Personal Training Industry Statistics 2026: Pay, Jobs, and Clients
A record 81 million Americans belonged to a gym, studio, or other fitness facility in 2025, and about 388,400 people worked as fitness trainers and instructors. The government expects that workforce to grow 7% by 2035, more than twice the average for all jobs. Here’s what the latest numbers say about pay, demand, and where the clients are.
If you train clients one-on-one, teach classes, or run a small studio, these figures help you price sessions, pick a market, and plan your week. They show how many people pay for fitness, how often members work with a trainer, what trainers earn by state and workplace, and how the picture looks in Canada. Every number links to its original source, so you can check it or quote it.
Key Personal Training Industry Statistics at a Glance
- A record 81 million Americans were members of a fitness facility in 2025, 26.1% of everyone ages 6 and older.
Source: Health & Fitness Association, 2026 US Health & Fitness Consumer Report, 2026 - US fitness facility membership grew 5.2% in 2025 and is up 26% from 64.2 million members in 2019.
Source: Health & Fitness Association, 2026 US Health & Fitness Consumer Report, 2026 - 23% of US fitness facility members used a personal trainer in 2024, and 32% took part in small-group training.
Source: Health & Fitness Association, 2025 US Health & Fitness Consumer Report, 2025 - Members who use a trainer averaged 21 sessions in 2024, down from 28 in 2019.
Source: Health & Fitness Association, 2025 US Health & Fitness Consumer Report, 2025 - 7.3 million women worked with a personal trainer in 2024, up 16% from the year before.
Source: Health & Fitness Association, 2025 US Health & Fitness Consumer Report, 2025 - There were about 388,400 fitness trainer and instructor jobs in the US in 2025, counting employees and the self-employed.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2026 - Fitness trainer jobs are projected to grow 7% by 2035, to 416,900, with about 68,000 openings a year.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2026 - The median fitness trainer earned $47,160 a year ($22.67 an hour) in May 2025, up 16.8% from $40,390 in May 2019.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2026 - The top 10% of fitness trainers earned more than $83,100 a year, while the bottom 10% earned less than $28,800.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2026 - Massachusetts trainers had a median wage of $64,620, 37% above the national median; Florida’s was $38,800.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 state estimates, via O*NET OnLine, 2026 - 55% of fitness trainers work in fitness and recreational sports centers, and 15% are self-employed.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2026 - US fitness and recreational sports centers with employees earned $38.7 billion in 2022, 7.6% more than before the pandemic.
Source: US Census Bureau, Service Annual Survey (via FRED), 2024 - Wearable technology is the No. 1 fitness trend for 2026, ahead of fitness programs for older adults and exercise for weight management.
Source: American College of Sports Medicine, Worldwide Fitness Trends, 2025 - The median fitness instructor in Canada earns C$19.00 an hour, rising to C$23.74 in British Columbia.
Source: Government of Canada, Job Bank wage report (Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey), 2026
How Many People Belong to a Gym or Fitness Studio?
Your client pool starts with the people who already pay to work out. The Health & Fitness Association (HFA, formerly IHRSA) counts US members of gyms, studios, YMCAs, and other fitness facilities every year. Look at how far the number has moved past its pre-pandemic level.
Source: Health & Fitness Association, 2026 US Health & Fitness Consumer Report, April 2026 (2019–2024 figures from the 2023, 2024, and 2025 editions).
Membership climbed from 64.2 million in 2019 to 81 million in 2025, a 26% jump, and more than 100 million people used a facility at some point in 2025 once day passes and guest visits are counted. Gen Z adults ages 18–24 have the highest membership rate (35.5%), while members 65 and older were the fastest-growing group, up 8.6% in a year. For a trainer, that means two very different client types are growing at once: young lifters who want strength coaching and older adults who want safe, steady progress.
How Big Is the Fitness Center Market?
There isn’t an official revenue figure for personal training on its own. The closest government series is the Census Bureau’s revenue for fitness and recreational sports centers (NAICS 713940), the gyms and studios where most trainers work. Watch the 2020 drop and how quickly the industry recovered.
Source: US Census Bureau, Service Annual Survey (via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis), updated January 2024.
Fitness centers earned $38.7 billion in 2022, 7.6% more than the $35.9 billion of 2019, after revenue fell 30% to $25.1 billion in 2020. These figures only cover businesses with employees, so trainers who work for themselves aren’t in them. The real spend on training is bigger than this series shows.
How Many People Use a Personal Trainer?
HFA also asks members what they actually do at the gym. Compare one-on-one training with small-group training and the fast-growing class formats. The gap between the top two bars matters for how you package your services.
