service and included lifetime expert guidance as well as business coaching.

It is Fitness Mentors’ view that to be a successful personal trainer today, they need to know program design and fitness fundamentals, but also important business growth and marketing principles. Whereas other programs tend to focus on programs and exercise physiology, Fitness Mentors provides that education and more at an unmatched price and with human support.

Fitness Mentor Curriculum Overview

The Fitness Mentors CPT curriculum starts off by diving into fitness assessments as a platform for creating a safe and effective exercise program.

Next they move into the sciences behind exercise and training including anatomy, physiology, kinesiology and exercise science.

The next chapters focus on creating effective exercise programs for any fitness goal. They utilize the FORM model of training to encourage proper form and technique before adding heavier resistance.

Fitness Mentors leans heavy into business building elements of the personal training career. They focus almost one hundred pages of the textbook on how to establish your business, market and sell your services, and get paying clients. FM provides the most education on business and how to make money as a personal trainer, something very important to establishing a career in fitness.

They finish strong with a comprehensive nutrition and supplements section, focusing on helping trainers aid their clients in proper nutrition strategies for weight loss, muscle gain, and athletic performance.

This curriculum is very thorough but also significantly more to-the-point of personal training and cuts a lot of unnecessary information utilized by other certifications. The emphasis on business and entrepreneurship makes this certification a must for those looking to start their own business online or as a private personal trainer.

Best for training athletes

National Council on Strength & Fitness

COST

★★★★★ 4/5

support

★★★★★ 5/5

CURRICULUM

★★★★★ 4/5

DIFFICULTY

★★★★★ 3.5/5

OVERALL

★★★★★ 4/5

Pros

Cons

Summary: The National Council on Strength & Fitness (NCSF) is an NCCA accredited certification from a reputable company known for its focus on exercise prescription and programming considerations. They are middle of the road in terms of cost and amongst the lowest in terms of exam pass rate.

A popular choice amongst those who don’t enjoy continuing education, their 10 hours every two years makes them a strong consideration from a time and investment perspective.

NCSF Most Commonly Considered Factors:

Cost: $799 with most popular package at $1399
Exam Pass Rate: 79.76% of students pass on their first attempt (2021 data)
Exam Passing Score: 70%
Suggested Study Timeline: 3-6 months
Accepted at Gyms: Yes, accepted at all gyms
NCCA Accredited: Yes

View on NCSF Website

View on NCSF Website

Starting at $699

Prices listed are non-promotional, full-price, non-member prices.

NCSF Overview

The National Council on Strength & Fitness (NCSF) CPT is a globally recognized certification that is known for its emphasis on training athletes.

With both online and in-person exam options, they boast the industries largest exam network that encompasses over 160 countries. This network is popular amongst trainers outside the United States who want to be sure their credentials are respected wherever they are in the world.

Additionally, NCSF maintains memberships with industry-leading health clubs, facilitating career opportunities for trainers who are focused on gym environments.

I feel NSCF is a great option if you are looking to train athletes as their curriculum and Strength Coach certification has curriculum that specifically focuses on this type of clientele.

NCSF Curriculum

The curriculum begins with an “Introduction to Personal Training,” providing a foundational understanding of the field. It then delves into “Functional Anatomy and Training Instruction,” crucial for trainers to comprehend the mechanics of the human body and how to instruct exercises effectively. “Kinetic Chain Function, Dysfunction, and Corrective Exercise” follows, focusing on identifying and addressing movement imbalances.

Moving deeper, “Human Physiology” explores the physiological mechanisms underlying exercise responses. “Evaluating Health and Physical Fitness” and “Physical Activity and Risk for Disease” emphasize the importance of assessing clients’ health status and mitigating health risks through physical activity.

“Resting and Active Fitness Assessments” provides tools for assessing fitness levels accurately. Understanding the role of “Nutrition” and “Dietary Supplements” is vital for trainers to support clients in achieving their fitness goals.

Chapters on “Body Composition” and “Weight Management” address key aspects of physique and weight control. “Exercise Program Components” and “Anaerobic Resistance Training” detail the components and methodologies of effective exercise routines.

“Cardiorespiratory Fitness” and “Flexibility” cover essential elements of overall fitness. “Introduction to Exercise Programming” provides a framework for designing tailored workout plans.

Finally, “Working with Special Populations” addresses considerations for training diverse groups, ensuring inclusivity and effectiveness in personal training practice.

Best holistic approach

American Council on Exercise (ACE)

COST

★★★★★ 4/5

support

★★★★★ 5/5

CURRICULUM

★★★★★ 4/5

DIFFICULTY

★★★★★ 4.5/5

OVERALL

★★★★★ 4/5

Pros

Cons

Summary: ACE is NCCA accredited, meaning the National Commission for Certifying Agencies has identified its coursework as reputable and meets the criteria for what is considered a high-quality program within the personal training industry.

This also means that this CPT gives you a high likelihood of getting you a job within a gym.

ACE Most Commonly Considered Factors:

Cost: $675 with most popular package at $745
Exam Pass Rate: 72% of students pass on their first attempt (2022 data)
Exam Passing Score: 70%
Suggested Study Timeline: 4-6 months
Accepted at Gyms: Yes, accepted at all gyms
NCCA Accredited: Yes

View on ACE Website

View on ACE Website

Starting at $675

Prices listed are non-promotional, full-price, non-member prices.

ACE Overview

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) CPT is one of the most popular of the personal trainer certifications, with our research indicating that there are over 13,100 tests taken each year.

The cost of ACE’s study materials and test fall more in the moderate range, which in my opinion provides good value.

While slightly more expensive up front, ACE looks to be a good investment as the average income of an ACE personal trainer is amongst the best in the industry, which you’ll see in my analysis further down this page.

ACE also has modest continuing education (CEU) requirements. Trainers are required to take 20 hours of CEUs and the current cost is $129 to recertify every 2 years.

ACE Curriculum

The ACE curriculum begins with an exploration of the “Role and Scope of Practice for Personal Trainers,” establishing professional standards and responsibilities. It then introduces the “ACE Integrated Fitness Training Model,” a comprehensive approach to designing fitness programs.

“Basics of Behavior Change” and “Effective Communication, Goal Setting, and Teaching Techniques” equip trainers with skills to motivate and guide clients effectively. “Preparticipation Health Screening” ensures safety by assessing clients’ health status before exercise.

Nutrition’s role in “Health and Fitness” is covered extensively, followed by “Resting Assessments and Anthropometric Measurements” to gauge baseline fitness levels accurately.

Chapters on “Cardiorespiratory Training” and “Muscular Training” delve into the physiology, assessments, and programming techniques for these fundamental aspects of fitness. Integrated exercise programming, evidence-based practice, and considerations for diverse populations, including those with obesity, chronic diseases, and musculoskeletal issues, are thoroughly addressed.

“Legal Guidelines and Business Considerations” conclude the curriculum, educating trainers on legal and business aspects of personal training practice, ensuring they operate ethically and effectively in their profession.

What to look for when choosing a personal trainer certification

Watch Our Video: Best Personal Trainer Certification

Want to know which certification is right for you? Take our Quiz by clicking here. We put together the following factors based on feedback from existing personal trainers and found as much data as possible so we could quantify our research:

Accreditation: most gyms only accept personal training certifications that are NCCA, NBFE or DEAC – recognized so this is an important factor for aspiring trainers. These certifying bodies are considered the gold standard for fitness certifications.
Price: includes the cost of the test and the cheapest study materials.
Pass Rate: the total test takers divided by the passers.
Expected Study Time: this is the time you have to take the exam from the time you purchase the study materials.
Number of Test Questions: all tests are multiple choice, and we report on the amount of test questions for each exam. We also cover the total time allotted as well as the minimum passing score.
CEU Requirements: amount of Continuing Education Units required to maintain certification.
Popularity of Certification: indication of the amount of people who have a cert and take the test every year.
Primary Focus of Education: while this topic may surprise some, each program varies slightly in what their education process concentrates on teaching you. This information is pulled straight off their catalogs.
Average Income: average annual income from reputable sources.
Retake Fee: if you fail the exam the first time, the price to retake the exam again.

