Looking for personal training industry statistics to include in a business plan? Maybe you want to learn more about the fitness market before deciding on a new career? Or identify potential growth areas that you can tap into?
We’ve collated 39 of the most insightful and up-to-date personal training industry stats to help.
In this article – you’ll find fascinating personal training industry statistics covering market size, growth, and trends. Plus, results data for PT clients that proves the value of training with a professional.
Personal Training Market Size
- According to the latest industry reports by IBISWorld, the size of the personal training market is $9bn in the USA and £631m in the UK.
- Personal training industry growth is happening at a rate of 2.8% and is expected to continue steadily upward.
- There are 577,041 registered personal training businesses in the USA and 21,879 in the UK.
The most comprehensive & up-to-date report on the fitness industry available. Includes revenue, growth, future outlook plus much more.
Personal Training Industry Analysis
SWOT analysis of personal training industry data from IBISWorld indicates that…
- As per capita disposable income has increased and the unemployment rate has fallen, demand for personal trainers has steadily grown [strength].
- Revenue has grown over the past five years despite competition from other fitness activities [strength].
- Increasing rates of obesity have encouraged campaigns to get people to be more active [strength].
- Personal training is intrinsically linked to disposable income [weakness].
- The high turnover of people in this career means long-term prospects for individuals in the personal training market can be challenging [weakness].
- Youth personal training represents an emerging opportunity for gym and fitness clubs [opportunity].
- Rising interest in personal fitness, partially prompted by worsening obesity trends, has resulted in a strong demand for the industry’s trainers [opportunity].
- Targeting densely populated urban areas where salaries are high, as there will be a higher density of ideal PT clients for personal trainers (UK) [opportunity].
- The industry still experiences competition from do-it-yourself fitness modes (such as exercise videos or running), which enable consumers to improve their health at a lower cost [threat].
- Competition from themed or branded fitness activities is expected to increase over the next five years [threat].
You might also like our SWOT analysis of the fitness industry as a whole.
Personal Training Market Trends
The fitness industry is constantly evolving and new personal training trends are emerging all the time. Here are a few that are currently popular…
- Wearable Technology – this was top of the ACSM’s 2020 trend predictions. PTs are currently exploring how they can incorporate wearable tech into client workouts and tracking outside of sessions.
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) – this has been a hot trend for several years as it gets fantastic results for clients in a short amount of time.
- Active Aging – creating programs aimed at older adults enables PTs to work with the Baby Boomer generation who are living longer, wanting to maintain their activity levels, and have more disposable income than younger generations.
- Bodyweight Training – although equipment can help PTs add value to client workouts, bodyweight training has increased in popularity (particularly modern approaches to old-school calisthenics).
- Yoga – has been around for thousands of years but seen a mainstream resurgence off the back of boutique studios. PTs are increasingly incorporating mind-body elements into their offering to tap into this trend.
You might also like… Latest Yoga Industry Stats & Market Trends.
Personal Trainer Salary Statistics
According to data from the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics…
- The average salary of a personal trainer in the USA is $39,210 per year or $18.85 per hour.
- There were 299,200 personal trainer jobs available.
- The personal trainer employment rate is high and the number of PT roles is growing at a faster than average rate of 10%.
- There are predicted to be 30,100 additional personal trainer jobs by 2026 which makes it a promising career to pursue.
- However, the personal trainer turnover rate remains high as 90% quit within their first year.
Learn how to boost your PT income or check out these health coaching revenue ideas.
Personal Trainer Demographics Stats
Personal trainer facts and stats relating to demographics from Insure4Sport indicate that…
- 35% of UK personal trainers are female.
- Around 80% of PTs work on a freelance basis.
- Just 42% of personal trainers say they feel secure in their jobs.
- 57% of personal trainers say they never feel like they are stuck in a career rut.
- Over half of personal trainers (51%) say they don’t get stressed at work, compared to 21% of office workers.
Factors Influencing a Career in Personal Training
There are a number of factors that influence a person’s career choice and success in the field of personal training…
- The top 5 reasons that people become personal trainers are a passion for fitness (70%), wanting to help other people (44%), wanting to work for themselves (27%), wanting to work with people (26%), and having the opportunity to work flexibly (22%). [Statista]
- The most important factors for being a successful personal trainer in the USA are the ability to effectively communicate and negotiate, receiving the benefits of word of mouth recommendations, and easy access for clients [IBISWorld USA 2017].
- In the UK, the most important factors for being a successful PT are having a good reputation, good technical knowledge of the product, and membership of an industry organisation. [IBISWorld UK 2018].
- The top 10 health club chains in the world are based in the USA, UK, and Japan, and all employ personal trainers. [Wellness Creative Co.]
Certification & On-Going Education Statistics
The largest and most popular training providers are…
- The American Council on Exercise (ACE) and the National Association of Sports Medicine (NASM) have trained over 75,000 and 190,000 fitness professionals respectively.
- Future Fit has trained 30,000 elite fitness professionals in the UK, and along with YMCA, and Lifetime Training are one of the leading fitness education providers in the country.
Personal Training Statistics
If you’re interested in some benefits of personal training statistics to share with clients, then this section is for you. Research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning found that members who train with a PT achieve significantly greater fitness improvements than those who don’t…
- Lean body mass – increased by an average of 1.3kg in personal training group versus zero in self-training.
- Chest press strength (1RM) – increased by 42% in the PT group versus 19% in self-trained.
- Leg press strength – improved by 38% in the PT group versus 25% in self-trained.
- Leg power (vertical jump) – increased 6% in the PT group versus 0.6% in self-trained.
- Aerobic capacity (VO2 max) – increased 7% in the PT group but decreased by 0.3% in self-trained.
These personal training results statistics demonstrate the value of working with a qualified PT compared with trying to achieve goals alone.
Do you have additional statistics that you’d like included? Or have you published a research paper with interesting data-driven results? Use our contact form to let us know about other useful personal training facts and statistics.
2024 Fitness Industry Report
This is the most comprehensive and up-to-date fitness industry research report available. Unlike others, you get extended access to the 2024 edition, including any updates that are made as new market data becomes available. Ideal for business planning, the 90-page report includes;
- Fitness industry revenue & growth by market segment
- Gym market size, growth & membership data
- Online & virtual fitness market developments
- Financial information for the largest club operators globally
- Biggest & fastest growing fitness franchises
- Insights into the boutique fitness studio & personal training segments
- Latest industry trends & how to capitalize on them
- Growth markets, segments & audiences including Millennials
- Data on fitness tracker, app & equipment segments
- Outlook & evidence-based predictions for the future of the industry
- 14-day money-back guarantee, no questions or hassle.
The most comprehensive & up-to-date report on the fitness industry available. Includes revenue, growth, future outlook plus much more.
