Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors Salary
In Bellingham, WA, exercise trainers and group fitness instructors earn $50,200 at the median, or about $24.14 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.33), that's roughly $48,582 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,794/month, about 51.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in Bellingham?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bellingham’s Regional Price Parity (103.33). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
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What this looks like in Bellingham
Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors pay in Bellingham tracks closely to the national median, $50K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,794/month, which is 50.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.33) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors in metros near Bellingham, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $56K | $51K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $47K | $47K |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $50K | $48K |
| Kennewick-Richland | $50K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bellingham, WA
Entry-level exercise trainers and group fitness instructors (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $65K | +37% | 9,200 |
| Connecticut | $62K | +31% | 2,850 |
| New Jersey | $60K | +27% | 11,350 |
| Oregon | $59K | +24% | 4,800 |
| California | $58K | +23% | 43,600 |
| Nevada | $58K | +23% | 3,010 |
| Vermont | $57K | +22% | 710 |
| Washington | $51K | +8% | 9,270 |
| Wyoming | $50K | +7% | 560 |
| Colorado | $50K | +6% | 10,500 |
| Idaho | $50K | +6% | 2,360 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | +5% | 1,500 |
| Hawaii | $48K | +2% | 990 |
| Arizona | $48K | +2% | 7,010 |
| Maryland | $47K | +1% | 8,650 |
| Tennessee | $47K | +0% | 5,080 |
| Georgia | $47K | -0% | 7,500 |
| New York | $47K | -0% | 20,140 |
| Maine | $47K | -0% | 1,140 |
| Illinois | $47K | -1% | 19,830 |
| North Carolina | $46K | -2% | 10,670 |
| Alaska | $46K | -2% | 800 |
| Rhode Island | $46K | -3% | 990 |
| Michigan | $46K | -3% | 6,050 |
| Kentucky | $45K | -4% | 1,990 |
| Pennsylvania | $45K | -4% | 11,580 |
| Utah | $45K | -5% | 6,830 |
| New Mexico | $45K | -5% | 1,030 |
| Oklahoma | $45K | -6% | 2,300 |
| Louisiana | $44K | -6% | 2,290 |
| Delaware | $44K | -6% | 1,210 |
| Wisconsin | $44K | -6% | 6,330 |
| Montana | $44K | -7% | 1,420 |
| South Carolina | $44K | -7% | 5,130 |
| Minnesota | $44K | -8% | 7,010 |
| Arkansas | $42K | -11% | 1,390 |
| Texas | $41K | -13% | 19,260 |
| Virginia | $41K | -13% | 12,100 |
| South Dakota | $40K | -15% | 950 |
| District of Columbia | $39K | -17% | 1,480 |
| Alabama | $39K | -17% | 2,680 |
| Florida | $39K | -18% | 18,070 |
| West Virginia | $38K | -19% | 500 |
| North Dakota | $38K | -20% | 680 |
| Missouri | $36K | -23% | 5,060 |
| Ohio | $36K | -23% | 9,040 |
| Iowa | $36K | -23% | 2,510 |
| Kansas | $36K | -24% | 4,510 |
| Indiana | $35K | -26% | 5,360 |
| Nebraska | $31K | -33% | 2,410 |
| Mississippi | $31K | -35% | 1,260 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track exercise trainers and group fitness instructors salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a exercise trainers and group fitness instructor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bellingham?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 50.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,794/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Bellingham?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new exercise trainers and group fitness instructors typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,163/month. At HUD’s $1,794/month FMR, rent would take 83% 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 Bellingham?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $50K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Bellingham compare to the national average for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors?
Bellingham pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do exercise trainers and group fitness instructors make in Bellingham, WA?
The median is $50,200 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,050, and experienced exercise trainers and group fitness instructors can clear $69,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Bellingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,531/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,794/month, which eats 50.8% 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 Bellingham?
Bellingham has a Regional Price Parity of 103.33 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median exercise trainers and group fitness instructors salary is worth about $48,582 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.