Utah’s breathtaking landscape has made the state the ideal haven for fitness aficionados. As local climbers, rafters, and hikers enthusiastically embrace Utah’s five national parks, forty-three state parks, and over twenty-two million acres of public land, more personal trainers like you will continue to fill job positions that offer great salaries.
Of course, local companies that cater to the outdoorsy crowd are not the only employers for personal trainers. You can also find high paying jobs in the fitness and athletic club circuits, as Utah’s is home to VASA Fitness gyms with eighteen locations throughout the state. Major gym chain Anytime Fitness also has a strong presence in Utah, currently boasting twenty-five facilities here.
While place of employment will certainly effect your salary earning ceiling in Utah, your personal interest in your own career will most likely have the greater impact on your future pay. Examples of popular way to enhance your worth to potential employers include:
- Preserving and growing your personal clientele base
- Earning a postsecondary degree in a fitness-related field such as kinesiology, physical education or exercise science
- Gaining a professional edge by obtaining your personal trainer certification through a certifying body like the American College of Sports Medicine
A Look at Personal Trainer Salaries in Utah
Good paying jobs are not the only aspect that draws personal trainers to Utah. According to the United States Department of Labor, personal trainers will experience a 26% employment growth change from 2012 through 2022, which is the double the national growth for this occupation during this same period.
Once employed, you may quickly discover that pay offers are largely dependent upon your level of work experience. Therefore, if you cultivate a long-term career in Utah, you can expect to be handsomely rewarded. In 2013, experienced fitness trainers in Utah earned $45,000 more annually than novices in entry-level positions:
- Entry-Level: $18,900/yr.
- Mid-Career: $35,300/yr.
- Experienced: $63,900/yr.
Of course, you may want to pursue a personal trainer job only on a part-time basis or even become an independent contractor. In 2012, one out of ten fitness trainers in the United States were self-employed. If you do land a part-time gig, you can anticipate receiving hourly wages that are also influenced by your previous experience:
- Entry-Level: $9.10/hr.
- Mid-Career: $16.99/hr.
- Experienced: $30.74/hr.
Regional Pay Averages for Personal Trainers in Utah
Another major dynamic affecting personal trainer salaries and wages in Utah is geographic location of employment. In 2013, the United States Department of Labor found that personal trainers in the Provo-Orem earned the highest salaries in the state. Here are additional pay averages in other prominent regional areas of Utah: