Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors Salary
In Boulder, CO, exercise trainers and group fitness instructors earn $51,820 at the median, or about $24.92 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.2), so that salary is closer to $49,259 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,033/month, about 58.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $52K actually covers in Boulder, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Boulder’s Regional Price Parity (105.2). 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 Boulder
Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors pay in Boulder tracks closely to the national median, $52K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,033/month, which is 58.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.2), so groceries and services cost more too. 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 Boulder, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $51K | $48K |
| Colorado Springs | $47K | $47K |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $48K | $48K |
| Greeley | $49K | $49K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boulder, CO
Entry-level exercise trainers and group fitness instructors (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $64K 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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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a exercise trainers and group fitness instructor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boulder?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 58.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,033/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Boulder?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new exercise trainers and group fitness instructors typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,305/month. At HUD’s $2,033/month FMR, rent would take 88% 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 Boulder?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $52K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Boulder compare to the national average for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors?
Boulder pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do exercise trainers and group fitness instructors make in Boulder, CO?
The median is $51,820 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,730, and experienced exercise trainers and group fitness instructors can clear $98,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Boulder?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,450/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,033/month, which eats 58.9% 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 Boulder?
Boulder has a Regional Price Parity of 105.2 (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 $49,259 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.