Exercise Physiologists: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical · SOC 29-1128 · O*NET 29-1128.00
Assess, plan, or implement fitness programs that include exercise or physical activities such as those designed to improve cardiorespiratory function, body composition, muscular strength, muscular endurance, or flexibility.
Exercise Physiologists fall under the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical category in the U.S. occupational classification. Exercise Physiologists earn a median salary of $58,160 per year, ranking in the top 52% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +9.5% job growth through 2034, projected to grow faster than the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree followed by a master's or doctoral degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do exercise physiologists earn?
The median annual wage for exercise physiologists is $58,160. That puts exercise physiologists at #419 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $40,930 |
| 25th percentile | $48,650 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $58,160 |
| 75th percentile | $65,430 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $79,830 |
| Median hourly wage | $27.96/hr |
Is exercise physiologists a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for exercise physiologists is +9.5%, projected to grow faster than the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 23K positions in 2024 to 26K in 2034, a net change of 3K. Faster-than-average growth means hiring is consistently outpacing the labor market overall. New entrants generally find their first roles faster than peers in stable fields.
What do exercise physiologists do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working exercise physiologists, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Demonstrate correct use of exercise equipment or performance of exercise routines.
- 2.Teach behavior modification classes related to topics such as stress management or weight control.
- 3.Teach group exercise for low-, medium-, or high-risk clients to improve participant strength, flexibility, endurance, or circulatory functioning.
- 4.Calibrate exercise or testing equipment.
- 5.Measure amount of body fat, using such equipment as hydrostatic scale, skinfold calipers, or tape measures.
- 6.Develop exercise programs to improve participant strength, flexibility, endurance, or circulatory functioning, in accordance with exercise science standards, regulatory requirements, and credentialing requirements.
- 7.Provide emergency or other appropriate medical care to participants with symptoms or signs of physical distress.
- 8.Assess physical performance requirements to aid in the development of individualized recovery or rehabilitation exercise programs.
Top skills for exercise physiologists
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become exercise physiologist?
Becoming a exercise physiologist typically requires a bachelor's degree followed by a master's, doctoral, or professional degree, plus state licensure or board certification depending on specialty. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Licensing requirements for exercise physiologists
Exercise Physiologists are regulated at the state level in the United States. Practicing without a current license is not legal in most jurisdictions.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about exercise physiologists
What is the median salary for exercise physiologists?
The median annual salary for exercise physiologists is $58,160 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is exercise physiologists a growing career?
BLS projects +9.5% growth for exercise physiologists from 2024 through 2034, which is fast growth projected to grow faster than the US average.
What education does my child need to become exercise physiologist?
The typical entry path requires a bachelor's degree followed by a master's or doctoral degree, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to exercise physiologists?
Related occupations within the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.