Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors Salary
In Iowa, exercise trainers and group fitness instructors earn $36,160 at the median, or about $17.39 an hour. The range runs from $25K at the entry level to $53K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $40,693 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 43.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $36K get you in Iowa?
About exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
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What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors in Iowa runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,064/month, which is 43.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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, Iowa
Entry-level exercise trainers and group fitness instructors (10th percentile) start around $25K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $53K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors salary by metro in Iowa
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $39K | +7% | 920 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $38K | +5% | 170 |
| Cedar Rapids | $38K | +5% | 210 |
| Dubuque | $36K | -0% | 100 |
| Sioux City | $35K | -3% | 70 |
| Iowa City | $35K | -3% | 150 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $33K | -10% | 360 |
| Ames | $32K | -11% | 110 |
Compare to other states
Track exercise trainers and group fitness instructors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a exercise trainers and group fitness instructor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 43.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new exercise trainers and group fitness instructors typically earn — is $25K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,480/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 72% 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 Iowa?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $36K here vs. $47K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for exercise trainers and group fitness instructors?
Iowa pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do exercise trainers and group fitness instructors make in Iowa?
The median is $36,160 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $24,660, and experienced exercise trainers and group fitness instructors can clear $52,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,455/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 43.3% 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 Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (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 $40,693 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.