Have a question? To become a personal trainer in Alaska, you need the following:
- Be at least 18 years old
- You will need a GED or the equivalent
- Have a current adult CPR/AED Certification
- Become certified through a recognized personal training organization
Here are the best personal training certification options in Alaska:Â
- International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA-CPT)
- National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer (NASM-CPT)
- National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF-CPT)
- American Council on Exercise (ACE-CPT)
I recommend you take the quiz to find out which certification makes the most sense for your specific Alaska personal trainer career goals.
Personal Trainer Certification Alaska Cost
The cost of becoming a certified personal trainer in Alaska depends on the certification program you choose. The overall cost can fall between $450 and $1000.
Do you need a license to be a personal trainer in Alaska?
Since 2017, the state of Alaska has required that personal trainers have an athletic trainer’s license, and be certified by the Board of Certification for Athletic Trainers to qualify for a license. This plus the relevant education and experience will help you find the best jobs and command a higher salary.
Personal training schools in Alaska
Aside from the certs I mentioned or AFPA personal training certification, pretty much any NCCA-accredited certification will do. As far as post-primary personal trainer institutions go, however, Alaska has just two options.
- The University of Alaska Anchorage
- The Coastline Community College
With a total state population below 1 million, it’s unsurprising that only two tertiary institutes are available.
For a personal trainer license in Alaska, you’re looking at the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation departments.
Having a degree can give you some serious leverage in the fitness business, especially in such a tiny market as Alaska.
How Much Do Personal Trainers Make in Alaska
On average, a personal trainer in Alaska can expect to earn approximately $72,623 as of 2024, but the typical range is $52,389 to around $89,215. This can be affected by a wide range of factors that include the city of residence, qualification, education, additional skills, and years of experience amongst other factors as reported by salary.com.
The happiness threshold is a theoretical salary figure that has been identified as the ideal amount of money one can earn to live the most stress-free lifestyle on average.
Alaska’s PT salary average could be so high, besides the stable economy, because local wages are set to match the high cost of living.
In any case, the income potential is attractive for a PT in Alaska, which is excellent to know.
Make sure to check out the full guide on personal trainer salary.
State Fitness Rating
Firstly, I want us to understand the state’s fitness profile, which depends on how the populace gets involved in any form of physical activity.
Let’s look at how Alaska ranks compared to the other 49 states in the health and fitness category.
Alaska is on the fitter side of the scale, according to statistics by exercise.com.
It is ranked as the 21st fittest state in America according to metrics determined by a few factors.
These factors include the obesity prevalence rate and gyms per capita.
Regarding obesity rankings, Alaska comes in at number 31 out of 50. Not a great start, but far from the worst.
Where Alaska pulls its socks up is when it comes to top gyms per capita.
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With 6.2 top gyms per inhabitant, a good amount of service is available in the health and fitness sector there.
Top gyms are all the mainstream commercial gyms most people would be familiar with, even if they don’t actually use fitness facilities or fitness centers.
These include:
- Planet Fitness
- Orange Theory Fitness
- LA Fitness
- Gold’s Gym
- YMCA
- Snap Fitness
- Crunch Fitness
- Anytime Fitness
- 24 Hour Fitness
Gyms that are specifically popular with locals to achieve their fitness goals include:
- Alaska Fitness
- The Alaska Club Downtown
- Southside Strength and Fitness
- The Alaska Club For Women
Alaska’s fitness ranking is in the top half of America’s fitness rankings, which is a good statistic for the population and a promising fact for prospective fitness professionals.
Fitness Market Makeup
It’s important to note that Alaska has a tiny population compared to most other states.
With a population size of just 741,894, Alaska’s numbers rival some cities in other states.
Therefore, we’ll only be looking at Anchorage, the only settlement with a population above 100 thousand inhabitants.
What this means is although the market is relatively active and engaged, it is a tiny space to operate as a fitness trainer and is likely saturated.
That doesn’t mean you have no opportunity as a CPT in Alaska club classes.
It just means you’ll need to really step your game up to reap the rewards from the relatively slim pickings of Alaska club careers.
Alaska is an expansive landmass. Despite its tiny population, it is actually the largest state in terms of physical area.
There is quite a significant nature and outdoor activity culture because of this.
This could also give you some clues and ideas as to what niche you should hone in on when it comes to offering physical fitness services.
You can work with individuals needing strength conditioning for hiking and also help older adults with joint-friendly exercises.
Becoming a personal trainer anchorage involves holding personal training sessions or small group fitness classes to improve individuals’ overall well-being through cardio or pilates exercises.
Personal Trainer Certifications in Alaska
Personal training certification is all that is needed to get a job as a personal trainer in the Alaska club employment circle.
To become a personal trainer in Anchorage or any other city, you’ll need to get certified through the right certification training in Alaska.
