Athletic Trainers
Median wage · national
$62,520
Range: $55K – $75K
Employed
31K
Openings/yr
2K
Typically: master's degree
HEALTH
Exercise Physiologists
Projected to grow +12.8% through 2035, Exercise Physiologists is expanding faster than most occupations. Median pay is $59,460, and early movers in a growing field often advance faster.
About Exercise Physiologists
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a exercise physiologists: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Kinesiology and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
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.
- Median Wage
- $59,460
- Employed Nationally
- 9K
- Openings / Year
- 1,400
- Entry Education
- Bachelor's degree
- Job Zone
- Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
Also known as:
Applied Exercise Physiologist
Bariatric Weight Loss Counselor
Cardiac Exercise Physiologist
Cardiac Exercise Specialist
Cardiac Rehabilitation Exercise Physiologist
How Much Do Exercise Physiologists Make?
Most exercise physiologists take home around $59,460 a year, about what a typical college graduate makes. Half earn somewhere between $49,620 and $67,230, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. A solid living in most parts of the country. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
$59,460
National Median (Annual)
Near the national median for college graduates.
$50K–$67K
Middle 50% Range
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Earnings Range
$49,620
Entry-level
$59,460
Median
$67,230
Experienced
What Do Exercise Physiologists Do?
This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.
What You'll Do
- Develop exercise programs to improve participant strength, flexibility, endurance, or circulatory functioning, in accordance with exercise science standards, regulatory requirements, and credentialing requirements.
- Provide emergency or other appropriate medical care to participants with symptoms or signs of physical distress.
- Demonstrate correct use of exercise equipment or performance of exercise routines.
- Recommend methods to increase lifestyle physical activity.
- Interpret exercise program participant data to evaluate progress or identify needed program changes.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Instructing
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Who Thrives Here
R
Realistic
Hands-on tasks, physical activity, or working with tools and real materials are central parts of the daily work here.
I
Investigative
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
S
Social
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
Where Do Exercise Physiologists Work?
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
Moderate
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
What Is the Job Outlook for Exercise Physiologists?
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +12.8%, meaning it is growing faster than most occupations, so jobs should be easier to find over time. Around 1,400 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
↗ +12.8%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)
Faster than average.
1,400
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
9K
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Exercise Physiologists professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $59,460 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 640 | $62,440 | +5.0% |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | 640 | $48,040 | -19.2% |
| 3 | Michigan | 570 | $55,080 | -7.4% |
| 4 | Texas | 520 | $56,780 | -4.5% |
| 5 | Colorado | 370 | $63,800 | +7.3% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
To get hired here you will usually need a bachelor's degree. The 3 programs below are the most common routes in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
The next most common path is a Rehabilitation program and the colleges offering it, which suits a different kind of applicant.
Typical Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
Job Zone
Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
These positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kinesiology | 65,385 | $54,562 | 1,406 |
| 2 | Rehabilitation | 29,934 | $55,792 | 609 |
| 3 | Physiology | 10,453 | $62,172 | 265 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Exercise Physiologists
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States Military Academy West Point, NY | 96 | — | — |
| 2 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | 93 | $12,548 | $82,511 |
| 3 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | 93 | $13,481 | $92,446 |
| 4 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 5 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | 92 | $14,251 | $80,735 |
| 6 | Stanford University Stanford, CA | 92 | $13,807 | $124,080 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Exercise Physiologists, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Exercise Physiologists pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Exercise Physiologists Pros & Cons
The data on Exercise Physiologists shows 2 measurable strengths and 1 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
PROS
- Competitive salary $59,460 median wage puts this career near or above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- Fast-growing field At +12.8% projected growth through 2035, this career grows faster than the national average of about +5%. A strong signal for long-term demand.
CONS
- Multi-year ramp before career-level pay This is a Job Zone 4 occupation, these positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles. Most workers in this field spend their first several years at entry-level pay well below the $59,460 median while building the experience employers require.
Exercise Physiologists Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Exercise Physiologists professionals earn?
Around $59,460 a year for the typical worker, near the national median for full-time workers. The middle 50% of earners fall between $49,620 and $67,230. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Exercise Physiologists a good career?
For people genuinely interested in the work, yes. At $59,460 median, with +12.8% projected growth through 2035, there is a real financial case and a stable market for new entrants. Compare program net price against local salary outcomes (not just the national median) before committing.
How long does it take to work as Exercise Physiologists?
Expect 4 years of undergraduate education followed by 2 or more years of field experience before most employers consider you qualified for career-level positions. A bachelor's degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Kinesiology are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $59,460 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
What is the job outlook for Exercise Physiologists?
Employment is projected to change by +12.8% through 2035, faster than average compared with other occupations. Around 1,400 roles open each year once you count people retiring and moving on, which matters more to someone starting out than the growth rate does. 9K people do this job nationwide today, so it is an established field rather than a niche one. Source: BLS May 2025.
What skills do Exercise Physiologists professionals need?
Mainly Speaking, Critical Thinking, Instructing, Reading Comprehension, and Active Listening. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.
Related Findings
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10 Six-Figure Careers That Do Not Need a Bachelor's Degree
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
- No bachelor degree
- High paying careers
- Associate degree
- Trades
- Median wage
-
Does a Master's Degree Pay Off? Barely, on Average
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
- Graduate school
- Career outcomes
-
Growing and Paying $80K Plus: The Careers That Do Both
Only 106 of 393 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
- Career growth
- Median wage
- High-paying careers
- Job outlook
- Career change
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