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Exercise Physiologists

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $59,460 Median per year · $28.59/hr Most earn $42,760–$80,560

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Prescribe individualized exercise programs, specifying equipment, such as treadmill, exercise bicycle, ergometers, or perceptual goggles.
  • Demonstrate correct use of exercise equipment or performance of exercise routines.
  • Interview participants to obtain medical history or assess participant goals.
  • Demonstrate correct use of exercise equipment or performance of exercise routines.
  • Evaluate staff performance in leading group exercise or conducting diagnostic tests.
  • Educate athletes or coaches on techniques to improve athletic performance, such as heart rate monitoring, recovery techniques, hydration strategies, or training limits.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
13% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 1,400 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Self-employed (their own business)58.9%
  • General medical and surgical hospitals23.0%
  • Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists4.6%
  • Offices of physicians3.6%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Exercise physiologist is not usually a straight-out-of-school job. Most people earn a bachelor's degree, then spend about 6 months to 1 year in related work before landing this role, so plan on roughly 5 years from starting college.

  1. Bachelor's degree in exercise science or kinesiology

    4 years

    You learn how the body responds to exercise, plus anatomy, nutrition, and how to test fitness, which is the core knowledge this career uses.

  2. Exercise Trainer

    6 months to 1 year

    You work one-on-one or in groups with clients, building hands-on experience designing workouts and measuring progress, which employers look for before hiring for this role.

  3. Exercise Physiologist

    Ongoing

    You assess clients' fitness, plan and carry out exercise programs, and track results in settings like clinics, hospitals, cardiac rehab programs, universities, or wellness centers.

Where it can lead

  1. Clinical Exercise Physiologist

    3-5 years of experience first

    You work with patients who have medical conditions, such as heart disease, under medical supervision, which usually requires extra training or certification and more hands-on experience.

  2. Program Director, Cardiac or Wellness Rehabilitation

    5-8 years of experience first

    You oversee staff, budgets, and program quality instead of only working directly with clients, which typically takes years of clinical experience and strong leadership skills.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology, anatomy, and health classesThese build the science foundation you will use in college exercise science courses.
  • Join a sports team or fitness clubBeing active regularly helps you understand how training works from the inside and shows you what good coaching looks like.
  • Volunteer at a senior center, rehab center, or youth sports programYou will see how exercise helps people with different needs and start building comfort working with others.
  • Take a first-aid and CPR classMany fitness and clinical jobs require this, and it shows you take client safety seriously.
  • Get a starter job at a gym, recreation center, or summer campHelping members or campers with activity gives you early customer and fitness experience.

In college

  • Major in exercise science or kinesiologyThis is the most direct route to the bachelor's degree most employers expect for this career.
  • Take statistics and research methodsExercise physiologists read studies and measure results, so these skills help you apply the science in real programs.
  • Work as a fitness trainer on campus or at a gymThis starter job gives you the hands-on experience that the usual 6 months to 1 year of prior work calls for.
  • Get a personal training or CPR certificationCertifications show employers you can design safe programs and respond to emergencies.
  • Join a student exercise science or kinesiology clubClubs often bring guest speakers, lab tours, and networking with people already in the field.

Tips for getting started

  • Look for a bachelor's program in exercise science or kinesiology that includes a lab or internship, since hands-on fitness testing experience helps you stand out.
  • Get certified early, such as a personal training certification, and check which certifications employers in your area ask for in job ads.
  • Ask people who already work as exercise physiologists or trainers how they got started. Their paths can show you which experiences helped most.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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