Source: Health & Fitness Association, 2025 US Health & Fitness Consumer Report, October 2025 (Pilates reported as “exceeding 8%”).
About 23% of members used a personal trainer in 2024, and 32% did small-group training. Applied to 77 million members, that’s roughly 18 million people using a personal trainer. But clients are booking fewer sessions: an average of 21 a year in 2024, down from 28 in 2019. That makes retention and rebooking the real growth lever, and a trainer who turns a 10-session package into a standing weekly slot is working with the trend. Small-group sessions are also worth a look if you want to fill more hours at a lower price per head; these group fitness class ideas are a good place to start.
How Many Personal Trainers Are There in the US?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) groups personal trainers with group fitness instructors under one occupation. Its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey counts wage and salary jobs only. Notice what happened between 2019 and 2021, then how long the rebound took.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025 data.
Wage and salary jobs fell to 221,600 in May 2021, then grew 45.7% to 322,930 by May 2025, almost back to the 325,500 of 2019. Add self-employed trainers and the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook counts about 388,400 jobs in 2025. As the workforce recovers, competition for clients grows too, so being easy to find and easy to book matters.
How Much Do Personal Trainers Make?
Here’s the median annual wage for employed fitness trainers across the same four surveys. Watch where the line climbs most steeply.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025 data.
The median trainer earned $47,160 in May 2025 ($22.67 an hour), up 16.8% from $40,390 in 2019. Most of that gain came between 2021 and 2023. The spread is wide: the bottom 10% earned under $28,800 and the top 10% over $83,100. Pay also depends on where you work. Trainers in fitness centers had a median of $48,140, versus $38,640 in civic and social organizations such as community centers. Because many trainers work part-time or split shifts, hourly rate and booked hours tell you more than the annual figure.
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Personal Trainer Salary by State
Pay varies a lot from state to state. Here are seven large or high-paying states against the national median. Look at how far apart the top and bottom bars are.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 state estimates, as published by O*NET OnLine, 2026.
Massachusetts led this group with a median of $64,620, 37% above the national figure, followed by New Jersey ($59,870) and California ($57,990). Florida ($38,800) and Texas ($40,880) sat below the national median. New York’s median ($47,090) was in line with the US figure, but its top 10% earned more than $105,700, a sign that big-city trainers with a strong client list can do very well. Higher pay usually comes with higher rent, so compare wages with your local cost of a studio or gym floor.
| State | Bottom 10% | Median | Top 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $36,110 | $64,620 | $105,390 |
| New Jersey | $34,620 | $59,870 | $104,000 |
| California | $36,750 | $57,990 | $100,920 |
| Washington | $38,960 | $50,830 | $93,450 |
| United States | $28,800 | $47,160 | $83,100 |
| New York | $34,300 | $47,090 | $105,700 |
| Texas | $21,930 | $40,880 | $76,340 |
| Florida | $27,450 | $38,800 | $72,870 |
Where Personal Trainers Work
Most trainers start in a gym, but a real share run their own business. This breakdown from the BLS covers all 388,400 jobs, self-employed included.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Fitness Trainers and Instructors, updated August 27, 2026.
55% of trainers work in fitness and recreational sports centers and 15% are self-employed, which works out to roughly 58,000 independent trainers. The remaining 11% (“Other”) is the share BLS doesn’t assign to its largest employer types. Self-employed trainers handle their own booking, payments, and no-shows, which is where tools built for solo pros pay off. If that’s you, these overlooked ways to book more personal training clients are worth a read.
Fitness Trends for 2026
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) surveys about 2,000 clinicians, researchers, and exercise professionals every year for its Worldwide Fitness Trends forecast. The 2026 top 10, published October 22, 2025:
- Wearable technology
- Fitness programs for older adults
- Exercise for weight management
- Mobile exercise apps
- Balance, flow, and core strength
- Exercise for mental health
- Traditional strength training
- Data-driven technology
- Adult recreation and sport clubs
- Functional fitness training
Two of the top three trends describe clients rather than gadgets: older adults and people exercising to manage their weight. ACSM notes that nearly half of US adults own a fitness tracker or smartwatch, and fewer than 30% meet the muscle-strengthening guidelines. For trainers, that points to programs built around strength, balance, and the data clients already collect on their wrists. HFA’s data lines up: free weights are the fastest-growing equipment category since 2021, and pickleball reached 7.6 million facility members in 2025. Source: American College of Sports Medicine, Top Fitness Trends for 2026.