Want to know which certification is right for you? Take our Quiz by clicking here.

Check out our infographic that covers the objective items mentioned above. Below the image is a list of all the items with a breakdown.

Best Personal Training Certification: An Objective Look into 10 Key Criteria

Below we summarize the data contained in the infographic, diving into highlights from each section, explaining why some companies vary so much, and giving an honest assessment of why each of the companies ranks where it does.

We also include a “Personal Trainer Takeaway,” from me, a longtime personal trainer who has worked in almost every facet of the business (big box gym, one-on-one, group fitness, business owner, etc.). This section is a bit more subjective, but will help you consider some things that a purely objective analysis might not.

In some instances, we were not able to find data for each of the certifying bodies and we made estimates. This estimated data is not presented in the infographic but we make mention of it here.

Accreditation

Accreditation standards are developed by several third-party credentialing organizations to maintain a level of professionalism within the fitness industry. These designations showcase that a certification body has created a high-quality program that ensures the safety and wellbeing of the public. Fitness certifications that wish to be accredited have to submit their programs and final exam to be evaluated on an individual basis. This ensures that they meet the highest standard and validates that the aspiring trainer has the competency for entry level employment.

With the exception of AFAA, every personal training certification body on this list has the option for a National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accredited exam, which is the gold standard for fitness certifications. This is important to trainers because most gyms will only accept personal trainer certifications that are accepted by an NCCA-accredited body. So, if you are like many trainers who want to jumpstart their career by working in a gym, you may want to avoid a cert that is not NCCA-accredited.

If you are looking for a more entrepreneurial route other than working in a gym, the FM-CPT is known for having the most business emphasis in their education. ISSA does have additional accreditation with Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) and National Board of Fitness Examiners (NBFE), and is accepted at most gym chains.

Personal Trainer Certifications with the option for NCCA Accreditation:

ISSA
Fitness Mentors
NASM
ACE
NSCA
ACSM
NESTA
NCSF
NFPT

Personal Trainer Certifications with National Board of Fitness Examiners (NBFE) Affiliation

Personal Trainer Certification with DEAC Accreditation:

ISSA

Personal Trainer Takeaway:

Be sure to check with your top employment options to find out which certifications they accept, as that may limit your certification choices. For example, if you have a friend that works at 24-Hour Fitness and says he can get you a job if you get certified, get a list of the certifications they honor so you know you’ll be a shoe-in.

Similarly, if you plan on working at a smaller shop with other personal trainers, inquire with them first if they will accept the personal training certification you are leaning towards. Bottom line, determine where you want to work, then see if those places have requirements on the types of PT certs they accept for employees.

Price

Most of the personal trainer certification bodies prices start between $500 to $850 for the exam and the study materials. Many of these companies offer periodic discounts, and some offer membership pricing.

For the least expensive yet highly reputable option, the Fitness Mentors CPT at $499 is a popular option. The only other sub-$500 option is NCSF as they sometimes offer large discounts.

NASM is an expensive option, but frequently goes on sale. ACE is also on the upper end of the pricing spectrum, but they too offer frequent promotions.

A great tool I have used is to utilize a 12 month payment option as it spreads the price out over a longer period of time.

Prices listed are non-promotional, full-price, non-member prices.

Personal Trainer Takeaway:

You should determine what matters most to you: prestige or cost? If you want to go with a more recognized name in the industry (NASM, ACE) it will cost more. If you only need an inexpensive, accredited certification for quick employment or for the entrepreneurial route, look toward the less expensive certifications (Fitness Mentors, AFAA).

However, also consider CEU requirements, income, as well as the above accreditation factors before you pull the trigger. While price may be the most important factor to you, all the factors on this page may influence your final decision beyond your initial investment.

Pass Rate

The cert with the best pass rate is Fitness Mentors at 92%, while ACSM, at 55%, sits on the bottom end.

Personal Trainer Takeaway:

Some tests are much harder than others. If we use pass rate as our main reference point, it would appear that ACSM, NSCA, and NCSF have the most difficult tests. This can mean these tests are the hardest to pass or the educational experience provided is not sufficient in preparing students for the subject matter on the test.

Or, it could mean these tests tend to focus on more difficult subjects like anatomy, physiology and biomechanics. The study experience — books, study guides, practice exams, access to instructors, etc. — from fitness organizations can vary widely. The feedback from students is that some study curriculum does not fully prepare a student for a final exam as well as it could, while others find that the preparation materials provided fully prepare them for the final exam. This is why students often use third-party educators like Fitness Mentors to provide education for multiple certification exams like NASM and ACE.

Expected Study Time

The expected study time is inferred from the time the certification bodies give you when you buy the study materials until the time you have to take the exam.

Fitness Mentors: 6 Months with 80 hours of recommended study time.

NESTA: Study as long as you need but must complete the test within 90 days of requesting the exam voucher.

ACSM: 3, 6, 12, or 24 month options.

ACE: Schedule test before 6 months of purchase ends but can take it before 9 months.

ISSA: 6 months to complete.

NASM: Must complete in under 6 months.

NCSF: Must complete in under 6 months.

NCSA: 120 days after purchasing exam.

NFPT: 12 Months after purchasing exam.

Personal Trainer Takeaway:

The timeline you have to complete the test matters depending on your situation. Are you currently unemployed and need a training job as soon as possible? You would then want the shortest study time and easiest test. Are you looking to become certified without the need for immediate employment? Maybe a longer study time would be needed since you are less motivated for immediate results. Also, keep in mind how much time you have to put toward your studies? If you only have two hours a week, you may not be able to complete your studies in the allotted time.

The main takeaway here is to not just look at the exam with the least amount of study time and say, ‘that’s for me!’ Instead, take an honest assessment of your current financial situation and the certification you really want and make the best decision for your future.

Number of Test Questions

Below: Number of test questions / total test time / minimum passing score

Fitness Mentors: 100 questions / 120 minutes / 70% or higher is passing

NASM: 120 questions (100 count towards your score) / 120 minutes/ 70% or higher is passing. NASM now also offers a 100 question non-accredited test with a 3 hour timelimit.

ACSM: 120 questions / 120 minutes / 68.75% or higher is passing. 800 points available based on scaled questions, 550 points needed to pass

AFAA: 120 questions online exam / 120 minutes / 70% or higher is passing

NFPT: 120 questions online exam / 120 minutes / 70% or higher is passing

NESTA: 125 Questions / 120 minutes / 69% or higher is passing

NCSF: 150 questions / 180 minutes / 62% or higher is passing

ACE: 150 questions / 180 minutes / 62.5% or higher is passing. 800 points available based on scaled questions 500 points needed to pass

NSCA: 155 questions / 180 minutes / 70% or higher is passing

ISSA: 120 questions / unlimited time / 70% or better is passing

Personal Trainer Takeaway:

What type of test taker are you? A confident test taker will not need to worry about the length of test or number of questions. Someone whose mind goes blank because of testing anxiety may want to consider the shorter test like Fitness Mentors, NASM or ACSM. Or, if you have an extreme fear of tests consider Fitness Mentors or ISSA as the tests are open book. Just make sure your potential employer approves this certification.

CEU Requirement

The NCSF has by far the least amount of CEUs required at 10 credit hours. At the other end, NSCA trainers are required to obtain 60 CEUs. However, these numbers alone don’t tell the whole story, you should also consider the time periods in which these hours are required, as well as the costs to recertify.

