Fitness Trainer—Career Opportunities

Perhaps the most popular career choice for fitness professionals today is personal training. The Fitness Trainer Program prepares students to work with individuals one-on-one and in small groups, thereby increasing your job opportunities. Certificate recipients can also move on to become fitness/personal trainers and group fitness instructors in the following settings: recreation districts, fitness clubs, privately owned clubs, large chain clubs, as well as work with school sport teams or start their own businesses. Upon successful completion of the program they are well prepared for certification testing through one or more of the following organizations: A.C.E., A.F.A.A., A.C.S.M., and N.S.C.A. Completion of the  Fitness Trainer Certificate program does not guarantee certification as a personal/fitness trainer or group fitness instructor. Our program is not a certifying organization, nor are we accredited through national organizations. Overall employment of fitness workers is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2010, due to rising interest in personal training, aerobics instruction, and other fitness activities. Projected job growth stems, in part, from rising demand for recreational and fitness activities for older adults in senior centers, retirement communities, and other settings. Fitness professionals certified by the American Council on Exercise, ACE, reported the following salary and hourly pay ranges plus factors effecting level of pay:

For job listings and job placement assistance, contact the Job Placement Center in the Center for Contemporary Technology, T904, (708) 974-5737. Resource: American Council on Exercise.