Personal Trainer Job Outlook
The BLS projects fitness trainer and instructor jobs will grow from 388,400 in 2025 to 416,900 in 2035, a 7% increase, compared with 3% for all occupations. That’s 28,500 new jobs, but the bigger number is openings: about 68,000 a year, mostly to replace people who leave the field. If you run a studio with staff, plan for turnover. Most trainers need only a high school diploma to start, though employers often prefer certification or a degree. Source: BLS, Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Personal Training Statistics in Canada
In Canada, personal trainers fall under NOC 54100, program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport, and fitness. Job Bank publishes hourly wages for fitness instructors by province, in Canadian dollars. Check which provinces sit above the national line.
Source: Government of Canada, Job Bank, Fitness Instructor Wages (Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey), updated August 7, 2026.
The median fitness instructor in Canada earns C$19.00 an hour, with most earning between C$15.44 and C$31.00. British Columbia pays the most among the provinces (C$23.74), followed by Alberta (C$20.00). The territories pay more still (Yukon C$27.34, Northwest Territories C$25.49), but on small numbers of workers. Only 38.2% of workers in the occupation get at least one non-wage benefit, such as a pension or health plan, so budget for your own if you work independently.
What These Numbers Mean for Your Business
- The client pool is growing. A record 81 million Americans pay for a facility, and nearly a quarter of members use a trainer. Demand isn’t the hard part; getting found and booked is.
- Retention beats acquisition. Clients book fewer sessions than in 2019 (21 vs 28 a year). Sell packages, set recurring appointments, and send reminders so one-off sessions become a habit. A simple text message marketing plan helps bring lapsed clients back.
- Add a group option. One in three members does small-group training. Running semi-private sessions or classes with fitness class scheduling software lets you earn more per hour at a price more clients can afford.
- Train the growth segments. Older adults and strength training are both rising. Programs for balance, mobility, and strength fit where the market is heading.
- Price for your state, not the national average. Median pay runs from $38,800 in Florida to $64,620 in Massachusetts. If you work for yourself, personal trainer booking software with online payments and reminders protects every hour you sell.
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References and Sources
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Fitness Trainers and Instructors, last modified August 27, 2026.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: National Employment and Wage Data by Occupation (Table 1), May 2025 data, released 2026.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS: Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors, May 2023 data, released 2024.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS: Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors, May 2021 data, released 2022.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS: Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors, May 2019 data, released 2020.
- O*NET OnLine (US Department of Labor), Local Wages: Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors (BLS OEWS May 2025 state data), accessed September 27, 2026.
- Health & Fitness Association, 81 Million Americans Were Members of a Fitness Facility in 2025 (2026 US Health & Fitness Consumer Report), April 9, 2026.
- Health & Fitness Association, New HFA Data Shows How 77 Million US Fitness Facility Members Work Out (2025 US Health & Fitness Consumer Report), October 30, 2025.
- Health & Fitness Association, U.S. Fitness Facility Membership Reaches Historic High (2024 US Health & Fitness Consumer Report), October 16, 2024.
- Health & Fitness Association, IHRSA Releases 2023 U.S. Health & Fitness Consumer Report, December 20, 2023.
- US Census Bureau, Service Annual Survey: Total Revenue for Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers, Employer Firms (via FRED), updated January 31, 2024.
- American College of Sports Medicine, The Future of Fitness: ACSM Announces Top Trends for 2026, October 22, 2025.
- Government of Canada, Job Bank, Fitness Instructor in Canada: Wages, updated August 7, 2026.
Methodology Note
US workforce and wage figures use BLS occupation 39-9031, Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors, which combines personal trainers and group fitness instructors. The Occupational Outlook Handbook total (388,400 jobs in 2025) includes the self-employed; the OEWS count (322,930 in May 2025) covers wage and salary jobs only, which is why the two differ. OEWS state figures for May 2025 were taken from O*NET OnLine, which republishes BLS data, because the BLS state pages could not be retrieved; they cover seven selected states, not a full ranking. Membership and training-participation figures come from the Health & Fitness Association’s annual consumer survey of about 18,000 US residents ages 6 and older, run by Sports Marketing Surveys USA; the 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024 member counts come from earlier editions of the same survey, and years without a published figure are left out of the chart. The estimate of about 18 million people using a trainer is our calculation (23% of 77 million 2024 members), as is the estimate of about 58,000 self-employed trainers (15% of 388,400). Fitness center revenue is the Census Bureau’s Service Annual Survey for employer firms in NAICS 713940 and excludes self-employed trainers; no official revenue series exists for personal training alone, and 2022 is the latest year in the series. Canadian wages are in Canadian dollars, not converted, from Job Bank’s 2023–2024 Labour Force Survey data. Chart values are rounded to one decimal; percentage changes are calculated from the unrounded source figures.
About the Author
With over a decade of experience across startups, online publications, and agencies, Marcy is all about delivering content that connects brands with the audiences they're trying to reach.