Fitness Mentors: 20 hours of CEUs and $99 to recertify every 2 years

NCSF: 10 hours of CEUs and $50 to recertify every 2 years

AFAA: 15 Hours of CEUs and $99 to recertify every 2 years

NASM: 20 hours of CEUs and $99 to recertify every 2 years

ACE: 20 hours of CEUs and $129 to recertify every 2 years

ISSA: 20 hours of CEUs and $99 to recertify every 2 years

NESTA: 40 hours of CEUs and $149 to recertify every 4 years

ACSM: 45 hours of CEUs and $30 to recertify every 3 years

NFPT: 10 hours of CEUs and $50 to recertify every year

NSCA: 60 hours of CEUs and $50 to recertify every 3 years

Personal Trainer Takeaway:

Recertification is required by all certifying bodies. The process of recertification varies slightly, but one common ground is that they require you to continue your education and show proof of this newly obtained knowledge via CEUs or Continuing Education Units.

Also, there are typically 1,000s of courses to choose from to continue your education and we have compiled a list of our favorites here. Another consideration is that the more CEUs that are required by a provider the more money you will spend on recertifying (roughly $20 per contact hour) which makes NSCA (60 hours) and ACSM (45 hours) less appealing financially. Hopefully, this will not matter if you are successful in your personal training career. To ensure that you are successful check out this highly recommended business and sales course for personal trainers.

Popularity of Certification

The popularity of a certification is based on the number of trainers with a specific cert in the field as well as the number of test takers per year. Not reported in the graph is the number of tests taken per year.

The number of tests taken per year is provided below:

NASM: 31,385 (2021 data)

ACE: 11,835 attempts per year (2022 data)

ISSA: 10,696 attempts per year

NFPT: 2,684 attempts per year

NCSF: 1,723 attempts per year

NSCA: 1,529 attempts per year

NESTA: 1,515 attempts per year

ACSM: 1,386 attempts per year (2022 data)

Fitness Mentors: 636 attempts per year

Personal Trainer Takeaway:

The way that we look at this statistic is mainly by determining the recognition for each certification body. It is assumed that the more people that take a certification the more well-known that certification is. Popularity can be seen as a reputation builder meaning that more people trust that company, but it also can be determined by the volume of marketing and advertising a company puts in.

To give a brief example of this, NASM advertises on TV and radio in our local area. This leads to more people in general recognizing the NASM brand and name. When trainers say they are NASM-certified, their clients typically recognize the brand name because of the abundant advertising and that makes the trainer more reputable, even though the client knows nothing about the quality of education NASM provides.

On the other hand, some progressive companies, like Fitness Mentors, have introduced a relatively new certification. For this reason, they don’t yet have the same number of tests taken as organizations that have been around for dozens of years. The benefit of some of the newer certifications, however, is that they are able to fill voids where some of the older organizations lag. Fitness Mentors is 100% online, boasts more study materials than many of the other certifications, offers personal mentorships, and provides access to instructors. ISSA is also a 100% online option, rounding out the more progressive companies that are keeping up with modern demands of trainers who capitalize on online learning and test-taking.

The question you must ask is ‘do I care if my clients recognize the name of my certification?’ If so, choose a certification with more popularity. Just keep in mind that most clients don’t know and don’t care what certification you have, but employers do so make sure your chosen employer accepts the cert.

Primary Focus of Education

This information was taken straight off the catalogs of the certification bodies.

Fitness Mentors: Fitness Program Design and Business Success

ISSA: Fitness Program Design

NASM: Rapport & Client Relationship Building, Exercise Technique & Instruction

ACE: Behavioral Modification for Fitness Goals

NSCA: Techniques of Exercise

ACSM: Exercise Leadership and Client Education

NESTA: Business Applications

NCSF: Exercise Prescription and Programming Considerations

NFPT: Goal-oriented Program Design in User-friendly Format

Personal Trainer Takeaway:

Most of the certifying bodies will be very similar in their balance of educational topics, due to the NCCA regulation that forces companies to do a Job Task Analysis. This Job Task Analysis determines the most important knowledge to have to be successful in the field and is typically the same across the board. Therefore, each company is required to have the same topics of education.

Average Income

Previously, we reported average income by certification. However, we find this information to be highly inconsistent across salary websites, certification body websites, and other sources. Here are some sources just so you can see what we mean: The average personal trainer salary according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is $40,700. According to Salary.com, it’s $65,033, and according to Zip Recruiter , it’s $51,140. Related: Personal Trainer Salary: Which Gyms Pay the Most? How Much do Private and Online Trainers Make? If there is one thing that you can takeaway from personal training certifications and income, it’s that you need a reputable one. Whether you want to be an independent personal trainer or get your foot in the door at a big box gym, a certification is your meal ticket. However, a CPT isn’t the only threshold to make a good living. According to insights from Club Industry, certifications are what set trainers apart from what is becoming an increasingly competitive industry. Not only that, but furthering your education beyond your CPT and into other areas of expertise – online training, group fitness, nutrition, health coaching, etc. – is what can allow you to make more money, but also safeguard yourself from legal and medical safeguards that are becoming more important than ever. Our advice? Your education is your competitive advantage, which is why you should consider getting a bundle to expand your knowledge and expertise so you are better equipped to work with clients or get hired.

Personal Trainer Takeaway:

We know trainers that make $200,000 per year as well as $20,000 per year all of which have the same and/or different certifications. Your success as a business person is determined by your drive, knowledge of key business and sales techniques, location and various other things. To find out how to optimize your success we recommend this online course.

Also recently Online Personal Training has lead to a larger population of trainers making $100,000 or more. To become certified to train online and learn how to make six-figures we recommend this certification.

Retake Fee

Should you fail the exam the first time around, most certifications bodies charge to retake it. NSCA, the provider with the most expensive retake fee ($435), charges almost eight times more than the cheapest provider Fitness Mentors ($50), while the bulk of the other providers are in the $100 to $200 range. UPDATE: ISSA does offer a free retest with their packages.

Personal Trainer Takeaway:

The takeaway here is to prepare for whatever test you take, and make sure you pass the first time around!

Who to Pick for the Best Personal Training Certification

Again, choosing a personal training certification is a very subjective decision and certain factors may weigh more heavily with specific individuals. For example, if price is a factor, then NASM may not be the best option for you. However, when you look at income, ISSA and NASM personal trainers tend to make the most, showing that this is likely the best investment in your future.

If you are a terrible test taker, the Fitness Mentors CPT exam may be appealing to you as it is open book and has a nearly 80% pass rate.

The amount of CEUs required, as well as the recertification fee, are also an important consideration as this is required by all the certification bodies.

The point is you should be objective in your selection and determine what factors are most important to you. Talk to some other trainers and ask them what cert they have, if they like it, and if they’d recommend it to you. But remember, any trainer you ask advice for will likely be partial to whatever certification they have.

If you are interested in two personal training certifications for the cost of one, the NFPT and Fitness Mentors have partnered to provide the best education experience in the industry with the power of earning two CPT Certifications at once.

The Fitness Mentors CPT Certification is also recommended by Personal Trainer Pioneer, one of the best review sites for personal training certifications. Learn more about their recommended packages here.

I hope that this post has helped you make the decision to choosing the best personal training certification for you that much easier. If you have any questions, or would like to see anything else added to this list, please contact us today.

FAQs

1: How do you get certified to be a personal trainer?

To be eligible for most certified personal trainer exams, you typically need to meet the following criteria:

Be 18 years old
Have a high school diploma or equivalent certification
Have a Emergency Cardiac Care (CPR) or Automated External Defibrillator (AED) certification

These requirements may vary from certification to certification, but these are the basic guidelines for a CPT. From there, you simply register for an exam, study, pass, and begin your career.

2: How much does it cost to get certified as a personal trainer?

You can figure it will cost you between $500 to $1,000 to get certified as a personal trainer for most certification bodies.We cover the specifics of how much each certification body charges for the exam and study materials in our guide.

3: How long are personal training certifications good for?

The personal trainer certification length is good for life provided you keep up with continuing education requirements of your certification. Another way of explaining this is that you’ll have to understand that each personal trainer certification company has different requirements for their trainers to maintain their certifications. The general rule of thumb is a certification must be renewed every two years and is done so by taking continuing education courses. See our chart and description below to learn more about each certification.

