How to Become a Personal Trainer in Florida

How to Become an Personal Trainer in Florida

If you want to make a promising career out of your passion for health and fitness, consider becoming a personal trainer.

Obtaining the proper education and certification is essential when it comes to qualifying for personal trainer jobs in Florida gyms and health clubs.

Those who earn additional credentials might be able to get higher-paying jobs training college and professional athletes.

Education & Training

Coursework

What Do You Study?

There, you’ll learn the basics of the fitness and wellness industry through classes like:

Anatomy and Physiology
Exercise Evaluation and Testing
Kinesiology
Communication
Exercise Physiology
Business and Marketing
Workout Program Design
Biology and Body Mechanics

Additional Classes

Some personal trainers in FL also take nutrition courses so they can make meal plan suggestions to their clients. Those who obtain an official nutritionist credential can prescribe diets as part of their client’s overall wellness plans.

Personal Trainers vs. Athletic Trainers

If you want to qualify for some of the highest-paying personal trainer jobs in Florida, consider obtaining a degree and becoming an athletics trainer. Where a personal trainer provides fitness training for gym-goers and health club members, athletics trainers generally work with physical therapists, college athletes, and professional sports teams.

Courses for Athletic Trainers

Education for these professionals includes completing one of the following bachelor’s or master’s degree programs:

Athletics Training
Exercise Science
Kinesiology
Biology

Internship Programs

Aspiring athletics trainers must also undergo hands-on training in an accredited internship program. As an intern, you’ll gain experience working with athletes and patients in private training centers, physical therapy clinics, and professional sports facilities.

Additional Certifications

Many gyms, fitness centers, and training facilities require personal trainers to have a Basic Life Support (BLS) credential. If a client sustains an injury while training, BLS-certified trainers can render aid by performing CPR, first aid, or using an AED. Personal trainers in FL can obtain this certification through:

How Long is Personal Trainer School?

Program length varies across different institutions, but most personal trainers in FL finish their courses in three to six weeks. Some specialized diploma programs take between eight and 15 weeks to complete. Meanwhile, earning an associate’s, bachelor’s, or graduate-level degree takes two, four, and six years, respectively.

How Much Do Personal Trainer Programs in FL Cost?

Depending on where you attend classes, a personal trainer certificate program might cost anywhere from $200 to about $800. You may need to pay upwards of $2,000 if you’re planning to specialize in a particular aspect of the fitness industry, such as:

Strength training and conditioning
Yoga
Nutrition
Runner training
Pilates
Triathlon, pentathlon, and decathlon training
Youth, senior, or group fitness

Those who are enrolling in an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree program might pay $17,000 to $28,000 in tuition and fees.

Florida Personal Trainer Requirements

Currently, there are no license or certification requirements to become a personal trainer in FL. Even so, most gyms and fitness centers prefer to hire applicants who are certified personal trainers (CPT). Some schools offer certification exams at the end of their fitness trainer and instructor programs.

Licensing Options

However, you can also get licensed through organizations like:

The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
The National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF)
The American Council on Exercise (ACE)
The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)

Athletics Trainer Certification

While unlicensed professionals can qualify to become personal trainers in Florida, aspiring athletic trainers obtain an official license from the Florida Board of Athletic Training.

Certification Requirements

Requirements for this certification include:

A minimum of a bachelor’s degree from a professional athletics training program with state-approved accreditation OR a bachelor’s degree, plus proof of internship completion and certification from the national Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer (BOC)
Electronic fingerprinting and a clear background screening
Current CPR and AED certification
A completed application form
Payment of application, licensure, and unlicensed activity fees, totaling $205

Personal Trainer Salaries in FL

The average personal trainer salary in Florida is roughly $30,000 per year. However, your exact wages may vary depending on where you live and work. Check out this list of regional earnings to find the typical entry-level personal trainer salary in different parts of Florida:

Fort Myers $29,836
Gainesville $27,674
Jacksonville $28,031
Miami $29,065
Naples $30,832
Orlando $26,170
Tampa $28,576

Athletics trainers typically earn more than personal trainers in FL, averaging about $52,670 annually. Some personal trainer jobs in Florida might pay this much or more, especially if they cater to exclusive clientele. Having a degree and certification might make it easier to find higher-paying positions, as well.

Job Description

What Do They Do?

Personal trainers in FL create and implement exercise plans based on their client’s unique needs and fitness goals. Whether they find positions in gyms, health clubs, and wellness centers, professionals working personal trainer jobs in Florida usually perform the following duties:

Outlining each client’s fitness goals
Taking their client’s body weight and measurements
Creating safe, realistic, and effective exercise plans
Encouraging clients to develop healthy habits
Demonstrating proper use of gym equipment
Leading group fitness classes
Motivating clients during workouts
Tracking each client’s progress to keep them on track

Career Outlook

Reports from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics predict a 19-percent increase in the demand for fitness trainers and instructors over the next ten years. Because of this, personal trainers in FL might have an easier time finding jobs between 2021 and 2031. Obtaining an official personal trainer certification could give you an advantage over other applicants.

Personal Trainer in FL