Animal Trainers vs Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors: $40K vs $47K Median Pay

Animal Trainers vs Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors: what changes?

Consider Animal Trainers if you want to train animals for riding, harness, security, performance, or obedience, or for assisting persons with disabilities. Consider Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors if you would rather instruct or coach groups or individuals in exercise activities for the primary purpose of personal fitness. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Animal Trainers and Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Animal Trainers

National median pay (2025): $39,990
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Cue or signal animals during performances.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 6,500

Know before you choose

Long periods of standing are part of the normal workday.

See the full Animal Trainers brief

Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors

National median pay (2025): $47,160
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Observe participants and inform them of corrective measures necessary for skill improvement.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 68,000

Know before you choose

Long periods of standing are part of the normal workday.

See the full Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors brief

How the national numbers differ

Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors has the edge on annual openings

Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors is at 68,000 annual openings, compared with 6,500 annual openings for Animal Trainers.

Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors has the edge on projected growth

Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors is at 7.3% projected growth, compared with 4.2% projected growth for Animal Trainers.

Typical preparation differs.

Animal Trainers: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors: High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing Preparation categories do not establish admission difficulty, calendar time, tuition, time without earnings, or licensing difficulty.

Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors has the edge on median pay

Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors is at $47,160, compared with $39,990 for Animal Trainers.

48.7/ 100

Animal Trainers

63.2/ 100

Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

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