If you love fitness, a career in the industry can be a rewarding and fulfilling path. Most fitness jobs require personal training or fitness education. Your education will vary depending on the career you choose and where you get your training. Knowing your educational options can help you decide which fitness training program is the best for you.
Personal Trainer Education
Most personal trainer jobs require a high school diploma and a personal trainer certification. There are a variety of national organizations that offer personal training certification courses, including the American Council on Exercise, the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Personal trainer certification courses cover topics such as exercise programming, common injuries, anatomy, legal issues, nutrition, fitness assessment, exercise science and lifestyle modifications. After completing a personal trainer course, applicants must pass a test to get certified.
Fitness Education
Training for other fitness jobs varies by job. To become a physical education teacher or health teacher, requirements include a bachelor's degree in exercise science or a related field, as well as a teaching certification from your state. States' certification courses and hours vary but you can usually take the courses at a local college, university or community college and then student teach at a school in your area. For advanced positions such as athletic department director, a masters degree in management or teaching may be required. Other fitness jobs -- such as a group fitness course instructor -- require taking a certification course and test, similar to the personal trainer process.
Education Costs
The cost of an education for a fitness career depends on the type of training and job. Fees for a personal training certification course, materials and exam ranges from about $400 to $700 as of 2011. A bachelor's degree in exercise science can cost anywhere from a few thousand dollars to more than $100,000, depending on if the institution is public or private as well as the school's endowment, reputation, locality and education program. A certification program in group exercise instruction usually costs in the $200 to $500 range.
Considerations
According to 2010-11 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in the fitness industry are expected to grow much faster than the national average. More and more employers in the fitness industry are requiring applicants to have a bachelor's degree in exercise science or a related field, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Fitness jobs that are now requiring a bachelor's degree are still requiring certifications for jobs such as fitness instructor or personal trainer.
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