4: What is the cheapest personal training certification?

The Fitness Mentors Personal Trainer Certification is the cheapest personal training certification at $499 including the digital textbook, 8 types of study materials, and the exam. This option is completely online and therefore does not have some of the unnecessary costs associated with the others.

5: What is the easiest personal trainer certification?

Based on the exam pass rate of 89%, Fitness Mentors boasts the highest likelihood of a student passing. This may be due in part to an at home exam and/or a higher quality of study materials, along with direct guidance from their mentors. Join their discord here to see their mentors in action.

7: What personal trainer certificate is most respected?

The personal trainer certifications with an option for NCCA accreditation are the most respected in the industry. The NCCA is the gold standard for third-party personal training certifications. Some of these certs include, NASM, ACE, Fitness Mentors, and ISSA.

8: Is it worth it to get a personal trainer certification?

The investment in a personal trainer certification is worth it no matter which way you look at it. Most CPTs are $400 to $800 and full time trainers can expect to make this money back their first month. The education you get will also ensure a healthy knowledge for personal gains as well.

9: Do you have to be fit to be a personal trainer?

Personal trainers will be expected to be fit enough to demonstrate the exercises they are recommending to clients. While there is no fitness test to become a personal trainer, being in-shape would certainly help you attract clients.

10: What certifications do most gyms accept?

Gyms tend to accept personal trainer certifications that are NCCA Accredited (like NASM or ACE), those that are accredited by the National Board of Fitness Examiners (like Fitness Mentors or NESTA), or those with a DEAC Accreditation (like ISSA).

11. References:

https://acewebcontent.azureedge.net/assets/certification/pdfs/Certification-Exam-Candidate-Handbook.pdf
https://www.acefitness.org/fitness-certifications/personal-trainer-certification/
https://www.ncsf.org/pdf/NCSF_2021_Annual_Exam_Report.pdf
https://www.nsca.com/globalassets/certification/certification-pdfs/nsca-certification-handbook.pdf
https://www.nasm.org/docs/pdf/cpt7-nasm-candidate-handbook.pdf?sfvrsn=2fcc6057_24
https://www.nccpt.com/data/pdf/nccpt-candidate-handbook.pdf
McClaran SR. The effectiveness of personal training on changing attitudes towards physical activity. J Sports Sci Med. 2003;2(1):10-14. Published 2003 Mar
https://www.acsm.org/acsm-membership/about-us.
https://www.acsm.org/read-research/journals-bulletins.
https://www.nasm.org/certified-personal-trainer/the-opt-model.
https://www.acefitness.org/fitness-certifications/personal-trainer-certification/ace-ift-model.aspx.
https://www.issaonline.edu/company/.
https://www.nsca.com/certification/cscs/.
https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Certification=Personal_Trainer_(CPT)_(NASM)/Salary.
https://www.nsca.com/certification/recertification/.
https://pft.nestacertified.com/about-nesta-mission-statement/.

Instructor

CEO of fitnessmentors.com – Teaching 30,000+ students how to become CPT’s

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BS Kinesiology, NASM-CPT, CES, PES FNS, MMAS, WLS, FM-CPT, ACE-CPT, Master Personal Trainer

Eddie Lester is the founder and CEO of Fitness Mentors. With more that 17 years experience in the health, fitness and athletics field, he has helped tens of thousands of personal trainers transform their careers and reach their business goals. With a background in Kinesiology and Exercise Physiology Eddie has assisted in research that is spearheading the exercise science field.

His in-depth knowledge of the Health, Wellness and Fitness industry has earned him a place as a regular contributor on high profile sites such as the Personal Trainer Development Center, (Dan to list top sites) online where he writes about nutrition and personal training.

His contributions to help personal trainers include a weekly blog, podcast, youtube channel and multiple books including: Business and Sales: the Guide to Success as a Personal Trainer.

Eddie’s Philosophy often times includes focusing on the bigger picture in which daily positive contributions lead to a major impact on himself, his family, his community and the world.

Eddie is commonly found at the beaches of Southern California with his wife Courtney and five kids.

References:

average income by trainer best personal trainer certification CEU requirements New Format video Webinar

Top 5 Exercise Science Careers and The Best Education Paths

Exercise Science Careers

Watch Our Video: Best Exercise Science Careers – Are you considering an Exercise Science degree?

Are you considering an Exercise Science degree or asking yourself “what can you do with an exercise science degree?” to help plan for your future?

Whatever your stage in life — consideration, current Exercise Science student, or recent grad — this post is for you.

Be sure to take our quiz too!

As a previous Exercise Science graduate, I can give you a little taste of the college route (as well as other education paths) and provide insight into the options for Exercise Science careers.

But first, let’s define what Exercise Science is.

What is Exercise Science?

Exercise Science describes the study of the body under the stress of exercise including acute and chronic adaptations like the effects on overall health parameters, pathologies, and its potential to reduce, or reverse, disease progression.

Some other areas of study within Exercise Science vertical that you might see at various educational institutes are:

Kinesiology
Fitness & Health
Exercise Physiology
Biomechanics
Exercise Nutrition

You can also expect a strong educational emphasis in the areas of anatomy, physiology, chemistry, biology, and oftentimes, physics.

What can You Do with an Exercise Science Degree?

If there is one thing I want to emphasize about studying Exercise Science is that the majority of careers in the field require additional graduate school coursework. Yes, that is worth repeating.

Exercise Science is a common prerequisite for graduate level programs in careers such as:

Doctor (MD)
Exercise Physiologist
Registered Dietician
Occupational Therapist
Physical Therapist
Physician Assistant

The important takeaway here is that for most, the bachelor’s degree in and of itself does not get them to the career that they want. Additionally, and as I will get into more below, the career you want might not require a four year college degree in Exercise Science.

However, if you are interested in some of the above careers that require education beyond a B.S. degree, by all means continue on the path that makes the most sense for you.

I emphasize this point because I have met many people who studied Exercise Science in college only to find that they either did not realize they needed additional education to get the career they wanted, or realized there were quicker, more affordable ways to get into the career they wanted.

That said, listed below are some careers that you can get without additional education after your Bachelor’s in Exercise Science degree, including:

Athletic Director
Community Program Director
Massage Therapist
Recreation and Sports Director
Sports Coach
Sports Facility Manager
Strength and Conditioning Coach

Provided below are the most popular career paths in Exercise Science, which may or may not include a college education, are below.

Top 5 Exercise Science Careers

Personal Trainer

By far, the most common career path chosen by people looking to have an Exercise Science career, as well as who are currently studying Exercise Science, is personal training.

The benefits of a career in personal training are numerous and can even be aligned with that of any of the other careers on this list.

For starters, you don’t need to get a bachelor’s degree to become a personal trainer. In fact, there are five separate ways you can become a personal trainer, ranging from certification from accredited companies, to vocational college, to university programs, to online options, and internal gym programs.

If your heart is set on becoming a personal trainer it certainly would be helpful for you to understand your options for certification beforehand.

Now, I am certainly not knocking university or college-based personal training certification options — I got my B.S. at a university and was a college instructor afterward — but I do understand that it may not be an option for everyone.

But what if you want a career that requires a college degree? Would it still be beneficial to consider a personal training certification?

Let’s say you choose any of the aforementioned education routes for your career in Exercise Science: college degree or not.

Either way, you can benefit from a personal training certification no matter what route you take. If you are wanting to have a career as a personal trainer, you can get certified in as little as two to five months and start making money right away.

If you are in college and are studying Exercise Science, it is still a good idea to get a personal training certification because you can begin gaining experience within your career immediately and can even pay for your education, through your personal training income.

For example, while I was in college I used my personal training certification to my advantage. I was able to train clients around my school schedule given the flexibility of the career. This provided me industry experience, but also allowed me to pay my way through college.

I also became certified as an Online Personal Trainer and trained clients through the internet, which gave me even more freedom to complete my studies and enjoy the college experience.

Top 5 Reasons Personal Training is a Popular Exercise Science Career

So, no matter what your long-term goals are, getting a personal training certification can help in the following ways:

Puts money in your pocket
Allows you to gain experience in the Exercise Science field
Helps pay for college (if you are shooting for a B.S., or advanced degree)
Provides a strong foundation to further your exercise science studies

Top 3 Personal Training Certifications

Below are the best certification options to choose from:

Physical Therapist

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a career in Physical Therapy has some very promising advantages.

For starters, the median pay approaches $90,000 per year, is expected to grow 28% by 2016 (which is much faster than average), and consistently ranks as one of the best jobs in healthcare for work-life balance.

Physical therapy jobs tend to require a doctoral degree (DPT), although some may accept a master’s degree. CostHelper.com says that doctoral physical therapy degrees can cost $35,000 (such as the doctorate in physical therapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago), or much more for out-of-state students, such as The University of Delaware’s doctoral program which costs over $75,000. That is on top of the money you spend for your bachelors degree.

Athletic Trainer

Athletic trainers also rank high on this list as the profession is similar in scope to that of personal trainers, yet requires a formal bachelor’s degree in a specialized program and the passing of a state licensure exam. Athletic trainers have a median income of $46,630 per year according to the BLS, and have a rapid rate of employment at 23% when looking out to 2016.

One of the coolest things I find about athletic trainer careers is that they often work alongside athletes within educational settings such as colleges of universities.This often means these professionals are the ones who work hand-in-hand with some of the best up-and-coming athletic talent in the country.

They can also work with younger students, within hospitals, or even for professional sports teams.

Exercise Physiologist

With a median pay of just under $50,000 per year, and a faster than average job outlook, a career in exercise physiology is a popular choice for many looking to put their Exercise Science degree to work.

This type of career typically requires a Masters in Exercise Physiology, which on average takes 6 years of total college time as well as requires board certification through the American Society of Exercise Physiologists.

Another interesting aspect of this career is that about half of all exercise physiologists are self-employed. So if you have an entrepreneurial spirit and enjoy the freedom of owning your own business, you may be able to do well in this career.

PE Teacher

According to ZipRecruiter, PE teachers make about $42,500 per year. While this is the lowest salary on this list, you have to remember that these teachers tend to have summers off and benefit from all school holidays as well as teacher pensions.

Typical education requirements for this career include a bachelor’s degree in exercise science as well as a teaching credential or a masters in education. Often times a personal training certification will enhance the likelihood of employment as well.

We also can’t forget that PE teachers get to hang out in gym clothes all day, coach fun sports like kickball and dodgeball, and even be physical fitness role models for many of their students.

Granted there is some give and take for each of the professions on this list in terms of knocking off all the boxes of the most ideal career, but the daily life of the PE coach can be very rewarding.

Exercise Science Degrees and Educational Considerations

As we have learned above, not all careers within Exercise Science require a full-fledged bachelor’s degree. Similarly, we’ve learned that many sought after degrees within Exercise Science require advanced degrees such as master’s or doctoral degrees.

With that in mind below is a comprehensive list of the many careers and their educational obligations. Note that some of these careers may overlap in multiple categories.

Exercise Science Careers that don’t require Degrees

Personal Training
Aerobics Instructor
Fitness Coach
Gym Manager
Massage Therapist
Physical Therapy Assistant

Exercise Science Careers that require Bachelor’s Degrees

Athletic Director
Community Program Director
Kinesiologist
Massage Therapist
Athletic Trainer (ATC)
Physical Education Teacher
Recreation and Sports Director
Registered Nurse
Sports Coach
Sports Facility Manager
Strength and Conditioning Coach

Exercise Science Careers that require Master’s or Doctoral Degrees

Doctor (MD)
Exercise Physiologist
Chiropractor (DC)
Registered Dietician
Occupational Therapist
Physical Therapist (DPT)
Physician Assistant
Exercise Physiologist
Physical Rehabilitation

FAQs for Exercise Science Careers and The Best Education Paths

How Can I Make Money with an Exercise Science Degree?

The most common way to make money with an Exercise Science career path is personal training. While personal training doesn’t require a degree, those who get certified are able to put money into their pockets quickly and build a strong foundation for further career advancement.

Why is Exercise Science a Good Major?

Exercise Science generally offers courses in Anatomy, Physiology, Kinesiology, and Nutrition. Jobs can range from personal trainers and strength and conditioning coaches to physical therapists and physician assistants – so Exercise Science can be lucrative.

Is Exercise Science the Same as Kinesiology?

Not quite. Kinesiology is a more broad study that focuses on human movement and its effects on an individual’s health. Exercise Science is a sub-field more fine-tuned into learning and influencing human responses to exercise.

What Are Your Degree Options in Exercise Science?

Bachelor’s degrees will open you up to mid-level jobs in the fitness industry. Examples of these degrees include Bachelor’s in Sports Management, Health Sciences, Nutrition Science, or Health and Wellness. Graduate degrees, like master’s and doctorate, qualify for higher-level positions. These programs might include a master’s in Exercise Science and Wellness or Human Performance, an MBA in Health Care Management, a Ph.D. in Education for Sports Management, or a medical degree in Sports & Athletic Management. While personal training only requires a certification, you can also get an associate’s degree in Exercise Science, giving you a solid foundation to start personal training.

Closing Thoughts on Exercise Science Careers

You should now have a better idea of what you can do in the exciting field that is Exercise Science. For many, a bachelor’s degree at a college or university is the path that they will take to become educated in the many areas of movement and exercise. For others, the bachelor’s is just a stepping stone for a more advanced degree as in the case of physical therapy, physician’s assistant, or doctoral paths. Others may be surprised to learn there are many rewarding careers in Exercise Science that do not require a college degree, and the most popular career in this field, a certified personal trainer, demonstrates that.

When considering your education and career path, keep in mind the following:

The education required
The financial commitment
The time investment
The typical salary
Your passion for the career

With these considerations in mind, you should be able to paint a great picture of where you want your career to take you.

What is your experience with jobs and education in the Exercise Science niche? Is there any tip you wish you knew before you started your studies or career? Let us know in the comments.

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Personal Trainer Salary: Which Gyms Pay the Most?

Personal Trainer Salary Which Gyms Pay the Most

There are numerous ways to make money as a personal trainer, but unquestionably the most common way is to start working at a gym.

If you are looking to get certified as a personal trainer, check out our blog on the best personal training certification.

Watch Our Video: Personal Trainer Salary – Which Gyms Pay the Most? How Much do Private and Online Trainers Make?

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If the most common question I get asked about personal training is what certification to get, the second most common question has to be “how much can I make as a personal trainer?”

There are numerous ways to make money as a personal trainer, but unquestionably the most common way is to start working at a gym. I started my career as a personal trainer by working at Equinox and 24-Hour Fitness.

Also be sure to join the conversation with hundreds of fitness pro’s, six-figure personal trainers, fitness mentors and coaches on our discord here:

When people first consider becoming a trainer they begin to think about the major gyms and how much they pay. And as much as certification bodies like NASM want to tell you that their average trainers make $42k a year, the reality of a personal trainer salary ultimately lies in what the gyms will pay as this is the most common career route.

However, the gym route is not the only one and many existing or aspiring trainers want to venture into the more entrepreneurial routes of private, or online personal training, as higher income levels are more easily achieved.

So, to help trainers understand what popular gyms pay their trainers and to showcase some insider knowledge on what private and online trainers can make, I’ve put together this post that outlines personal trainer salaries as well as what trainers at the most recognizable gym brands around the country get paid, and how they set up their payment structure.

I’ll also discuss the three pay structures that are common to trainers and provide you with next steps from a seasoned personal trainer who has gone through the experience of getting a gym job first-hand as well as utilized the private and online routes.

Before You Get Paid, You Have to Get Certified

First things first, if you want to work in personal training or at a big box gym like 24-Hour Fitness, Equinox, LA Fitness, or the like, you’ll need a personal training certification from a credentialed fitness organization.

Gyms want their trainers to get, or have, certifications, because they provide a baseline for credibility.

We have written a very comprehensive blog on the best personal trainer certifications where you can take a look at our side-by-side analysis of 10 different, popular personal training certification organizations. If you are unsure the exact steps to become a trainer and the prerequisites — education, age requirements, CPR/AED certifications — then check out this post on the topic.

Keep in mind that many gyms may hire you before you get a certification, and some will even have you go through their internal certification, so if you have a gym in mind for your place of employment it doesn’t hurt to ask what their requirements are first. Note that a true personal training certification will allow for a job at a much wider range of locations than just that one gym, something you’ll want to consider as your career evolves.

But before you enter the personal training employee marketplace, it pays to know some of the various pay structures that are common within the personal training industry so you know what to expect going in.

3 Types of Gym Pay Structures Common to Personal Trainers

When you begin your search for gyms that will provide you gainful employment, you can expect the pay structures to fall into one of these three categories:

1. Commercial gym
2. Independent personal trainer
3. 1099 personal trainer

1. Commercial Gym Pay Structure

In the gym world, the gyms who make you get clients and don’t feed them to you will generally pay the most. The opposite is true too; the gyms that feed you clients will generally pay you the least.

Commercial gyms will typically pay you minimum wage to “work the floor” and try to drum up new clients. Once you are actually training clients, you’ll get a bit more per hour as you are increasing the gyms revenue by performing a training session. If you sell a large personal training package, commercial gyms will often give you a commission.

2. Independent Personal Trainer Gym Pay Structure

Independent pay structures, or those that pertain to the self-employed personal trainer, are much more favorable to the trainer, but the negative is that they are obviously not as exposed to as many potential clients as they would be on the floor of a major gym, and are only getting paid when they train.

When you are self-employed, or an independent personal trainer not on a gym’s payroll, you may be able to develop relationships with smaller, privately-owned gyms that will allow you to bring in your own clients.

The catch is that you have to pay the gym a fee when you use their gym to train your client. For example, I used to pay a privately-owned, non-chain gym $15 a session to bring my client in and train them.

I could ultimately charge my client whatever I wanted, and had no pressure from any boss to sell more training sessions as it was entirely up to me.

Keep in mind that with this independent structure, you are running your own business, which means you are responsible for additional tasks like accounting, taxes, marketing, advertising, sales and lead generation.

Related: How to Set a Pricing Structure for Your Personal Training Business

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3. 1099 by a Gym Pay Structure

The 1099 model is similar to the self-employed trainer model except the gym has a relationship with the clients. A 1099 is a tax form given to an independent contractor as opposed to a W2 which is given to employees.

In this pay structure, the gym does not actually employ you as a personal trainer, but they contract with you so that they can make money on personal training and alleviate themselves from the costs of having an employee.

The 1099 model is like when you hire a plumber to come fix your broken toilet; they are getting paid for their service but they are not your employee.

In the contractor payment style, the personal trainer and the gym typically get a split, like 50/50, on whatever the gym charges. So, if the gym charges $60 for an hour long session, they’d keep $30 and you’d get paid $30. The gym collects the money from the client and then will pay you, the trainer, for the session performed.

With this type of structure the personal trainer will be responsible for claiming taxes on the money they make, as the gym does not set aside any income since the trainer is not an employee.

Now, you may be asking yourself, “how do I know what kind of payment structure the gym I want to work at has?” Excellent question, let’s address that below.

How Popular Brand Name Gyms Pay Their Personal Trainers

While I could have left you hanging with the above information on the three various pay structures that are common for trainers who work at/with gyms, I wanted to do a deeper dive and get some answers from real trainers who work, or have worked, at some popular gym chains.

The Fitness Mentors team reached out to several gyms chains and their current employees, as well as conducted a survey with our current and previous students on Facebook, to get currently used payment structures and insight on how various gyms pay their trainers. We have provided that information below.

If you have any experience with these gyms or would like to comment on something different, please feel free to let us know in the comments so we can update this post.

Equinox Personal Trainer Salary

Non-training payment:

Floor hours at minimum wage – typically 20 hours a week until your client base grows.

Payment structure:

Less than 42 sessions per pay period (2 week pay period):

Tier 1: $26 per one hour session
Tier 2: $30.50 per one hour session
Tier 3: $36.50 per one hour session
Tier 3+: $45.50 per one hour session
Tier X: $64 per one hour session

More than 42 sessions per pay period (2 week pay period):

Tier 1: $31 per one hour session
Tier 2: $42.50 per one hour session
Tier 3: $53 per one hour session
Tier 3+: $61 per one hour session
Tier X: $74.50 per one hour session

The average full-time trainer at Equinox performs 25-30 training sessions per week.

Equinox Income Potential

24-Hour Personal Trainer Salary

Non-training payment:

Minimum wage for non-training hours.

Payment structure:

20% Commission on all individual personal training package sales paid up front.
10% Commission on all TC24 group training package sales.

Also, a 5% bonus commission is added to total salary when 60 training sessions or more are performed in one pay period.

24-Hour Personal Trainer Salary 24-Hour PT Tier Structure and Associated Pay per Session:

24-Hour Bonus Structure per Training Session:

24-Hour Fitness Commission for Package Sales:

24-Hour Fitness Tiers:

24-Hour Fitness Salary Example for Entry-level Personal Trainer

An example monthly salary of a new PT 1 trainer that is building up their business at 24-Hour Fitness is shown below:

Example minimum wage is $10/hour
120 hours worked in the month at $10/hour = $1,200
60 training sessions performed in the month x $7 = $420
$2,500 in training package sales x 20% commission = $500
Total Monthly Salary = $2120

24-Hour Fitness Salary Example of a Master Trainer

An example monthly salary of a full-time Master Trainer:

Example minimum wage is $10/hour.
160 hours worked in the month at $10/hour = $1,600
120 training sessions performed in the month x $17 = 2,040
$5000 in Training package sales x 20% commission = $1,000
Monthly Salary = $4,640
5% commission added to the monthly salary of $4,640 since more than 60 sessions per pay period were performed = $232
Total Monthly Salary after 5% bonus commission= $4,872

LA Fitness Personal Trainer Salary

Non-training payment:

Minimum wage for non-training hours.

Payment structure:
$6 – $7.50 per 30 minute session
$12 – $15 per 1 hour session

$7.50 – $15 is for larger cities with higher cost of living like in Los Angeles.
$6 – $12 is for less populated, lower cost of living areas like Arizona.

Other findings:

No findable bonus structure. Trainer turnover is very high.

Every person in the Facebook group concurred that LA Fitness is a less than ideal place to work as a trainer, but a few people mentioned they pay their group exercise instructors significantly better.

Anytime Fitness Personal Trainer Salary

Non-training payment:

Varies

Payment structure:

Varies, these are franchised gyms and each one has a different pay structure.

Answers varied on payment structure for the trainers we surveyed:

50/50 split
Minimum wage plus bonuses to sign people on to monthly training packages
Trainers can increase income by teaching group exercise classes

Other findings:

Collective agreement that Anytime Fitness is an enjoyable place to work. They are 3,000-5,000 sq ft gyms with only 5-10 trainers per location.

Crunch Fitness Personal Trainer Salary

Non-training payment:

None

Payment structure:

These are franchised gyms and each location may have a different pay structure.

Here are some quotes from Crunch Fitness trainers concerning their salary. Answers varied on payment structure:

I’m only paid for hours trained and commission on sales. I’m not paid while trying to get clients.”

“I work at Crunch. Mine is a level 3 gym but because I just started I’m at level 2 for a few months. If I charge a la carte the client pays $80/hour or $50/30 minute session. Depending on my sales volume I can make between 40% and 65% of what I sell. I’m given “potential clients” but I have to sell them the personal training sessions. There’s not a sales force like at LA Fitness but the income potential is much better. I set my own hours and can work whenever I like. They encourage me to sell package deals which requires a 3 month commitment from the client. They are not allowed to cancel. Money is debited from their account either monthly or biweekly. They can also get a discount if they pay in full. For level 2, if you wanted to be trained 2x week, it would cost $504. For 3x week $697. Those are monthly rates for hour long sessions. Level 3, of course, is higher and most of the trainers at my gym are level 3. We have about 17 trainers. It’s a great place to work! Just takes time to build your clientele.”

YMCA Personal Trainer Salary

Non-training payment:

Minimum wage is paid when not training.

Payment structure:

Basically, YMCA trainers make $15 – $28 per session/hour depending on their tier.

We were able to find some training salary data for YMCA but it is just for the Charlotte, NC area. I assume that cities with higher costs of living would be accounted for in pay (and vice versa for smaller cities), but we were unable to find any other data on that.

The information for YMCA trainers and their tiers can be found below, respectively:

Tier 1 Trainer– Pay Rate: $15.89 – $19.86; Responsible for training a minimum of 2 sessions per week; Responsible for working the fitness floor 4-8 hours per week for initial 3 months
Tier 2 Trainer– Pay Rate: $17.48 – $21.85; Responsible for training a minimum of 5 sessions per week; Responsible for working the fitness floor 4-8 hours per week for initial 3 months
Tier 3 Trainer– Pay Rate: $21.00 – $26.24; Responsible for training a minimum of 10 sessions per week; Responsible for working the fitness floor 4-8 hours per week for initial 3 months
Tier 4 Trainer– Pay rate: $22.89 – $28.61; Responsible for training a minimum of 20 sessions per week; Responsible for working the fitness floor 4-8 hours per week for initial 3 months; Serve as a Continuing Education Provider for YMCA of Greater Charlotte teaching at least 1 workshop per year; Serve as a mentor to Tier 1-3 trainers

Other benefits include:

YMCA pays for all the trainers CEUs
The “Y” also pays the trainers’ recertification fee – approximately $100 every two years

Planet Fitness Personal Trainer Salary

Non-training payment:

Full-time minimum wage positions.

Payment structure:

Typically no higher pay for trainers, but it is an easy job that requires no sales and just training. Decent for beginners looking to gain training experience but not really career-worthy. No commissions. No bonuses.

Personal Trainer Salary FAQ

Can I make good money as a personal trainer?

Yes, making good money as a personal trainer is very viable. Even entry-level personal trainers can make upwards of $25 an hour, and easily up to $100 an hour if they are experienced.

How much do personal trainers make an hour?

Our research indicates that personal trainers make anywhere from minimum wage up to $75 an hour, at more prestigious gyms. Private personal trainers can make even more per hour, charging up top $100 an hour.

What does a beginner personal trainer salary look like?

The typical beginner personal trainer starts off their career in a gym as opposed to training private clients. On average, personal trainers make around $42,000 per year but the salary can vary by city, with more urban areas commanding higher salaries.

Is a personal training career a good choice?

Personal training is a great career choice because it is constantly ranked highly for providing an excellent quality of life, flexible work hours, and a solid work-life balance.

Can I make six figures as a personal trainer?

Yes, many trainers that put in hard work can make $100,000 or more a year as a personal trainer. Personal trainers that take their businesses online also benefit from higher incomes as they can sell services while they sleep and are not limited to the available hours in a day as are in-person trainers.

Is it difficult to get a personal training job?

No, it is not difficult to get a personal training job once you have a personal trainer certification. Many gyms are actively hiring personal trainers and the health and wellness industry as a whole is forecasted to continue its growth trend.

Private Personal Trainer Salary

It is a well known fact that private personal trainers have the potential to make far more than gym trainers.

Why? Because private personal trainers can set their own rates.

There is a catch for private personal trainers, however, and that is that they have to drum up enough business to write their own paycheck. But before we get into a sample private personal trainer salary let’s define exactly what a private personal trainer is.

A private personal trainer is a trainer that is self-employed, creates their own work schedule, and is free to choose the clients that they work with. For many personal trainers, this is the end goal of their personal training careers and is what sees some trainers working with celebrities and making big bucks.

Unlike gym trainers, private personal trainers don’t get help from the gym or get funneled clients from fitness organizations. They utilize their own networking, sales, and marketing skill sets to drive leads and ultimately generate new clients.

For that reason, many private personal trainers struggle to make a decent income. You can’t simply get a personal trainer certification and expect leads to come your way. (Check out this course to learn how to build your business and get clients). This is also why so many trainers start out in the gym, get experience, make relationships, begin taking on private clients on the side, and eventually leave the corporate gym environment behind.

How Much Do Private Personal Trainers Make?

A respectable private personal trainer can make upwards of $70,000 per year.

Compare this to the full time salary of a respectable personal trainer at 24-Hour Fitness which would likely fall in the low $40,000 range. And by respectable I mean one with a couple thousand hours of sessions under their belt and training 20-30 sessions per week. This low $40,000 range is also commensurate with what NASM says their average trainer makes.

For example, a 24-Hour Fitness trainer in their middle tier (PT3) makes $13 an hour when training. If you compare a potential salary of an entry-level trainer at 24-Hour Fitness, $22,440/year, to that of a Master Trainer at 24-Hour Fitness, $58,464, and split it down the middle (which is more or less where a PT3 would be), you’d get $40,452.

Now, let’s compare the above salary of a gym trainer to that of a private personal trainer.

The average private personal trainer in the U.S. charges around $50 session. Let’s say this trainer works a total of 30 hours per week and making $1,500 in that time. Multiple this time the weeks in a year, 52, and you have a respectable private trainer who is making $78,000 a year.

Potential Salary of Private Personal Trainer

Charges $50/session
Works 30 hours per week (sessions)
Makes $1,500/week
Makes $78,000/year

That same trainer can charge $100 a session, work 15 hours a week, and make the same salary.

Gym trainers typically have to work a lot more hours than private personal trainers for a fraction of the salary which is why private training is often the more desirable route. But as we’ll learn, private personal training is not the only way to make money as a trainer outside the gym.

Interested in getting a CPT with an emphasis on entrepreneurship and business development? Check out the FM-CPT for more info.

Next Steps for Aspiring Personal Trainers

Now you know what you can potentially make when you become a personal trainer at a gym. With this information, you may understand the gyms you want to work at and those you potentially want to stay away from.

One thing that should be clear with this information is that personal growth equates to more money as revealed by the tier systems many of these gyms have. The goal of continually developing yourself as a personal trainer is so you can build your book of business and generate a better income for yourself.

If you are interested in becoming an all-around better personal trainer and business-savvy individual, check out my book and online course I’ve made specifically for hungry self-starters looking to earn the income they deserve: Business and Sales: The Guide to Success as a Personal Trainer.

In addition to understanding which gym to kickstart your career, you’ll still want to have an understanding of which personal trainer certification is right for you. Amongst the three most popular certifications are Fitness Mentors, NASM and ACE, of which we cover side-by-side in this in-depth blog post.

If you liked this post or want us to try and find additional information, please let me know in the comments. If you have experience at other big brand gyms and want to share the salary information, please help us educate other personal trainers by sharing your thoughts below.

Instructor

CEO of fitnessmentors.com – Teaching 30,000+ students how to become CPT’s

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BS Kinesiology, NASM-CPT, CES, PES FNS, MMAS, WLS, FM-CPT, ACE-CPT, Master Personal Trainer

Eddie Lester is the founder and CEO of Fitness Mentors. With more that 17 years experience in the health, fitness and athletics field, he has helped tens of thousands of personal trainers transform their careers and reach their business goals. With a background in Kinesiology and Exercise Physiology Eddie has assisted in research that is spearheading the exercise science field.

His in-depth knowledge of the Health, Wellness and Fitness industry has earned him a place as a regular contributor on high profile sites such as the Personal Trainer Development Center, (Dan to list top sites) online where he writes about nutrition and personal training.

