10 JOBS FOR EXERCISE SCIENCE MAJORS
If you are reading this I am guessing that you are either working towards, earned or know someone who is working on or earned a college degree in Exercise Science. As someone who has both a bachelors and masters degree in exercise science, and working in a related profession for the past eight years, I have great news for you. There are more job opportunities out there than you think!
I decided to pursue exercise science because I enjoyed learning about the human body and how to optimize health and wellness. My motivation was to take what I learned over the course of my education and apply it directly to me as an experiment to assess how I responded to different exercise protocols and health interventions in order to become an expert in the field.
If you ask my parents what I do they might tell you, "Oh he's a personal trainer" or "I think he's a sports coach" or "He's a lifestyle coach" or some other uncertain explanation of what they think I do. The truth is, I have learned some aspect of all the skills included in those careers and there are times when I do all of those things but there are also times where I do something completely different.
Over the years I have kept my eyes open in the job market and have identified 10 career paths that someone with an exercise science degree can pursue.
1.) Strength and Conditioning Coach (Private Sector or Collegiate)
Prerequisite(s): Bachelors Degree, Strength and Conditioning Specialist Certification (NSCA-CSCS), internship experience or graduate assistantship as a strength and conditioning coach prior to full-time coaching position.
Estimated Salary Range | $21K-$50K+
Job Board | NSCA Career Center OR NCAA Market
2.) Collegiate Recreation Professional (Fitness or Other)
Prerequisite(s): Bachelors degree, professional internship experience and/or graduate assistantship in higher education, campus recreation (preferred) or other related field.
Estimated Salary Range | $35K-$55K+
Job Board | NIRSA Bluefish Jobs
3.) Personal Training Manager
Prerequisite(s): High school diploma, sometimes Bachelors degree or higher in health/business management/sales or other related field.
Estimated Salary Range | $25K-$40K+
Job Board | Indeed - Personal Training Manager OR Glassdoor - Personal Training Manager
4.) Collegiate Health Promotion Specialist/ Public Health Sector
Prerequisite(s): Bachelors degree, masters degree in Public Health, board certification as Health Promotion Specialist, may require other additional credentials/experience.
Estimated Salary Range | $40K-$55K+
Job Board | APHA Public Health Career Mart OR National Wellness Institute Career Board
5.) Corporate Wellness Specialist
Prerequisite(s): Bachelors degree in exercise science, health studies or other related field, internship in corporate wellness or other related field. Possession of professional fitness certification (e.g. personal trainer, group fitness instructor, wellness coach, nutrition coach etc.).
Estimated Salary Range | $25K-$60K+
Job Board | National Wellness Institute Career Board OR Indeed - Corporate Wellness Specialist
6.) Tactical Strength and Conditioning Specialist
Prerequisite(s): Bachelors Degree, NSCA TSAC Certification, field experience (Internship or Relative), may require other additional credentials/experience.
Estimated Salary Range | $45K-$65K+
Job Board | NSCA Career Center OR USA Jobs - Tactical S&C Coach
7.) Clinical Exercise Physiologist
Prerequisite(s): Bachelors Degree, Sometimes Masters Degree, Clinical Exercise Physiology Certification (ACSM-CEP), may require other additional credentials/experience.
Estimated Salary Range | $40K-$69K+
Job Board | Indeed - Exercise Physiologist
8.) Physical Therapist (DPT)
Prerequisite(s): Bachelors degree, physical therapy school (graduate school), board certification, state license, may require other additional credentials/experience.
Estimated Salary Range | $58K-$100K+
Job Board | APTA Career Center OR USA Jobs - Physical Therapist
9.) Physician Assistant (PA)
Prerequisite(s): Bachelors degree, physician assistant school (graduate school), board certification, state license, may require other additional credentials.
Estimated Salary Range | $78K-$140K+
Job Board | AAPA JobSource
10.) Fitness Equipment Territory Vendor
Prerequisite(s): Some college - Bachelors degree; may prefer higher education (i.e. masters degree), may require other additional credentials/experience.
