Exercise Physiologists Career, Salary and Skills
Exercise Physiologists have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $59,460 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 8,560. Wage data is published for 96 locations.
Occupation description
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.
O*NET code
29-1128.00
Job zone
4
Typical education
Not recorded
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$59,460
Hourly median
$28.59
Employment
8,560
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Instructing | 4.12 | 4.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.00 | 4.75 |
| Active Listening | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Speaking | 4.00 | 4.12 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.88 | 4.12 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Monitoring | 3.88 | 4.12 |
| Writing | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Service Orientation | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.88 | 3.88 |
Typical tasks
- Explain exercise program or physiological testing procedures to participants.
- Order or recommend diagnostic procedures, such as stress tests, drug screenings, or urinary tests.
- Develop exercise programs to improve participant strength, flexibility, endurance, or circulatory functioning, in accordance with exercise science standards, regulatory requirements, and credentialing requirements.
- Provide clinical oversight of exercise for participants at all risk levels.
- Provide emergency or other appropriate medical care to participants with symptoms or signs of physical distress.
- Interview participants to obtain medical history or assess participant goals.
- Demonstrate correct use of exercise equipment or performance of exercise routines.
- Plan or conduct exercise physiology research projects.
Technology
- Email software
- MEDITECH software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Web browser software
Exercise Physiologists salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Exercise Physiologists Salary in PAMedian $48,040 · Employment 640
- Exercise Physiologists Salary in CAMedian $62,440 · Employment 640
- Exercise Physiologists Salary in MIMedian $55,080 · Employment 570
- Exercise Physiologists Salary in TXMedian $56,780 · Employment 520
- Exercise Physiologists Salary in NCMedian $52,450 · Employment 370
- Exercise Physiologists Salary in Philadelphia, PAMedian $49,260 · Employment 370
- Exercise Physiologists Salary in COMedian $63,800 · Employment 370
- Exercise Physiologists Salary in NYMedian $59,940 · Employment 360
- Exercise Physiologists Salary in OHMedian $51,660 · Employment 340
- Exercise Physiologists Salary in WIMedian $63,210 · Employment 340
- Exercise Physiologists Salary in FLMedian $60,100 · Employment 330
- Exercise Physiologists Salary in New York, NYMedian $61,380 · Employment 330
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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.