Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors Salary
In Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, exercise trainers and group fitness instructors earn $38,700 at the median, or about $18.61 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $42,203 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month, about 49.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines
Pay for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors in Des Moines-West Des Moines runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,318/month, which is 50.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (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 Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $33K | $37K |
| Cedar Rapids | $38K | $42K |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $38K | $44K |
| Iowa City | $35K | $38K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level exercise trainers and group fitness instructors (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $30K 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 50.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
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 $1,641/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 80% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $39K here vs. $47K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — below the national median.
How much do exercise trainers and group fitness instructors make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $38,700 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,350, and experienced exercise trainers and group fitness instructors can clear $57,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,613/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 50.4% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (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 $42,203 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.