Do personal trainers need a license in Washington?

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

How to Become a Personal Trainer in Washington (2026)

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

Most people become a Personal Trainer in Washington 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 Washington?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), personal trainers in Washington earned a median annual wage of approximately $50,830. Employment concentration in Washington is about 1.26 times the national average for this occupation.

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

Washington currently employs approximately 9,270 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

Washington exercise trainers and group fitness instructors earn a median annual wage of $50,830 ($24.44/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 9,270 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately 7.8% above the national median of $47,160 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $50,830 ($24.44/hr)
25th percentile: $46,760 per year
75th percentile: $67,510 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $93,450 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $38,960 per year
Workers employed in Washington: 9,270
Versus national median: 7.8% above the U.S. median of $47,160
Job concentration: Location quotient 1.26 - this occupation is more concentrated in Washington than the national average

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

Washington employs about 9,270 personal trainers earning a median $50,830 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 Washington

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. 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	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Bellevue College	73.6	Contact school for pricing	$64,079	35%	Yes*	58 mi
2	Pacific Union College	68.3	Contact school for pricing	$88,027	55%	Yes*	591 mi
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3	Lower Columbia College	66.5	$4,626 - $16,169	$52,301	24%	Yes*	106 mi
4	Truckee Meadows Community College	63.0	Contact school for pricing	$55,261	30%	Yes*	522 mi
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5	Sierra College	54.5	Contact school for pricing	$47,159	40%	—	572 mi
6	American River College	51.4	Contact school for pricing	$74,069	35%	Yes*	582 mi
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7	Mt Hood Community College	48.8	Contact school for pricing	$52,184	25%	Yes*	122 mi
8	Feather River Community College District	43.0	Contact school for pricing	$39,865	40%	Yes*	492 mi
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9	College of the Redwoods	42.3	$1,198 - $15,504	$37,636	30%	Yes*	458 mi
10	Lane Community College	38.9	Contact school for pricing	$59,131	20%	Yes*	230 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.

Washington employs approximately 9,270 personal trainers according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $50,830 ¹. The state’s concentration of personal trainer jobs is 1.26x 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 Washington, 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 (Washington): $50,830 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Personal Trainer in Washington

How to become a Personal Trainer in Washington? 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 Washington? 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 Washington? The median annual wage for personal trainers in Washington is $50,830 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $38,960 and experienced professionals can earn $93,450 or more ¹.

How to Become a Personal Trainer in Washington

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 Washington

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 Washington

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

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria	10,440	$46,190	$52,140	$28,070	$79,720
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue	5,800	$56,380	$66,780	$41,010	$133,210
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro	3,160	$59,570	$62,440	$36,660	$102,600
Spokane-Spokane Valley	670	$46,810	$50,810	$35,550	$73,510
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater	410	$49,840	$54,430	$36,930	$78,470
Bellingham	300	$50,200	$54,900	$36,050	$69,330
Kennewick-Richland	300	$49,780	$57,030	$37,460	$77,560
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard	240	$48,570	$54,450	$36,800	$76,370
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee	170	$49,800	$55,670	$36,250	$77,140
Yakima	160	$46,860	$54,560	$36,350	$82,400
Mount Vernon-Anacortes	120	$39,870	$50,300	$38,440	$76,080
Longview-Kelso	50	$48,060	$51,300	$34,650	$68,700
Lewiston	30	$50,550	$49,870	$34,650	$58,090

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 Washington? Washington currently employs approximately 9,270 personal trainers ¹. Nationally, personal trainer employment is projected to grow 11.9% from 2024 to 2034 ².

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

How much do personal trainers earn in Washington compared to the national average? The median annual wage for personal trainers in Washington is $50,830, which is $4,650 above the national median of $46,180 according to BLS data ¹.

In Washington

Best Trade Schools in Washington (2026)

Top local programs

Explore More Trades in Washington

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)