Short answer: Across 699 gym job postings on Barbell Jobs that listed pay, the typical hourly coaching job advertised about $30 an hour in 2025–2026, up from $25 in 2023. Salaried coaching roles centered on $52,500 a year, and gym general manager postings centered on about $58,000 a year, though the manager sample is small.
Most salary data you'll find for fitness jobs comes from national surveys that lump every gym, studio, and big-box club together. The figures below come from a different source: the actual pay ranges that gym owners put in their job postings on Barbell Jobs, a job board built only for the fitness industry. Most of these employers are CrossFit affiliates, functional fitness gyms, and boutique studios.
Key findings
- Hourly coaches: the median posted rate rose from $25/hour in 2023 to $30/hour in 2024 and held at $30/hour in 2025–2026. The middle half of recent postings ran $25–$38/hour.
- Per-class pay: postings that paid by the class had a median of $26 per class, with the middle half between $23 and $30. All of these postings date from 2023, so treat this as a floor rather than a current rate.
- Salaried coaches: median $52,500 a year, middle half $47,500–$60,000 (88 postings).
- Personal trainers (hourly): median $32/hour across 22 postings.
- Gym general managers: median of about $58,000 a year across 16 postings. The typical posted range ran from roughly $36,000 at the low end to $70,000 at the high end.
- Other managers (studio, operations, membership and sales managers): median $62,500 a year across 13 postings.
How we calculated these numbers
We pulled every job posted on Barbell Jobs from 2023 through October 2026: 823 postings, 699 of which listed a pay range. We kept only U.S. dollar postings and grouped them by role (based on job title) and by pay basis: hourly, per class, or annual salary. For each posting we used the midpoint of the posted range, then took the median of those midpoints. "Middle half" means the 25th to 75th percentile. We removed obvious data-entry errors, such as hourly rates entered as annual salaries.
Two limits matter. First, these are advertised ranges, not what people were ultimately paid. Second, the employers skew toward CrossFit and functional fitness gyms, so big-box chains and franchise studios are underrepresented. Where a group has fewer than 25 postings, we say so.
How much do gym coaches make per hour?
The median hourly coaching posting on Barbell Jobs advertised $30/hour in 2025–2026, based on 111 postings. That's the same as 2024 (61 postings) and $5 higher than 2023 (127 postings, median $25/hour). The middle half of recent postings ran from $25 to $38/hour.
The jump between 2023 and 2024 is the clearest trend in the data. Hourly pay for coaches has not kept rising since, which suggests $30/hour has become the going rate many gyms anchor on when they post.
How much do gyms pay per class?
Postings that paid per class had a median of $26 per class, with most between $23 and $30. Every per-class posting in our data is from 2023; gyms posting since then have shifted to listing hourly rates. If you pay per class, compare your rate against the hourly figures above, counting the time a coach actually spends on site (setup, warm-ups, member conversations), not just class time.
What do salaried coaches and head coaches make?
Salaried coaching roles had a median of $52,500 a year, with the middle half between $47,500 and $60,000 (88 postings). Head coach and coaching director postings were fewer (23) and more spread out, with a median of $45,000 and a middle half of $40,000 to $63,000. It may look odd that head coaches show a lower median than salaried coaches. With only 23 postings and a wide spread, the head coach figure is much less reliable than the coach figures, so don't read too much into the gap.
How much do personal trainers make at gyms?
Hourly personal trainer postings had a median of $32/hour (22 postings), with the middle half between $27 and $47/hour. Trainer pay varies more than coaching pay. One likely reason is that some gyms post a per-session rate while others post a base wage that doesn't include commission.
How much should a gym pay a general manager?
Gym general manager postings had a median of about $58,000 a year. The typical posting listed a range from about $36,000 to $70,000. This is based on 16 postings, only four of them since 2025, so treat it as a directional benchmark rather than a market rate.
If you're writing a GM job posting, list a base salary range and explain how any bonus is earned. Our free gym general manager job description template shows how.
What this means for gym owners
- Hourly coaches: a posting below $25/hour is in the bottom quarter of what other gyms advertise. It is likely to draw fewer applicants.
- Per-class pay: if you still pay by the class, convert it to an effective hourly rate and compare it to $30/hour.
- Managers: list the base range and how the bonus works. Candidates compare postings side by side, and a missing range makes yours harder to evaluate.
What this means for coaches and trainers
- Use the middle-half ranges, not the medians, when you negotiate. Rates near the top of the range ($38/hour for hourly coaching) are the exception, not the norm.
- Ask how the role is paid before comparing offers. A per-class rate, an hourly rate, and a salary can describe very different total pay for the same schedule.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average hourly pay for a CrossFit coach?
Among hourly coaching postings on Barbell Jobs in 2025–2026, the median advertised rate was $30/hour, with the middle half between $25 and $38. Most of these employers are CrossFit and functional fitness gyms.
Do gyms pay coaches per class or per hour?
Both, but the mix has shifted. In our data, every per-class posting dates from 2023, while 2024–2026 postings list hourly rates or salaries.
How much does a gym general manager make?
GM postings on Barbell Jobs had a median of about $58,000 a year in base pay, typically advertised as a range of roughly $36,000 to $70,000. The sample is small (16 postings).
Is this data the same as what people actually earn?
No. These are pay ranges that employers advertised. Actual pay depends on negotiation, hours, bonuses, and commissions.
Hiring or job hunting?
Gym owners: post a job on Barbell Jobs to reach coaches, trainers, and managers who already work in the fitness industry.
Fitness professionals: join the free talent network for fitness professionals so gyms that are hiring can find you.