Have a question? You need to take the following steps to become a personal trainer in Missouri:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have a GED or the equivalent
- Have an updated adult CPR/AED Certification
- Get certified through a recognized personal training institution
Personal Trainer Certification Missouri
Here are the best personal training certification options in Missouri: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 that you take the quiz and figure out which certification makes the most sense for your specific Missouri personal trainer career goals.
Personal Trainer Certification Missouri Cost
The cost of becoming a personal trainer in Missouri depends on which certification you choose but generally ranges from $449 to $999.
Do you need a license to be a personal trainer in Missouri?
There are no set requirements for personal trainers in Missouri, however, most employers including gyms and health clubs prefer personal trainers who have certifications from nationally accredited institutions.
Personal Trainer Schools in Missouri
Having a kinesiology or exercise science related credential will improve your employment chances. Here are some of the top personal trainer schools I came across in Missouri.
- Avila University Kinesiology and Sport Science
- Central Methodist University Physical Education
- College of the Ozarks Physical Education, Health/Wellness and Recreation
- Culver-Stockton College Physical and Health Education
- Drury University Exercise and Sport Science
- Evangel University Health, Physical Education and Recreation
- Hannibal-LaGrange University Physical Education
- Lindenwood of Health and Fitness Sciences
- Lindenwood University Sport, Recreation, & Exercise Sciences
- Maryville University of St Louis Physical Therapy
- Missouri Baptist University Health and Sport Sciences
- Missouri Southern State University Kinesiology
- Missouri State University Kinesiology
- Missouri Valley College Physical Education; Exercise Science
- Missouri Western State University Health, Physical Education, and Recreation
- Northwest Missouri State University Health Science and Wellness
- Rockhurst University OT PT
- Southeast Missouri State University Health, Human Performance, and Recreation
- Southwest Baptist University Health Sciences / Physical Education / Sports Management & Exercise Science
- Southwest Missouri State University Kinesiology
- St Louis University Physical Therapy
- Truman State University Health and Exercise Sciences
- University of Central Missouri Nutrition and Kinesiology
- University of Missouri St. Louis Physical Education and Exercise Science
- Washington University School of Medicine Program in Physical Therapy
- Westminster College Exercise Science
- William Woods University Human Performance
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 Missouri?
Personal trainers in Missouri take home approximately $63,427, and this can vary from $45,755 to $77,918 depending on factors such as the locality, educational and professional qualifications, years of experience, and other skills that may add value to the business.
Make sure to check out the general guide on how to become a personal trainer.
State Fitness Rating
Before looking at personal trainer jobs in Kansas City and other cities, I’d like to cover the state fitness rating, or in this case, ranking.
This is a primary indicator of what to expect from Missouri’s fitness industry, the industry you will be a part of.
Using data sourced from exercise.com, I’ve isolated two essential metrics that will help us understand Missouri’s fitness market.
These are the obesity prevalence rate and top gyms access.
The obesity prevalence rate shows us how healthy the general population is. This, in turn, indicates how engaged the population is with the health and fitness industry.
Knowing how engaged the population is with your industry indicates the level of opportunity you can expect as a fitness trainer.
In Missouri’s case, the obesity prevalence sits at 31.2%.
This shows a population that is at an unhealthy weight at a rate above the national average.
This puts Missouri in 35th place out of 50 states and one district (DC).
A placement like that shows a low engagement with the personal fitness training industry through physical activities or physical fitness, leading us to believe there is potentially less opportunity than one would like.
Nevertheless, this could also signify an untapped opportunity.
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The next metric is the top gym access.
A top gym is categorized as one of the numerous mainstream commercial gyms nationwide.
Such household names as the following:
- Gold’s Gym
- 24 Hour Fitness
- Anytime Fitness
- Crunch Fitness
- Orange Theory Fitness
- Planet Fitness
- Snap Fitness
- YMCA
- LA Fitness
The reason these gyms are included here is that they indicate how developed the fitness industry is, as well as the number of potential employment opportunities.
Top gyms are easy for the general public to use; they are widespread and relatively affordable.
In the case of Missouri, there are 329 top gyms for a population of 6,093,000.
That means for every 100 thousand residents; there are 5.4 gyms available.
This gives Missouri a top gym ranking of 28, placing it somewhere close to the middle.
Overall, Missouri comes in 36th place out of all states. It’s not the best option, nor should it be your first, but there is a good market to work with if push comes to shove.
Fitness Market Makeup
To fully understand the prospects of personal trainer jobs in Kansas City, St.Louis, Springfield, and Columbia, a detailed understanding of the fitness status of the population is important.
Given the below-average statistics presented by Missouri’s fitness ranking, you can expect a fitness market comprised of mostly sedentary, overweight individuals.
Due to this fact, your general PT repertoire would suffice, requiring little to no focus on other, more specific aspects during training sessions.
