Quick answer: The Jackson metro employs about 330 exercise trainers and group fitness instructors (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through target employers on the certification they require.
Compare kinesiology programs enrolling now:
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. 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.
See the Mississippi licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with target employers on the certification they require.
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.
This page lists 6 schools within 176 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 6 of them carry a score.
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.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors in the Jackson area earn a median $37,900 per year, below the national median of $47,160 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Jackson metro | Mississippi | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $37,900 | $30,540 | $47,160 |
| 10th percentile | $21,810 | $18,720 | $28,800 |
| 25th percentile | $22,800 | $21,960 | $35,280 |
| 75th percentile | $55,850 | $47,410 | $61,730 |
| 90th percentile | $76,960 | $63,390 | $83,100 |
| Employment | 330 | 1,260 | 322,930 |
| Location quotient | 0.59 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Jackson, MS metropolitan statistical area.
The Jackson median of $37,900 is below the national median of $47,160, and above the Mississippi statewide median of $30,540 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.59 means exercise trainers and group fitness instructors are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Fitness employment tracks population and disposable income; clinical exercise roles follow hospital systems and rehabilitation providers.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Gulfport | $35,360 | 210 |
| Hattiesburg | $24,980 | 100 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
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.
The median annual wage for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors in the Jackson, MS metro area is $37,900, below the national median of $47,160 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Jackson, MS metro area employs about 330 exercise trainers and group fitness instructors (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. 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. Confirm current requirements with target employers on the certification they require.
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies target employers on the certification they require.
The Jackson metro median is $37,900 against a statewide median of $30,540 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
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/.