Estimated Salary Range | $30K-$60K+
Job Board | Glassdoor - Fitness Sales
I decided to pursue exercise science because I enjoyed learning about the human body and how to optimize health and wellness. My motivation was to take what I learned over the course of my education and apply it directly to me as an experiment to assess how I responded to different exercise protocols and health interventions in order to become an expert in the field.
If you ask my parents what I do they might tell you, "Oh he's a personal trainer" or "I think he's a sports coach" or "He's a lifestyle coach" or some other uncertain explanation of what they think I do. The truth is, I have learned some aspect of all the skills included in those careers and there are times when I do all of those things but there are also times where I do something completely different.
Over the years I have kept my eyes open in the job market and have identified 10 career paths that someone with an exercise science degree can pursue.
1.) Strength and Conditioning Coach (Private Sector or Collegiate)
Prerequisite(s): Bachelors Degree, Strength and Conditioning Specialist Certification (NSCA-CSCS), internship experience or graduate assistantship as a strength and conditioning coach prior to full-time coaching position.
Estimated Salary Range | $21K-$50K+
Job Board | NSCA Career Center OR NCAA Market
2.) Collegiate Recreation Professional (Fitness or Other)
Prerequisite(s): Bachelors degree, professional internship experience and/or graduate assistantship in higher education, campus recreation (preferred) or other related field.
Estimated Salary Range | $35K-$55K+
Job Board | NIRSA Bluefish Jobs
3.) Personal Training Manager
Prerequisite(s): High school diploma, sometimes Bachelors degree or higher in health/business management/sales or other related field.
Estimated Salary Range | $25K-$40K+
Job Board | Indeed - Personal Training Manager OR Glassdoor - Personal Training Manager
4.) Collegiate Health Promotion Specialist/ Public Health Sector
Prerequisite(s): Bachelors degree, masters degree in Public Health, board certification as Health Promotion Specialist, may require other additional credentials/experience.
Estimated Salary Range | $40K-$55K+
Job Board | APHA Public Health Career Mart OR National Wellness Institute Career Board
5.) Corporate Wellness Specialist
Prerequisite(s): Bachelors degree in exercise science, health studies or other related field, internship in corporate wellness or other related field. Possession of professional fitness certification (e.g. personal trainer, group fitness instructor, wellness coach, nutrition coach etc.).
Estimated Salary Range | $25K-$60K+
Job Board | National Wellness Institute Career Board OR Indeed - Corporate Wellness Specialist
6.) Tactical Strength and Conditioning Specialist
Prerequisite(s): Bachelors Degree, NSCA TSAC Certification, field experience (Internship or Relative), may require other additional credentials/experience.
Estimated Salary Range | $45K-$65K+
Job Board | NSCA Career Center OR USA Jobs - Tactical S&C Coach
7.) Clinical Exercise Physiologist
Prerequisite(s): Bachelors Degree, Sometimes Masters Degree, Clinical Exercise Physiology Certification (ACSM-CEP), may require other additional credentials/experience.
Estimated Salary Range | $40K-$69K+
Job Board | Indeed - Exercise Physiologist
8.) Physical Therapist (DPT)
Prerequisite(s): Bachelors degree, physical therapy school (graduate school), board certification, state license, may require other additional credentials/experience.
Estimated Salary Range | $58K-$100K+
Job Board | APTA Career Center OR USA Jobs - Physical Therapist
9.) Physician Assistant (PA)
Prerequisite(s): Bachelors degree, physician assistant school (graduate school), board certification, state license, may require other additional credentials.
Estimated Salary Range | $78K-$140K+
Job Board | AAPA JobSource
10.) Fitness Equipment Territory Vendor
Prerequisite(s): Some college - Bachelors degree; may prefer higher education (i.e. masters degree), may require other additional credentials/experience.
Estimated Salary Range | $30K-$60K+
Job Board | Glassdoor - Fitness Sales
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