Exercise Physiologists
Assess, plan, or implement fitness programs that include exercise or physical activities such as those designed to improve cardiorespiratory function, body composition, muscular strength, muscular endurance, or flexibility.
- Median pay
- $59,460
- Doing it now
- 21,200
- By 2035
- Up 12.8%
- Usually needs
- Bachelor's degree
a year
across the country
1,400 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Conduct stress tests, using electrocardiograph (EKG) machines.
- Demonstrate correct use of exercise equipment or performance of exercise routines.
- Develop exercise programs to improve participant strength, flexibility, endurance, or circulatory functioning, in accordance with exercise science standards, regulatory requirements, and credentialing requirements.
- Explain exercise program or physiological testing procedures to participants.
- Interpret exercise program participant data to evaluate progress or identify needed program changes.
- Measure amount of body fat, using such equipment as hydrostatic scale, skinfold calipers, or tape measures.
- Measure oxygen consumption or lung functioning, using spirometers.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessSee 964 colleges that teach it
- Rehabilitation and Therapeutic ProfessionsSee 281 colleges that teach it
- Physiology, Pathology and Related SciencesSee 159 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Hands-on and practical
Analytical and curious
Helping and teaching
Careers like this one
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $59,460 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.