Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$63,000
National baseline
Target bonus
$6,000
9.8% of base
Total target cash
$69,000
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$3,50050th$6,00075th$10,000
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
Typical entry preparation: Bachelor's Degree and up to 2 years of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
Develop exercise programs to improve participant strength, flexibility, endurance, or circulatory functioning, in accordance with exercise science standards, regulatory requirements, and credentialing requirements.
Provide emergency or other appropriate medical care to participants with symptoms or signs of physical distress.
Demonstrate correct use of exercise equipment or performance of exercise routines.
Recommend methods to increase lifestyle physical activity.
Interpret exercise program participant data to evaluate progress or identify needed program changes.
Top skills:SpeakingReading ComprehensionInstructingCritical ThinkingActive ListeningWriting
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Exercise Physiologist pay by experience level
Entry level$44,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$51,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$61,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$69,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$83,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+9.5%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
1,700
projected openings per year
Growing faster than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Exercise Physiologist salary by industry
Hospitals
5,000 workers
$63,500
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
4,840 workers
$63,500
Hospitals, Privately Owned
4,360 workers
$64,000
Ambulatory Health Care Services
2,240 workers
$56,000
Offices of Other Health Practitioners
1,170 workers
$53,500
Offices of Physicians
750 workers
$61,000
Hospitals, Local Government Owned
420 workers
$58,500
Other Ambulatory Health Care Services
270 workers
$49,500
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
260 workers
$98,000
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
250 workers
$99,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Develop exercise programs to improve participant strength, flexibility, endurance, or circulatory functioning, in accordance with exercise science standards, regulatory requirements, and credentialing requirements.
Provide emergency or other appropriate medical care to participants with symptoms or signs of physical distress.
Demonstrate correct use of exercise equipment or performance of exercise routines.
Recommend methods to increase lifestyle physical activity.
Interpret exercise program participant data to evaluate progress or identify needed program changes.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Exempt · Professional, Administrative, or Executive exemption
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Exempt when paid above the salary threshold, provided they satisfy the duties test for one of the FLSA exemption categories. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
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