You might want to brush up on your nutrition since this is a key factor in healthy weight loss and specialized exercise or fitness programs.
Personal Trainer Certifications in Missouri
Personal training certification in St. Louis and other cities is needed to get a job as a personal trainer in Missouri.
How to get a trainer certification?
I have written an article on my best personal trainer certifications. Use this as a guide on becoming a certified personal trainer in Missouri.
Overall here are my top 2 best personal trainer certificates in Missouri. Ensure you have any or all of them when you decide to become a personal trainer in Kansas City and other areas.
Obtaining a cert from an accredited organization is the easiest way to become a personal trainer.
Personal Trainer Jobs in Missouri
While Missouri’s gyms to population ratio aren’t spectacular from a resident’s perspective, it’s still decent from a job seeker’s perspective.
You have at least 329 job openings to try for, which isn’t terrible odds at all.
Working in a gym environment is excellent because you’ll develop skills in training and selling fitness services.
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Whether you want to work in a fitness center, fitness studio, health club, or gym in Missouri, the key goal is to help them achieve their fitness goals.
You will also build your reputation and leverage that for clients.
This allows you the opportunity to make a smooth transition into being an independent trainer.
It would be best to strive for professional development as part of personal trainer recertification to develop yourself.
Getting a certified personal trainer job with ease can involve making a search on Google for “personal trainer jobs St Louis,” “fitness jobs Springfield MO,” and “exercise science jobs St Louis MO.”
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 Missouri
While this article and others in the series are about the state in question, we need to look at things city by city.
The best indication of how a career in a state would look is how it is in the top cities.
For Missouri, you’re looking at Kansas City and St. Louis, with some consideration toward Springfield and Columbia.
Personal training in St Louis and other cities can be more impactful if you have national certification programs and package the right personal training programs for clients.
There will be a need for “personal trainers in Springfield, MO”, “personal trainers in Columbia, MO, personal trainers in Kansas City, MO, and personal trainers in St Louis, MO due to their population.
| City In Missouri | Population |
|---|---|
| Kansas City | 505,198 |
| St.Louis | 293,792 |
| Springfield | 169,552 |
| Columbia | 125,976 |
| Independence | 116,715 |
| Lee’s Summit | 100,683 |
| O’Fallon | 90,684 |
Kansas City should be your priority, with over half a million residents, although any population center of over 100 thousand residents would present good opportunities.
Personal training jobs in Kansas City will be readily available to this population.
Personal Trainer Salary in Missouri
When deciding to become a personal trainer in St. Louis or anywhere else, what you stand to earn is an important factor.
The average income for PTs in Missouri is $58,991. This is below the national average of $61,802, which can be expected.
Since there is relatively low engagement with the fitness industry, you can expect lower wages in general.
The cost of living determines wages’ value, which falls under the quality of life. Let’s take a look.
Make sure to check out the full guide on personal trainer salary.
Quality of Life Rating
Missouri typically ranks as having one of the lowest quality of life ratings in America.
Social tolerance, crime, and taxation are the main drawbacks of these statistics.
Fortunately, the cost of living index is somewhat of a relief along with healthcare and housing if you’re looking at personal trainer jobs in St. Louis, for example.
That means, as far as wages are concerned, the below-average income a PT in Missouri can expect could prove more than adequate.
I’ll give Missouri a 6 out of 10 QoL rating.
Methodology
I approached this review based on carefully curated facts and figures and my final verdict was based on the following:
- The population of the state and its major cities.
- The obesity figures as compared with other states.
- Personal trainer certifications are obtainable.
- 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 Missouri
While Missouri has a relatively low fitness and quality of living ranking, it does present a few golden opportunities.
This is especially true regarding major population centers such as St. Louis and Kansas City, which prove to have lucrative freedom of business and comparatively low cost of living.
If you decide to become personal trainers in St. Louis or Springfield, the odds would be lower than aiming for a job in Kansas City.
As a St Louis personal trainer or personal trainer in Kansas City, your chances of succeeding in your career are still very high.
FAQs on How to Become a Personal Trainer in Missouri
What is the best certification for personal trainers?
Most of the gyms in Missouri require that you have any of these best personal certifications:
– National Academy of Sports Medicine(NASM)
– American College of Sports Medicine(ACSM)
– National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA):
– American Council on Exercise(ACE)
– International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA)
How to become a personal trainer in Missouri?
Before registering for any of the programs and writing the certification exam, you should be 18 years of age, have a GED cert, and obtain CPR or AED certification.
With these qualifications, you can get certified with any of the recognized certification bodies or enroll in an exercise-related degree course.
How to get a personal trainer certification for free?
If you are interested in personal fitness but lack financial resources, you can obtain certification for free online PT courses.
Other options include:
– Gym sponsorship
– Community college tuition assistance
– Military tuition assistance
How much is the average salary of a personal trainer in Missouri
Personal Trainers in Missouri earn an average of $59,540 depending on different factors and specializations.
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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