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Exercise Physiologists Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks

SOC 29-1128 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data

Median Annual Salary
$59,467
$28.59/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Exercise Physiologists salary in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

$Competitive · ~P50
P10$43K
P25$50K
P50$59K
P75$67K
P90$81K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
🔥
Demand: HOT. Demand is hot -- health care job openings are running at 5.3% (JOLTS, June 2026), a tight market. Candidates have leverage, so a competitive offer sits at or above the median; below-median offers often will not close.
📈
Merit budget: Wages in health care are rising about 3.6% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 3.2-3.7% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $59,467 to $67,226 (market median to the 75th percentile). Lean toward the top of the range for senior or hard-to-fill roles.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Exercise Physiologists pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

Median pay for this role rose 2.3% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, trailing the 3.6% wage growth of Health Care & Social Assistance (BLS ECI).

Hiring demand · HOT

Health Care & Social Assistance is running a 5.3% job-openings rate with quits at 1.9% (BLS JOLTS). Demand has cooled for 2 straight months (6.1% down to 5.3%).

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 1.9 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is narrower than typical, so pay is fairly standardized; small differences move a candidate across the market.

What changed recently
  • Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings fell from 5.9% to 5.3% (down 147K), the sharpest monthly cooling this year, though still the second-tightest market.
  • Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: sector wages growing 3.6% per year, the fastest of any major sector. Health benefit costs rose 6.0% nationally.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Exercise Physiologists is $59,467 per year ($28.59/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $49,629 and $67,226 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $80,558 per year. There are approximately 8,560 exercise physiologists employed in the United States.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

Assess, plan, or implement fitness programs that include exercise or physical activities such as those designed to improve cardiorespiratory function, body composition, muscular strength, muscular endurance, or flexibility.

Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+9.5%
Much faster than average
Annual openings
2K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
24K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
14% from new growth86% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None

Industry Wage Breakdown

Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
IndustryWorkforce Median Pay
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
NAICS 622100
5K$59,740
Offices of Other Health Practitioners
NAICS 621300
1K$45,180
Offices of Physicians
NAICS 621100
750$57,010
Other Ambulatory Health Care Services
NAICS 621900
270$53,940
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999100
250$97,470
Wage range across top 5 industries: $45,180 to $97,470 (116% spread)

Wage Percentiles

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
PercentileHourly RateAnnual Salary
P10$20.56$42,765
P25$23.86$49,629
P50MEDIAN$28.59$59,467
P75$32.32$67,226
P90$38.73$80,558

Market Context Signal

JOLTS · health sector
Hot
Openings Rate
5.3%
Quits Rate
1.9%

Health Care & Social Assistance openings fell 147K to 1.35M in June, rate down from 5.9% to 5.3% -- the sector's biggest monthly cooling this year, though it remains the second-tightest market. Quits edged up to 1.9%; compensation pressure persists for clinical roles.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average exercise physiologists salary?

The national median salary for Exercise Physiologists is $59,467 per year ($28.59/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $49,629 and $67,226 annually.

How much do top-earning exercise physiologists make?

The 90th percentile salary for Exercise Physiologists is $80,558 per year ($38.73/hr). The 75th percentile is $67,226 per year.

What is the entry-level salary for exercise physiologists?

Entry-level Exercise Physiologists (10th percentile) earn approximately $42,765 per year ($20.56/hr). The 25th percentile is $49,629 per year.

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Exercise Physiologists Salary by State

Top 5 states by employment
California640 workersPennsylvania640 workersMichigan570 workersTexas520 workersColorado370 workers

About This Data

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.

P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.

Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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