Becoming a personal trainer in Florida can be the start of a very fulfilling, long-lasting career. This is not only because personal trainers in the state are in great demand and are well-rewarded for their expertise, but also because the profession offers a genuine chance to help others fulfill a personal goal and derive happiness from it.
The following guide analyzes everything that an interested individual must keep in mind when launching a personal trainer career in Florida. These include prospective work environments, annual average returns, top certification programs, and career outlook.
We also break down licensing and regulatory concerns that are worth noting.
How to Become a Personal Trainer in Florida
Residents of Florida can obtain personal training certification by following the steps below.
Soft Skills
As with most professions, several attributes give candidates an edge when it comes to starting a successful personal training career in Florida. These include communication, problem-solving, fitness, customer service, and stamina.
Education and Formal Training
It has become an established convention in the field that aspiring personal trainers must complete a degree program. However, individuals do not necessarily need to complete a bachelor’s degree program, as they can achieve the same objective by completing a two-year associate degree program.
Students may focus on several options for their chosen program, ranging from kinesiology and physical education to nutrition, exercise science, and sports physiology/psychology.
Certification
To have a chance at career success, aspiring personal trainers must become certified by a recognized organization and obtain CPR certification.
We discussed the steps and requirements needed to achieve this objective in the next section.
Resume and Client Building
Properly trained personal trainers who are already certified can start to build a resume and develop an extensive list of returning clients. Individuals may leverage the Internet, referrals, and professional networks to discover and retain clients.
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Licensure & Certification Requirements
The American Council on Exercise is one of the most prominent and reputable certifying agencies for personal trainers nationwide. Individuals in Florida may acquire the council’s Personal Trainer Certification after completing a unique program and passing the certification examination.
It is also a common requirement for certifying bodies to ask for periodic recertification, which happens every 2 years in the case of the ACE.
Other prominent certifications that personal trainers in Florida may pursue include the Certified Personal Trainer certification from the American College of Sports Medicine and the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist credential from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
CPR certification is also an absolutely vital consideration for professional trainers in Florida.
Top Personal Trainer Schools in Florida
Below are some notable destinations for personal training certification in Florida.
National Personal Training Institute of Florida
Orlando, FL Campus + Online
National Personal Training Institute of Florida offers one of the most extensive personal fitness training programs in the state, making it a top choice for aspiring personal trainers in Miami. The core program spans 600 hours and combines a scientific approach with a hands-on learning structure that includes 328 hours of live classroom instruction and 218 hours of practical training in a gym setting.
Tuition
Call for DetailsContact
(407) 772-0057
admission@nptifl.com
Florida Gulf Coast University
Fort Myers, FL Campus + Online
Florida Gulf Coast University presents another compelling option for those entering the personal training field.
Tuition
$203 - $838 per CreditContact
(239) 590-1000
admissions@fgcu.edu
University of West Florida
Online, FL Online Only
The University of West Florida provides a certified personal trainer program that focuses on hard fitness skills and essential soft skills necessary for success in the field.
Tuition
$1,295 - $1,995 per ProgramContact
(855) 520-6806
ContinuingEd@uwf.edu
Explore personal trainer schools in Florida by city:
Salary & Career Outlook
Personal trainers in the state of Florida can make an annual average salary of $25,007 to $99,795, depending on where they are in their careers concerning optimizable factors. These factors are varied and can include a professional’s experience level, specific location in the state, and marketing approach.
Those who are extremely positive about these factors can manage an annual average salary of $99,795, while those who are still working on them may have to begin with an annual average salary of $25,007.
As for the best locations to work as a personal trainer in Florida, we have Melbourne, where the annual average salary is $73,556; Miami Beach, with an annual average salary of $67,507; and Tamarac, with an annual average salary of $66,546.