How to Become a Personal Trainer in Wisconsin (2026)

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Wisconsin employs about 6,330 personal trainers earning a median $44,200 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 Wisconsin

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
172.2$6,679$59,51858%Yes*238 mi
266.9$4,819 in-state / $7,084 out-of-state$53,77158%Yes*28 mi
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359.1$4,977 in-state / $7,255 out-of-state$55,20729%Yes*40 mi
457.1$6,653 in-state / $9,551 out-of-state$47,06861%Yes*226 mi
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556.3$6,176 in-state / $8,220 out-of-state$48,66343%Yes*185 mi
650.7$6,389$55,25829%Yes*193 mi
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748.5$4,100 in-state / $11,300 out-of-state$56,31425%Yes*212 mi
846.8$4,820 in-state / $7,880 out-of-state$52,16927%Yes*234 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.

Wisconsin employs approximately 6,330 personal trainers according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $44,200 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 Wisconsin, 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 (Wisconsin): $44,200 per year 1

Quick Answers About How to Become a Personal Trainer in Wisconsin

How to become a Personal Trainer in Wisconsin? 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 Wisconsin? 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 Wisconsin? The median annual wage for personal trainers in Wisconsin is $44,200 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $27,900 and experienced professionals can earn $61,600 or more 1.

How to Become a Personal Trainer in Wisconsin

  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 Wisconsin

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 Wisconsin

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

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

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)		Experienced
(90th pctile)
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington5,530$44,790$47,270$29,740$72,160
Milwaukee-Waukesha2,150$46,190$45,840$29,520$60,380
Madison1,390$48,720$50,370$29,780$71,180
Green Bay340$44,940$41,310$28,070$58,540
Appleton320$41,330$41,790$23,730$61,300
Eau Claire240$35,680$40,050$28,850$57,870
Duluth210$37,540$42,220$29,290$57,960
La Crosse-Onalaska180$37,400$39,670$28,620$49,420
Wausau180$44,120$44,110$24,640$57,360
Oshkosh-Neenah170$30,750$35,520$23,640$51,050
Racine-Mount Pleasant150$48,320$50,570$33,220$68,690
Kenosha120$36,400$38,570$26,350$53,500
Janesville-Beloit100$35,630$40,410$27,550$58,310
Sheboygan80$38,390$39,150$23,380$55,620

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 Wisconsin? Wisconsin currently employs approximately 6,330 personal trainers 1. Nationally, personal trainer employment is projected to grow 11.9% from 2024 to 2034 2.

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

How much do personal trainers earn in Wisconsin compared to the national average? The median annual wage for personal trainers in Wisconsin is $44,200, which is $1,980 below the national median of $46,180 according to BLS data 1.

In Wisconsin

Top local programs

Related trades & nearby areas

Explore More Trades in Wisconsin

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)