Do personal trainers need a license in Montana?

No statewide license is required for personal trainers in Montana. Most employers expect industry certifications such as NASM, ACE, or ISSA CPT.

How to Become a Personal Trainer in Montana (2026)

Q: How long does personal trainer training take in Montana?

Most people become a Personal Trainer in Montana through an NCCA-accredited CPT credential (NASM, ACE, or ISSA) plus CPR/AED; most states do not license personal trainers.

Q: How much do personal trainers earn in Montana?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), personal trainers in Montana earned a median annual wage of approximately $43,940. Employment concentration in Montana is about 1.33 times the national average for this occupation.

Q: What is the job outlook for personal trainers in Montana?

Montana currently employs approximately 1,420 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 11.9% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Montana exercise trainers and group fitness instructors earn a median annual wage of $43,940 ($21.13/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 1,420 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately -6.8% below the national median of $47,160 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $43,940 ($21.13/hr)
25th percentile: $33,930 per year
75th percentile: $52,150 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $75,020 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $29,510 per year
Workers employed in Montana: 1,420
Versus national median: -6.8% below the U.S. median of $47,160
Job concentration: Location quotient 1.33 - this occupation is more concentrated in Montana than the national average

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Last reviewed June 8, 2026.

Montana employs about 1,420 personal trainers earning a median $43,940 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 Montana

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.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition (published, per year)	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Bellevue College	73.6	$4,436 in-state / $10,502 out-of-state	$64,079	36%	Yes*	525 mi
2	Laramie County Community College	67.1	$4,613 in-state / $10,913 out-of-state	$49,818	38%	Yes*	506 mi
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3	Lower Columbia College	66.5	$4,626 in-state / $6,003 out-of-state	$52,301	23%	Yes*	570 mi
4	Casper College	62.5	$4,470 in-state / $10,770 out-of-state	$46,963	43%	Yes*	362 mi
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5	Turtle Mountain Community College	61.9	$2,794	Not reported	43%	Yes*	537 mi
6	Snow College	60.5	$4,338 in-state / $14,288 out-of-state	$38,946	46%	Yes*	523 mi
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7	Northern Wyoming Community College District	60.3	$4,830 in-state / $11,130 out-of-state	$51,958	42%	Yes*	243 mi
8	Colorado Mesa University	56.7	$9,927 in-state / $25,124 out-of-state	$58,601	41%	Yes*	555 mi
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9	Aims Community College	52.8	$2,258 in-state / $11,786 out-of-state	$51,704	40%	Yes*	546 mi
10	Salt Lake Community College	51.6	$4,426 in-state / $14,244 out-of-state	$55,279	29%	Yes*	434 mi
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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.

Montana employs approximately 1,420 personal trainers according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $43,940 ¹. The state’s concentration of personal trainer jobs is 1.33x the national average, indicating strong demand. 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 Montana, 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 (Montana): $43,940 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Personal Trainer in Montana

How to become a Personal Trainer in Montana? 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 Montana? 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 Montana? The median annual wage for personal trainers in Montana is $43,940 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $29,510 and experienced professionals can earn $75,020 or more ¹.

How to Become a Personal Trainer in Montana

Meet basic requirements. Certifying bodies typically expect a high school diploma or GED. This is not a state occupational license.
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.
Earn CPR/AED. Most certifying bodies and gyms require current CPR/AED before or with the exam.
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 Montana

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

Typical path

Choose an NCCA-accredited CPT.
Earn CPR/AED.
Pass the cert exam.
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 Montana

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

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Bozeman	310	$46,720	$52,850	$31,110	$81,950
Missoula	250	$45,120	$50,520	$29,390	$75,040
Billings	230	$42,920	$43,160	$29,910	$57,360
Helena	140	$41,840	$43,620	$29,390	$71,490
Great Falls	60	$42,810	$40,820	$28,340	$57,330

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 Montana? Montana currently employs approximately 1,420 personal trainers ¹. Nationally, personal trainer employment is projected to grow 11.9% from 2024 to 2034 ².

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

How much do personal trainers earn in Montana compared to the national average? The median annual wage for personal trainers in Montana is $43,940, which is $2,240 below the national median of $46,180 according to BLS data ¹.

In Montana

Best Trade Schools in Montana (2026)

Top local programs

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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

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

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / 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)