Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors Salary
In Birmingham, AL, exercise trainers and group fitness instructors earn $41,850 at the median, or about $20.12 an hour. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.64), which stretches that salary to about $45,668 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,266/month, about 44.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $42K get you in Birmingham?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Birmingham’s Regional Price Parity (91.64). 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 Birmingham
Pay for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors in Birmingham 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 $1,266/month, which is 45% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors in metros near Birmingham, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | $45K | $49K |
| Montgomery | $45K | $50K |
| Mobile | $29K | $33K |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $44K | $46K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Birmingham, AL
Entry-level exercise trainers and group fitness instructors (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $35K 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 Birmingham?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 45% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,266/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Birmingham?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new exercise trainers and group fitness instructors typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,316/month. At HUD’s $1,266/month FMR, rent would take 96% 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 Birmingham?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $42K here vs. $47K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Birmingham compare to the national average for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors?
Birmingham pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — below the national median.
How much do exercise trainers and group fitness instructors make in Birmingham, AL?
The median is $41,850 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,940, and experienced exercise trainers and group fitness instructors can clear $57,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Birmingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,811/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,266/month, which eats 45% 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 Birmingham?
Birmingham has a Regional Price Parity of 91.64 (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 $45,668 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.