How to Become a Personal Trainer in Missouri (2026)

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Missouri employs about 5,060 personal trainers earning a median $36,450 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Training as a Personal Trainer here means completing an NCCA-accredited CPT credential (NASM, ACE, or ISSA) plus CPR/AED; most states do not license personal trainers.

Compare Personal Trainer Schools in Missouri

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Tuition is the published annual figure for the latest reported year and excludes room, board, books and fees. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#SchoolBOC Score (0–100)Tuition (published, per year)Median grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
160.4$10,066 in-state / $22,907 out-of-state$56,39948%Yes*281 mi
257.1$6,653 in-state / $9,551 out-of-state$47,06861%Yes*333 mi
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356.3$6,176 in-state / $8,220 out-of-state$48,66343%Yes*252 mi
455.0$2,424 in-state / $5,688 out-of-state$52,95631%Yes*115 mi
Sponsored Ad
542.2Contact school for pricing$36,65145%—290 mi

Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

Missouri employs approximately 5,060 personal trainers according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $36,450 1. Nationally, personal trainer employment is projected to grow 11.9% from 2024 to 2034, with about 74,200 openings per year 2. This page covers how to become a Personal Trainer in Missouri, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

  • Training paths: NCCA-accredited personal trainer certification program (find programs)
  • Typical timeline: an NCCA-accredited CPT credential (NASM, ACE, or ISSA) plus CPR/AED; most states do not license personal trainers
  • Exam: NASM, ACE, or ISSA CPT
  • Median wage (Missouri): $36,450 per year 1

Quick Answers About How to Become a Personal Trainer in Missouri

How to become a Personal Trainer in Missouri? Complete an NCCA-accredited CPT credential (NASM, ACE, or ISSA) plus CPR/AED; most states do not license personal trainers. Confirm credential rules with the program and employer.

How long does it take? Most people finish an NCCA-accredited CPT credential (NASM, ACE, or ISSA) plus CPR/AED; most states do not license personal trainers. Confirm current hour totals with the program and employer.

Do I need a license in Missouri? Most states do not require a statewide occupational license. Employers typically expect NASM, ACE, or ISSA CPT. See the licensing section below.

What do personal trainers earn in Missouri? The median annual wage for personal trainers in Missouri is $36,450 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $28,600 and experienced professionals can earn $62,390 or more 1.

How to Become a Personal Trainer in Missouri

  1. Meet basic requirements. Certifying bodies typically expect a high school diploma or GED. This is not a state occupational license.
  2. Choose an NCCA-accredited CPT. Pick NASM, ACE, ISSA, ACSM, or NSCA. Do not treat horse-racing trainer or private-investigator trainer licenses as personal training credentials.
  3. Earn CPR/AED. Most certifying bodies and gyms require current CPR/AED before or with the exam.
  4. Pass the CPT exam and get floor hours. Pass the cert exam, then gain supervised gym or studio hours. This is not a registered apprenticeship and most states have no personal-trainer license board.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.

Personal Trainer License Requirements in Missouri

Most states do not license personal trainers. Employers expect an NCCA-accredited CPT (NASM, ACE, ISSA, or similar) plus CPR/AED.

Typical path

  1. Choose an NCCA-accredited CPT.

  2. Earn CPR/AED.

  3. Pass the cert exam.

  4. Confirm any rare local registration with the city or gym, not a racing commission.

Hour totals, fees, and reciprocity rules change. Confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.

Personal Trainer Wages by Metro Area in Missouri

Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors Wages by Metro Area in Missouri

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), exercise trainers and group fitness instructors wages in Missouri vary by metro area.

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)		Experienced
(90th pctile)
Kansas City3,210$38,550$44,690$28,350$68,010
St. Louis3,200$36,500$42,520$28,600$63,740
Springfield360$35,240$40,980$28,600$56,540
Columbia150$35,090$41,600$28,600$61,640
Jefferson City110$38,670$40,540$28,600$56,680
Joplin100$29,880$34,540$28,600$45,780
Cape Girardeau70$37,450$42,620$29,010$51,630
St. Joseph60$31,380$32,510$28,600$39,130

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 .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for personal trainers in Missouri? Missouri currently employs approximately 5,060 personal trainers 1. Nationally, personal trainer employment is projected to grow 11.9% from 2024 to 2034 2.

What training programs are available in Missouri? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Missouri.

How much do personal trainers earn in Missouri compared to the national average? The median annual wage for personal trainers in Missouri is $36,450, which is $9,730 below the national median of $46,180 according to BLS data 1.

In Missouri

Top local programs

Related trades & nearby areas

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Citations

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/.

References

  1. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  2. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)