His contributions to help personal trainers include a weekly blog, podcast, youtube channel and multiple books including: Business and Sales: the Guide to Success as a Personal Trainer.

Eddie’s Philosophy often times includes focusing on the bigger picture in which daily positive contributions lead to a major impact on himself, his family, his community and the world.

Eddie is commonly found at the beaches of Southern California with his wife Courtney and five kids.

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NASM Reviews: Personal Trainer Certifications – CES, CNC, PES, WLS, MMAS, GPT, YES, WFS, SFS, GFS

NASM Reviews Personal Trainer Certifications

NASM Reviews: Personal Trainer Certifications –
CES, FNS, PES, WLS, MMAS, GPT, YES, WFS, SFS, GFS

Last Modified On: April 23, 2024

Watch Our Video: ACE vs NASM: Which CPT is Right for You?

NASM Reviews

Certified Personal Trainer, CPT The NASM-CPT is the most widely chosen certification among fitness professionals, making it the most widely accepted in the industry. As a future personal trainer it is important to align yourself with the most reputable certification and we believe that NASM is just that, which is why we are giving you an objective way to learn about NASM reviews.

The way that you receive your CPT credential is by passing the NASM CPT Exam. This is done by learning the information from the NASM CPT Textbook that is most relevant to succeeding as a personal trainer. NASM will provide you with education packages ranging from $800 – $2500 dollars, but most people agree that their education is confusing, which is probably why the pass rate is at 79% (proctored/accredited) and 90% (non-proctored/non-accredited).

The best and least expensive way to pass their exam and learn the information you need to be successful, is by taking our Free NASM Study Course (we use to charge $500 for this course) and then purchasing the exam and textbook separately. Our course goes into specific detail regarding what makes it onto the test so you can better prepare yourself for what to expect. The course also adds real world experiences and examples that teach you how to use the material to train your clients more effectively. Whichever way you chose to learn, the NASM certification should be your top choice as it is accepted at almost any training facility.

Other NASM Reviews for Specialty Certifications

Extra Credentials are like super setting your favorite two body parts, it pumps you up! (insert Arnold voice). When you are already a NASM Certified Trainer, I highly recommend focusing your continuing education on sales or sticking with their other certifications, as they transfer to equal the amount of CEU’s you need to recertify (1.9 CEU’s + 0.1 CEU for CPR). When choosing your additional certs, think purpose. What credential is going to make you more valuable to the type of clientele you want to attract? Below is an honest breakdown:

Corrective Exercise Specialist, CES:

Train people in pain

The CES certification is far and away NASM’s best cert, as you will learn extremely applicable information. It forces you to understand origins of pain and how to fix it. My biggest concern with my training was learning how to always progress in strength, athleticism and body image, while avoiding any training associated injury. Here’s the truth, if you don’t have perfect flexibility and muscle balance, you are on your way to finding injury. In the CES materials you learn about all the mobility issues that can lead to these injuries. Beyond this, the value you can build knowing and understanding your clients’ pain is immense. Imagine you look at the most basic movement patterns of someone in their everyday life and are able to tell them about how their overactive Pec Major is giving them that shoulder pain they have been dealing with for months. They are blown away. Another great thing about this cert is that the test you have to pass, which is NASM’s hardest by far, makes sure you have completed your studies and understand these difficult topics. All of this combined makes the Corrective Exercise Specialist Certification a true educational experience that is held to the highest standard.

Certified Nutrition Coach, CNC:

With a huge mess of information out there on nutrition, it is extremely important to be able to differentiate the good from the bad. When put simply we can say things like, avoid processed food; eat whole foods; avoid Trans fats, but we need to understand why these things are important. The Certified Nutrition Coach by NASM takes a detailed college level textbook and goes to town on understanding everything you need to know about PRO, CHO and FAT, as well as all of the vitamins and minerals, what they do and where to get them. Although there is no definitive way to eat (some may argue otherwise), being able to analyze the true nutritional content of what you are eating and understand why you are eating it, the knowledge gained through the Certified Nutrition Coach will help you to boost your own and your clients’ fitness goals.

Performance Enhancement Specialist, PES:

Unless you are planning on focusing your fitness career in sports specific training or you are a competitive athlete yourself, the Performance Enhancement Specialist may be of little use. The market for sports training is not a large one, and typically caters to high school and college aged clientele, which usually don’t have room in their budget for private training. It’s not too frequent that business men come to personal trainers looking to become a better running back or shortstop. In review of what you are learning there are great things about the PES. Through the assessments chapter you are introduced to some great sports specific assessments that can expand your repertoire when considering performance as a goal. Also they have a great Olympic Lifting chapter that is essential to understand for improving explosiveness and power in sports that have those needs. Same goes for the plyometric chapter. If you like understanding concepts behind why these types of training will benefit athleticism, then the science based information throughout the book will be a great resource. Overall the PES is great, but remember it has a very specific and small market. Certifications to explore that will benefit your sports based training knowledge would be the USA-Weightlifting’s (USAW) Sports Performance Coach and National Strength and Conditioning Association’s (NSCA) Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. These certifications are very focused on the college and pro level setting and it would not be easy to carry out their training programs in your typical commercial gym.

Weight Loss Specialist, WLS:

I may sound a little harsh towards this certification, only because they beat the law of thermodynamics to death (calories in vs calories out). When will NASM jump off the government recommended nutrition band wagon and realized there is more to altering body composition; ie. Hormonal Optimization, Macronutrient Ratios, and eating low inflammatory profile foods to name a few. Unfortunately they don’t discuss any alternative methods to weight loss, and just repeat what you already know, to slightly more detail. I do have to say that having this title will make you sound great, but recognize your investment in furthering your education provides little return.

Mixed Martial Arts Specialist, MMAS:

Is this your target audience? Then get it. Similar to the Weight loss Specialist, if you expect to get great insight into how to train someone like MMA fighters you are understandably misled. Mixed Martial Artists are athletes and you are better off applying the PES principles to understand and program toward the demand of the sport, rather than take them through circuit training with added kicks, knees and elbows. I really only see this as a clever way to capitalize on the recent MMA influenced fitness training boom. Once again the education is lacking, so the title is all you’re really paying for.

Group Personal Training Specialist, GPT:

Did you know that no gyms require you to have this to train their group exercise classes? I can only see this benefiting you in a few ways; one of them being that you’re starting a boot camp or private group class and want to bring attention to the fact that you are qualified, and the other being that you really suck at training groups and you need more insight, which is unlikely. If you fall into one of these categories I guess you could try it?

Women’s Fitness Specialist, WFS:

If this is your target market, adding this certification may be of value. It dives a bit deeper into the uniqueness of female clients including monthly cycles and hormonal factors. Sounds okay but you decide. I will be waiting for the Men’s Fitness Specialist to arrive. Any day now…

Youth Exercise Specialist, YES:

Teach them how to play and perform speed, agility and quickness drills. Once again if this is your target market it may hold value. The special considerations for youth can be found in chapter 16 in the NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training Textbook. The additional information in this cert does not add to much benefit beyond what the basic standards are for youth training.

Senior Fitness Specialist, SFS:

Great title if this is your main focus for your business. Besides that your money is better spent on the CES, learning ways to address musculoskeletal pain.

Golf Fitness Specialist, GFS:

Do you already kick ass at golf? Is this your Target Market? I love golf. If you love golf this does provide some great baseline knowledge for you to build upon in the real world, but check out the Titleist Performance Institute if you are serious about getting to golf training.

Highly Recommended: CES, CNC, PES

Honorable Mention: MMAS, WLS

Convinced NASM is the way to go?

Your next steps for NASM certification:

Get Fitness Mentors’ Free NASM CPT Study Course
Begin Your Studies Using the Fitness Mentors’ 4 & 8-week Study Timeline
Purchase NASM’s Cheapest Study Package Here
Begin Your Career as a NASM Certified Personal Trainer!

Written by:

Eddie Lester BS, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, FNS, WLS, MMAS, GFS, YES, SFS

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