Quick answer: California employs about 43,600 exercise trainers and group fitness instructors (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing runs through target employers on the certification they require. Programs, the careers this degree opens, and what they pay are below.
Compare kinesiology programs enrolling now:
Licensing and Credentials in California
Kinesiology itself is not licensed. Fitness and clinical exercise roles typically ask for widely recognized industry certifications alongside or instead of the degree, and clinical settings weight the exercise science coursework; requirements genuinely vary by employer and setting.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with target employers on the certification they require that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 10 schools
within 108 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
10 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
#1
University of Southern California
📍
Los Angeles, CA
•103.4 miles away•BOC Score
80.2
What Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors Earn in California
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors in California earn a median $57,990 per year, above the national median of $47,160 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Kinesiology Pay and Employment in California at a Glance
Metric
California
National
Source
Median annual wage
$57,990
$47,160
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$36,750
$28,800
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$45,350
$35,280
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$74,160
$61,730
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$100,920
$83,100
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
43,600
322,930
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
1.15
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
11.9%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How California Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The California median of $57,990 sits above the national median of $47,160 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 1.15 puts California well above the national average, so the work is noticeably more common here than in the typical state. That usually means a deeper job market and more room to change employers without relocating (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Fitness employment tracks population and disposable income; clinical exercise roles follow hospital systems and rehabilitation providers.
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors Wages by Metro Area in California
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), exercise trainers and group fitness instructors wages in California vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
16,350
$57,630
$62,360
$37,980
$104,880
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
6,820
$61,000
$72,040
$40,130
$119,040
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
4,810
$56,420
$59,590
$36,080
$93,750
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
2,740
$62,010
$70,600
$42,870
$109,050
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
2,700
$48,450
$55,620
$34,790
$79,310
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
2,550
$51,240
$58,240
$35,900
$90,290
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
860
$57,230
$59,770
$35,310
$92,130
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
780
$62,500
$66,260
$38,000
$97,880
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
620
$59,300
$62,190
$34,980
$91,320
Fresno
530
$52,130
$55,890
$34,320
$83,200
Bakersfield-Delano
400
$48,860
$53,900
$34,320
$79,130
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
370
$55,010
$56,320
$35,260
$80,070
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
370
$60,580
$71,430
$37,120
$117,890
Vallejo
370
$59,720
$61,610
$36,770
$93,770
Stockton-Lodi
360
$48,050
$54,430
$35,010
$83,850
Salinas
330
$59,910
$62,340
$35,090
$89,960
Modesto
270
$48,160
$56,620
$34,910
$92,510
Chico
220
$46,790
$52,400
$35,340
$74,850
Napa
220
$58,590
$60,190
$35,190
$80,740
Redding
200
$52,000
$54,570
$34,850
$74,680
Visalia
140
$39,770
$50,840
$34,320
$79,250
Yuba City
90
$59,810
$58,710
$35,090
$77,030
Hanford-Corcoran
80
$60,690
$62,750
$35,600
$84,080
Merced
70
$45,890
$48,480
$35,090
$70,770
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do exercise trainers and group fitness instructors make in California?
The median annual wage for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors in California is $57,990, above the national median of $47,160 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $45,350 at the 25th percentile to $74,160 at the 75th.
How many exercise trainers and group fitness instructors work in California?
California holds about 43,600 exercise professional jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 322,930, and BLS projects about 74,200 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a exercise professional in California?
Kinesiology itself is not licensed. Fitness and clinical exercise roles typically ask for widely recognized industry certifications alongside or instead of the degree, and clinical settings weight the exercise science coursework; requirements genuinely vary by employer and setting. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with target employers on the certification they require before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a kinesiology bachelor's or master's online while working in California?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies target employers on the certification they require.
What is the highest-paying area of California for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors?
Among California metro areas with published data, Santa Rosa reports the highest median at $62,500 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is California a good state for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors?
On pay, the state median of $57,990 sits above the national $47,160 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 1.15 means the occupation is more concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors (SOC 39-9031), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
