How to Become a Personal Trainer in Georgia in 2024

In order to become a personal trainer in Georgia, you will need the following:

1. Be at least 18 years old
2. Have a GED or the equivalent
3. Have an up to date adult CPR/AED Certification
4. Become certified through a recognized personal training organization

Personal Trainer Certification Georgia

Here are the best personal training certification options in Georgia: 

1. International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA-CPT)
2. National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer (NASM-CPT)
3. National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF-CPT)
4. American Council on Exercise (ACE-CPT)

I recommend that you take the quiz to find out which certification makes the most sense for your specific Georgia personal trainer career goals.

Personal Trainer Certification Georgia Cost

The cost of becoming a personal trainer in Georgia largely depends on the chosen certification, but it typically ranges between $448 and $998.

Do you need a license to be a personal trainer in Georgia?

A majority of employers in Georgia do not require a certification, but others will prefer certified personal trainers. Whether you plan on working independently or getting employed in a fitness center or gym, having the right certification will improve your chances of success, in addition to CPR and first aid skills, as well as some experience.

Personal Trainer Schools Georgia

There are a few personal trainer schools in Georgia that you can choose from. From my research, to get a personal trainer license in Georgia, here are the top exercise science schools to consider:

• Albany State University Nursing & Health & Human Performance
• Armstrong State University Health Science 
• Augusta University Kinesiology and Health Science 
• Augusta University-Medical College of Georgia College of Allied Health
• Berry College Kinesiology
• Brenau University Science, Health Care, and Liberal Arts
• Clark Atlanta University Community Health Education/Health Care Management
• Clayton State University Health and Fitness Management
• Columbus State University Department of Health, Physical Activity and Exercise Science 
• Emmanuel College Kinesiology and Sports Management
• Emory University PT program
• Georgia College and State University Kinesiology and Physical Education 
• Georgia Institute of Technology Applied Physiology
• Georgia Southern University Health and Kinesiology 
• Georgia Southwestern State Health and Human Performance 
• Georgia State University Kinesiology and Health  Doctoral
• Kennesaw State University Health and Human Services 
• LaGrange College Physical Therapy
• Mercer University Health Physics
• Morehouse College Kinesiology, Sport Studies, and Physical Education
• Oglethorpe University Allied Health
• Reinhardt College Physical Education and Sports Studies
• University of Georgia Department of Kinesiology  Doctoral
• University of North Georgia Health and Physical Education 
• University of West Georgia Sport Management, Wellness and Physical Education
• Valdosta State University Kinesiology and Physical Education

If you haven’t yet, be sure to take the quiz to find out the best personal trainer certification for your career.

How Much Do Personal Trainers Make in Georgia?

On average, a personal trainer in Georgia will make $64,590, but the typical salary range falls between $46,594 and $79,347. Many factors will affect how much you can earn including your chosen city, your level of education, certifications, experience, and additional skills that may bring value to the business. Check out the salary.com report.

Make sure to check out the general guide on how to become a personal trainer.

State Fitness Rating

Understanding a state’s fitness culture will help understand fitness professionals’ career prospects.

Before we discuss personal trainer certification programs in Columbus, we must look at the state fitness rating.

This rating will be based on the ranking system set forth by the kind folks over at exercise.com.

The fitness ranking has many factors plugged in to make it a comprehensive statistic. Still, the two I’ll be looking at relate to obesity and the presence of gyms and fitness facilities.

Regarding obesity, Georgia finds itself on the unhealthy end of the spectrum.

With an obesity prevalence rate of 31.4% of the population, Georgia does have a bit of a problem. 

A high obesity rate means a population with generally low interest or awareness in health and fitness as part of their lifestyle.

Depending on how you approach personal trainer jobs in Augusta-Richmond County, Columbus, and Atlanta, this could be a challenge or an opportunity.

Georgia’s obesity stats can be attributed to its traditional diet culture. The “soul food” cuisine consisting of rich fatty, high GI foods is a part of Georgian culture as it is its nemesis.

The 31.4% obesity statistics puts Georgia in 31st place out of 51.

As for gym presence, this factor is based on the top gyms per 100,000 residents.

The data is focused on top gyms because these are the types of gyms that the average Joe can afford and find easy to use.

There are bound to be numerous other gyms and fitness facilities dotted across the state. 

These are either on the pricier end of the spectrum, such as boutique or private gyms, or they are too specialized for anyone just to drop in.

Exclusive PTP CPT Offers
Gold Standard Cert	Most Popular Cert	Best Study Materials
A Good Option	A Good Option	Best CPT for you?

For that reason, we are only looking at how many of the famous, mainstream commercial gyms are available in the state, such as the ones listed below:

• 24 Hour Fitness
• Crunch Fitness
• Orange Theory Fitness
• Planet Fitness
• LA Fitness
• Gold’s Gym
• YMCA
• Snap Fitness
• Anytime Fitness

As far as Georgia is concerned, there are 587 top gyms.

With a population of 10,310,371, the access to that amount of gyms isn’t too bad and ranks Georgia in the top half when it comes to gym access.

Georgia has a state fitness ranking of 26, placing it right in the middle as the best of the bottom half.

In my opinion, this means a great opportunity for a CPT. Regarding fitness, the middle ground means the industry is at a turning point where a boom in fitness could occur.

Especially when looking at Georgia and its major cities like Atlanta, we see a progressive shift in terms of the culture and the economy.

