Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors Salary
In Arkansas, exercise trainers and group fitness instructors earn $42,140 at the median, or about $20.26 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.64), which stretches that salary to about $48,083 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,021/month, about 35.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arkansas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $42K get you in Arkansas?
About exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
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What this looks like in Arkansas
Pay for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors in Arkansas runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,021/month, which is 35.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for exercise trainers and group fitness instructorss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arkansas
Entry-level exercise trainers and group fitness instructors (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors salary by metro in Arkansas
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $49K | +15% | 650 |
| Fort Smith | $45K | +6% | 90 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $36K | -15% | 320 |
| Hot Springs | $30K | -29% | 40 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arkansas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a exercise trainers and group fitness instructor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arkansas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 35.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,021/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors in Arkansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new exercise trainers and group fitness instructors typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,603/month. At HUD’s $1,021/month FMR, rent would take 64% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is exercise trainers and group fitness instructor a high-paying job in Arkansas?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $42K here vs. $47K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Arkansas compare to the national average for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors?
Arkansas pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do exercise trainers and group fitness instructors make in Arkansas?
The median is $42,140 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,710, and experienced exercise trainers and group fitness instructors can clear $59,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Arkansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,869/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,021/month, which eats 35.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a exercise trainers and group fitness instructors salary go in Arkansas?
Arkansas has a Regional Price Parity of 87.64 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median exercise trainers and group fitness instructors salary is worth about $48,083 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do exercise trainers and group fitness instructors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.