Exercise science schools in Alaska are sparse, as you can see when you search “personal training school near me” on Google, as you will soon learn that certification may be your best option.
I have written an article on my best personal trainer certifications.
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Overall here are my top 2 best personal trainer certificates in Alabama. Make sure to check all of them.
Personal Trainer Jobs in Alaska
Starting a career in fitness will likely see you looking for a job as a gym employee.
This is a great way for you to start with a secure income and benefits while you gain experience and build your reputation.
The main game plan is to elevate your career towards fitness entrepreneurship.
Progressing toward running your own business is the best way to ensure true financial freedom and personal fulfillment as a professional trainer.
It’s also the best route to deal with such a small local market.
The gyms can only cater to so many members of the general population, but you can niche down and price up as an independent trainer.
Personal trainer jobs in Anchorage are few but lucrative.
Becoming an online personal trainer is also a great idea apart from Alaska club careers.
If you haven’t yet, be sure to take the quiz to find out the best personal trainer certification for your career.
Best Cities to Be a Personal Trainer in Alaska
As I’ve already mentioned, you can only really look at Anchorage as a viable option if you want to proceed with a PT career in Alaska.
The rest of the human settlements in the state are basically small towns with populations in the tens of thousands.
That makes Anchorage the best city and the only city where you can work as a PT.
| City In Alaska | Population |
|---|---|
| Anchorage | 282,958 |
| Juneau | 31,848 |
| Fairbanks | 29,859 |
| Badger | 18,911 |
| Knik-Fairview | 17,457 |
| College | 12,791 |
| Wasilla | 11,562 |
Quality of Life Rating
Alaska is generally understood to have a high quality of life.
The low population and active economy allow for a good standard of living and enough resources and services to go around, with little opportunity for crime to flourish.
The cost of living in Alaska is, however, fairly high, ranking as the 10th most expensive in America concerning life in Anchorage.
According to statistics by teleport.org, this also reports a high level of business freedom, healthcare access, social tolerance, and economy.
The business freedom rating offers promise when it comes to setting up shop as an independent fitness instructor.
Lastly, the vast natural environment adds a cherry on top of the QoL rating Alaska enjoys.
Methodology
After in-depth research, I was able to come up with this detailed review based on the following points:
- The population of the state and its major cities.
- The obesity figures as compared with other states.
- Personal trainer certifications available in Alaska
- Availability of personal training schools & colleges.
- Career prospects for personal trainers.
- Earning potential for certified PTs.
- Quality of Life (QoL).
Final Words on How to Become a Personal Trainer in Alaska
Alaska is a mild, quaint place to live and work for a fitness specialist. Statistics indicate that it’s not a bad place to set up a personal training business.
The only major flaw is the tiny population size, which means finding a big enough clientele on a zero-sum scale is quite tricky.
Your location options are limited in this regard. You can only really become a personal trainer in Anchorage.
If you work in the Anchorage fitness club, your workout plans for clients should include weight loss and fitness plans.
You also have a very limited selection of Kinesiology schools in Alaska, with only one university in the whole state offering personal trainer certification in Anchorage.
The fitness rating, quality of life, and high average PT salary make it worth considering if you don’t mind a bit of cold and social isolation.
FAQs on How to Become a Personal Trainer in Alaska
How do I become a personal trainer in Alaska?
Personal trainers in Alaska are expected to have a national certification, a relevant degree, and some sort of experience.
So, it would help if you got certified in a fitness specialization that will help maintain the populace’s wellness.
How to get certified for a personal trainer?
You can get certified as a personal trainer through any of these certification bodies:
– National Strength and Conditioning Association’s Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA-CSCS)
– The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
– The American Council on Exercise (ACE)
– The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
– American Fitness Professionals and Associates (AFPA)
What qualifications do I need to be a personal trainer?
Before you can become a personal trainer in Alaska, the following basic qualifications are needed:
– A high school diploma or GED
– CPR/AED certification
– First Aid certification
– Undergo a short course with a certified personal trainer body or enroll in a college or university for an associate or bachelor’s degree program.
How hard is it to become a certified personal trainer?
Becoming a personal trainer is not hard if you have the passion and willingness to learn and impart the same to others.
If you want to pursue higher levels of credentials to boost your status in the training industry, be ready to invest a lot of money to fulfill your dreams.
How many years does it take to become a personal trainer?
The number of years it takes to acquire a certification depends on your certification choice.
A certification program typically takes between 3 months to 2 years to be completed.
An associate or bachelor’s degree program will take an average of 2-4 years, depending on the course of study.
References
https://www.exercise.com/learn/ten-fittest-states-in-the-us/
https://www.americankinesiology.org/SubPages/Pages/Kinesiology%20Institution%20Database
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Tyler Read
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