This growth and change of perspective are what will influence new attitudes towards fitness and the fitness industry that will sustain them.

do you need a certificate to be a personal trainer?

You don’t technically need a certificate to be a personal trainer in the United States. However, most employers and clients alike require or prefer trainers who hold a valid NCCA-accredited personal training certification.

Fitness Market Makeup

Georgia’s population is small in comparison to other states of similar significance.

It is a small, mostly conservative state, still very much stooped in Southern tradition.

That means your client prospects will typically have very humble health and fitness goals, such as weight loss or corrective exercises.

There’s no muscle beach to flex their guns, and there isn’t a massive outdoor adventure community as you would find in parts of Colorado.

That means your best odds lie in working in or collaborating with the mainstream commercial gym industry with a decent presence in the state.

Because of the high obesity prevalence and its linked to diet, the makeup of many of your prospects will consist of overweight to obese individuals.

That means being skilled as a diet coach or having some form of nutrition certification in Atlanta will be useful.

You could also look into some of the more upmarket gyms if you want to deal with a more specialist clientele.

Some of these include:

• Urban Body Fitness
• Equilibrium Fitness
• LIV Fitness
• The Forum Athletic Club
• Powerlady Fitness

Personal Trainer Certifications in Georgia

Personal trainer certification in Atlanta and other cities is needed to get a job as a personal trainer in Georgia.

I have written an article on my best personal trainer certifications. Use this as a guide to becoming a certified personal trainer in Georgia.

Overall here are my top 2 best personal trainer certificates in Georgia.

• NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine)
• ISSA (International Sports Sciences Association)

Personal trainer certification in Atlanta is pretty much the same as anywhere else in the country.

You can also attend a Train the Trainer GA or personal trainer school in Atlanta to obtain a certification.

Your best bet for winning over clients apart from your communication skills is to go through the Atlanta personal trainer program.

Personal Trainer Jobs in Georgia

With a decent prevalence of commercial gyms, fitness clubs, or fitness centers, your best bet is to start there. 

Exclusive PTP CPT Offers
Gold Standard Cert	Most Popular Cert	Best Study Materials
A Good Option	A Good Option	Best CPT for you?

You should aim for personal training jobs in Atlanta, Augusta-Richmond, or Columbus since these are the most populated cities.

Starting as a gym employee will also allow you to accumulate the necessary experience and build a reputation as you become a personal trainer in Atlanta, Georgia.

From experience, you can create specialized exercise programs and personal training sessions to help push up their fitness level more.

That’s where you take matters into your own hands and set off to build your own PT business.

I strongly advise that you build a robust online fitness platform.

Online fitness has become the fastest-growing industry, with the world progressively shifting towards a more digital economy.

For example, you might as well jump onto this trend when looking at personal trainer jobs in Columbus.

When there is a search for “hire a personal trainer near me,” you should be found with ease.

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 Georgia

Georgia is a smallish state, and with that, its largest cities don’t even reach the 1 million population mark.

Nevertheless, you want to know which cities are the most populated, as this is where your odds are best as a trainer.

Let’s take a look:

Atlanta has the largest population by a significant margin, making it the only city in Georgia to tip over 500k inhabitants.

Atlanta has a very cosmopolitan vibe as it stands and is quite the outlier when looking at the state’s general atmosphere.

If you can, try your utmost to operate as an Atlanta personal trainer.

Becoming a personal trainer in Augusta-Richmond County or Columbia could also be lucrative. Still, the odds are definitely less favorable than landing a gig in a health club as a personal trainer in Atlanta, GA.

But before anything else, ensure you have a personal trainer certification in Georgia.

Personal Trainer Salary in Georgia

Learning what you could earn before you become a personal trainer in Columbus or any other city would be wise.

In Atlanta, the average PT salary is $61,801 per year. That puts it more or less in line with the national average of $61,802, give or take a few dollars.

Personal training in Atlanta, GA, is quite lucrative, especially if you have a personal trainer certification in Georgia.

Make sure to check out the full guide on personal trainer salary.

Quality of Life Rating

According to atlantamagazine.com, Georgia has America’s tenth worst quality of life!

This is due to the low levels of employment and income and the high crime rate, especially concerning homicide.

This all changes when focusing on Atlanta, which is steadily becoming one of the nation’s cultural and economic hubs with great healthcare and business freedom.

Two things that will benefit you as personal trainers in Atlanta.

Overall, I give Georgia a 6/10 QoL rating.

Methodology

After a thorough review using this methodology, I was able to come up with this complete review based on the following criteria: 

• The population of the state and its major cities.  
• The obesity figures as compared with other states.  
• Personal trainer certifications available in Georgia
• 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 Georgia

Georgia is a diverse state with many opportunities and challenges.

Its ranking as the 26th fittest state means it’s a middle ground in terms of what’s possible for your career in fitness training.

Becoming a Georgia personal trainer in Augusta-Richmond County and other areas will be challenging but not impossible.

Personal trainer certification in Atlanta and other major areas is necessary to get you a head start, but also consider one of the exercise science schools in Georgia to upskill.

FAQs on How to Become a Personal Trainer in Georgia

References

https://www.exercise.com/learn/ten-fittest-states-in-the-us/

https://www.salary.com

https://www.americankinesiology.org/SubPages/Pages/Kinesiology%20Institution%20Database

https://www.teleport.org