Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Bachelor's degree
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These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Exercise physiologists work in a field that combines science, health, and human interaction. With national employment of 24,000 and projected growth of 9.5%, the occupation offers a defined but growing niche for people interested in exercise, wellness, and clinical or performance settings. The national median salary of $58,160 places this role in a solid professional range, with some states and metro areas offering notably higher pay. The work draws on skills such as science, critical and analytical thinking, interpersonal communication, speaking and listening, and problem solving and decision making. Physical strength and stamina are also important, reflecting the active nature of the role. People drawn to both human biology and helping others reach physical goals may find this career appealing. For those exploring alternatives, related paths include roles such as therapists (all other), healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners (all other), occupational health and safety technicians, farm and home management educators, and career/technical education teachers at the middle school level.
The national median annual salary for exercise physiologists is $58,160, but earnings vary across states and metro areas. Among the top states by opportunity score, Washington shows the highest listed median salary at $81,310, followed by Massachusetts at $65,950, Colorado at $63,800, and California at $62,440. New York’s median sits close to the national level at $59,940. At the metro level, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA stands out with a median salary of $84,300, while other leading metros cluster in the low-to-mid $60,000s, including Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $64,170; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $63,960; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at $63,480; and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $61,380. These differences suggest that location choice can have a meaningful impact on earning potential within this occupation.
Exercise physiologists have national employment of 24,000, with projected employment growth of 9.5%. This growth projection indicates that the field is expected to add jobs over time. There are an estimated 2,000 annual openings, which reflects a combination of new positions and turnover in existing roles. Together, these numbers show a career path with ongoing movement in the labor market, giving prospective workers periodic entry points. The consistent 9.5% growth figure appears across the national level, the top states, and the leading metro areas listed, suggesting that the occupation’s growth outlook is broadly similar in these highlighted locations. For career planners, this means that while the total size of the field is relatively focused, there is measurable projected expansion and recurring opportunities for people entering or advancing within the profession.
Location can significantly shape the experience of working as an exercise physiologist. Among states with the highest CareerGPS opportunity scores, California, Massachusetts, and New York all pair substantial opportunity scores (65.78–67.38) with median salaries around or above $60,000. Washington and Colorado also offer strong opportunity scores (56.29 and 56.97), but Washington stands out with a notably higher median salary of $81,310. Looking at metro areas, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ top the list, each with opportunity scores above 77 and median salaries in the low $60,000s. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA combines an opportunity score above 61 with the highest metro median salary of $84,300. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH also offer mid-$60,000 median salaries and solid opportunity scores above 63. Across these locations, employment levels range from about 40 to 370, illustrating a mix of smaller and larger labor markets for this career.
The typical education requirement for exercise physiologists is a bachelor’s degree. This level of education supports the scientific and analytical foundation needed in the field. Key skills include science, mathematics, and critical and analytical thinking, which align with coursework that emphasizes understanding the body, measurement, and data-driven decision making. Strong interpersonal, speaking and listening, and customer service skills highlight the importance of working effectively with people, whether clients, patients, or colleagues. Writing and reading abilities are also central for documenting information, understanding technical material, and communicating clearly. Physical strength and stamina are important, reflecting the physical demands that can be part of the role. Leadership and problem solving and decision making round out the core skill profile, supporting responsibilities that may involve guiding others, using judgment, and addressing challenges in clinical, performance, or wellness-oriented environments where exercise physiology expertise is applied.
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