Getting the most out of your personal training salary will take some effort and time on your end. A lot of personal trainers are looking for ways to boost their salaries.
An average personal trainer salary is between $60,000 and $70,000 a year. However, personal trainers that are more skilled can earn around $90,000 to $110,000 per year. A 2023 Industry report by Indeed shows that the highest earning personal trainers attract an average of $103 per hour.
Source: Seek Job Ads and Role Reviews
How Much Does a Personal Trainer Earn in Australia?
Personal Trainer Salaries Across Australia
The average personal trainer rate per hour for each state/territory:
- Victoria: $33.45
- Western Australia: $32.55
- New South Wales: $30.51
- Queensland: $32.36
- South Australia: $33.47
- Tasmania: $23.49
- Australian Capital Territory: $52.50
- Northern Territory: $30.00
Several factors affect a personal trainer’s pay, such as:
- Location
- Certifications
- Education Level
- Experience
- Specialization
You can achieve a higher personal trainer salary as you immerse yourself in experiences and knowledge while handling clients.
Additionally, there are plenty of opportunities for career growth that will boost the average salary, especially if you are an entry level personal trainer in the fitness industry. Some include small group personal training, outdoor training, and even cruise ships. More people prefer to work out at home, and you can tap this market by offering online programs or setting up one-on-one personal training at a much higher rate.
Job Growth and Increasing Demand for PT’s Across Australia
Becoming a personal trainer in Australia is a smart career move due to the expected significant job growth in the fitness industry over the next five years, with a projected increase of 9.8%.
The National Skills Commission has reported an increasing demand for personal trainers and fitness instructors, as people become more health-conscious and prioritise wellness. The popularity of group fitness classes and the growing interest in personalised fitness programs have also contributed to this upward trend.
As a result, personal trainers can anticipate excellent job prospects and competitive salaries, making it an ideal profession for those who are passionate about fitness and helping others achieve their health goals.
Highest Paying Skills for Personal Trainers
Personal trainers with more weight loss or management skills, health and wellness, and nutrition usually have above-average pay, which is around $60,000 per year. On the other hand, skills in training program development and trainers pay less than the current market rate, based on the data from PayScale.
Below are the most popular skills that impact a personal trainer’s salary in Australia:
- Sports Nutrition
- Training Management
- Rehabilitation
- Weight loss/management
- Nutrition
- Professional coaching
- Health and wellness
Tips & Strategies for Success as a Personal Trainer
1) Building a Strong Client Base
Let’s face it—building a strong client base as a personal trainer isn’t that easy whether you’re working at a health club or self-employed. However, your client base is crucial to your success; and is one way to maximise your personal trainer salary.
It’s a challenge when you’re starting and when your clients start getting unmotivated to work out. To push through, you need to do the following:
2) Invest in Marketing Strategies for Attracting New Clients
To attract new clients, you need to market your fitness business, and yourself. You can build a website that is easy to use that will showcase yourself and the services that you offer. Ensure your contact details are listed there and put in an enquiry form to make reaching you easier for potential clients.
Another way to market yourself as a personal trainer is through social media. This is an exciting opportunity for you to grow as a personal trainer and achieve a higher income. Build your social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and more. Most of your clients are active on these platforms, making them an effective way to succeed.
Use your social media profile to engage with your target audience. Share some useful information in the form of videos and content. You can also share content from your website that will boost your site ranking.
Next, consider investing in digital marketing. Whether it’s SEO or social media, investing in digital marketing is essential for all businesses and services, even more so if you are in the fitness industry, as people go online first to discover the options and see what is on offer. There’s a wealth of information online on how to get started, or if you’re looking for an expert in the fitness industry to give you a head start, look for an established digital marketing agency to work with.
Finally, networking by generating word of mouth may also boost your chances of getting referrals that will help you build a solid network of clients.
3) Build Client Loyalty Programs for Customer Retention
The work doesn’t stop when you build a network of clients, especially with the rising demand that drives an increase in competition. Ensuring your clients remain loyal to you is key to long-term success, enabling you to maximise the full extent of your personal trainer salary. (Fitness Professional, 2017)
An effective strategy for building client loyalty is through a customer loyalty program. With a customer loyalty program, you allow your clients to earn points by using your services regularly. Offer exciting incentives, such as a free training session for every number of paid sessions, working with other trainers, and more.
A rewards program is also something worth considering. This works by “rewarding” your customers based on a genuine relationship. Rewards may vary depending on what you can give—it could be time with your clients, such as taking them out for lunch or dinner and getting to know them more personally or giving them a gift certificate when they achieve a milestone in their fitness journey.
Bootcamps are also a great way to build and nurture customer loyalty. You also get a chance to expand your network in boot camps. Once every few months, host a boot camp for a day or a weekend by offering clients several exercises they are not used to. Immerse them in a completely different experience that will take them out of their comfort zones and motivate them to reach their fitness goals.
4) Maximise Earning Potential Through Upselling Services
Upselling your services effectively maximises your personal trainer base salary and can even open a new revenue stream. For example, you can provide your clients with nutrition coaching as an additional service. After all, you’re one of the few people who can provide this service because you know exactly what nutrition your client needs that will match their exercise regime.
You can also investigate diversifying your services and upselling online. Create a training plan software to expand your services to your existing clients. The software may be a platform where clients can visualise their progress and get detailed nutrition and exercise instructions.
Online coaching is another great upsell that will let you get the best of everything—one-on-one coaching and the flexibility of providing your services anywhere and anytime. This can also help expand your network and reach potential clients from other parts of the world.
You can also create your own merchandise, such as workout shirts, water bottles, and accessories.
Offering Additional Services to Clients
There are many ways you can maximise your knowledge and skills as a personal trainer to increase your salary. Some of them are:
- Provide online courses: As mentioned, online courses are a good way to expand your services as a personal trainer. A growing number of people now want to learn and train on their schedule, and you can take advantage of this by offering online sources. Some of the great platforms you can use are Skillshare and Udemy.
- Set up a small group personal training: This can expand your services to a wider audience. Your clients get to save more when they join a small group as they will work out with more people. In addition, it’s also a great way to build a sense of community that will boost customer loyalty.
- Run seminars or workshops: Off-events such as seminars or workshops can be an excellent way for personal trainers to build authority in the industry, which can help boost revenue. This will also generate leads that could turn into new clients.
- Dive into the world of supplements: As a personal trainer, you know enough about fitness and nutrition, making you quite the expert in supplements. Look for supplements to help your clients achieve their goals and sell them as part of a bundle or separately.
- Create eBooks: Writing and publishing books online is a lot easier today, and as a personal trainer, you can take advantage of this. This will let you earn money and generate leads for you.
Negotiating With Gym Employers
The personal trainer industry in Australia has grown significantly especially with the rise in obesity rates combined with the growing awareness of the importance of fitness, health, and well-being.
A growing number of Australians are turning to personal trainers to achieve better overall health. Thus, personal training has become an in-demand service, and you are on high ground when it comes to the salary. This is an advantage if you also want to negotiate your salary.
As one of the fastest-growing careers in Australia today, it is predicted that the health and fitness sector in AU is projected to reach $596M in 2026. (Statista)
Latest data shows the average hourly rate for personal trainers is approximately $30/hour. However, a personal trainer can earn as much as $89,000 per year, which is $64 per hour. Still, this depends on the experience and qualifications. (ACFB, 2020)
A good negotiating position is by upskilling and having specialities that can increase a personal trainer’s base salary and boost their career.
Tips for negotiating your personal trainer salary:
- Research: Check reliable sources for information about salary and per-class pay standards for personal trainers. Doing so will give you better information on the going rate of personal trainers in Australia.
- Set an exact pay range: Whether you are an employee or self-employed, have a specific pay range in mind before you go into a meeting that involves a discussion about your pay.
- Speak to others in the industry: Try to talk to other people in your industry to learn more about the local competition.
- Figure out the benefits: Let’s say the salary that you want can’t be met, then it’s time that you explore the benefits you could have to compensate for it—such as extra vacation time, financial support for a new course, etc.
- Focus on the value you bring to the table: When negotiating our salary, be focused on the value that you add. Have a report that contains information on the number of clients you brought, how full your classes are, and more. Everybody wants a pay raise; it’s all about getting your manager to see why you deserve it!
How to Become a Personal Trainer
- Define Your Fitness Career Goals: The first step to becoming a successful personal trainer in Australia is to understand your fitness career vision and mission. This involves reflecting on your values, interests, and passions and identifying what motivates you to pursue a career in fitness.
- Complete a Certificate IV in Fitness: The Certificate IV in Fitness is the industry-standard qualification for personal trainers in Australia, and it is offered by a range of accredited providers. This course typically takes between 6-12 months to complete and covers a broad range of topics related to fitness and personal training. Upon completion of this course, you will have the necessary skills and knowledge to work as a qualified personal trainer in a variety of settings.One option to consider is the Fast-Track Certificate IV in Fitness, which covers all the study areas required to become a fully qualified personal trainer in a shorter timeframe. This course is designed for those who want to enter the fitness industry quickly and start building their career as soon as possible.
- Gain practical experience and continue your fitness education: Finally, it is important to gain practical experience working with clients and continue your education to stay up-to-date with the latest fitness trends and research. This may involve completing additional courses or certifications, attending conferences or workshops, or working under the guidance of an experienced personal trainer. By continuously improving your skills and knowledge, you can build a successful career as a personal trainer in Australia.
Check out our latest blog post: How to Become a Personal Trainer, for all of the information you need to get started.
Where to Next?
Becoming a personal trainer in Australia today is one of the most lucrative careers you can pursue today. With the rising demand and the many career growth opportunities, you can expect a higher salary and more earnings if you do it right. By investing in scaling and expanding your services, you will surely be on the way to success.
Ready to become a personal trainer today? Enrol here at FiT to kickstart your personal trainer journey.
