Quick answer: The Cleveland metro employs about 1,910 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
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 Ohio licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with target employers on the certification they require.
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 87 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
John Carroll University
📍
University Heights, OH
•7.8 miles away•BOC Score
68.8
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
1 John Carroll Boulevard University Heights, OH 44118-4538
What Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors Earn in Cleveland
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors in the Cleveland area earn a median $38,420 per year, below the national median of $47,160 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Kinesiology Pay in Cleveland, OH
Metric
Cleveland metro
Ohio
National
Median annual wage
$38,420
$36,370
$47,160
10th percentile
$24,260
$24,040
$28,800
25th percentile
$30,280
$28,830
$35,280
75th percentile
$50,360
$49,220
$61,730
90th percentile
$57,040
$59,290
$83,100
Employment
1,910
9,040
322,930
Location quotient
0.89
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Cleveland, OH metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The Cleveland median of $38,420 is below the national median of $47,160, and above the Ohio statewide median of $36,370 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.89 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.
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 Cleveland?
The median annual wage for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors in the Cleveland, OH metro area is $38,420, below the national median of $47,160 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many exercise trainers and group fitness instructors work in the Cleveland area?
The Cleveland, OH metro area employs about 1,910 exercise trainers and group fitness instructors (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do exercise trainers and group fitness instructors in Cleveland need a license?
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.
Can I study kinesiology online from Cleveland?
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.
Is Cleveland a better market than the rest of Ohio?
The Cleveland metro median is $38,420 against a statewide median of $36,370 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
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/.
