How to Become a Personal Trainer in Nebraska in 2024

Here is how you become a personal trainer in Nebraska:

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 Nebraska

Here are the best personal training certification options in Nebraska: 

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 Nebraska personal trainer career goals.

Personal Trainer Certification Nebraska Cost

The cost of becoming a personal trainer in Nebraska will be determined by which certification you choose but this can range from $448 to $998.

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

A majority of gyms and health clubs in Nebraska will require that personal trainers have a nationally accredited sports science related certification, in addition to a good education background.

Personal Trainer Schools in Nebraska

Having a personal trainer certification in Nebraska will give you extra bargaining power when it comes to job placement. Here are some of the top kinesiology schools I came across.

• Bellevue University Health and Human Performance
• Chadron State College Education, Human Performance, Counseling
• Concordia University Health and Human Performance
• Creighton University Exercise Science and Pre-Health Professions
• Doane College Physical Education
• Hastings College Physical Education and Human Performance
• Midland University Human Performance
• Nebraska Methodist College Wellness and Health Promotion Management
• Nebraska Wesleyan University Health and Human Performance
• Peru State College Physical Education
• Union College Health and Human Performance
• University of Nebraska-Kearney Kinesiology and Sport Sciences
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln Nutrition and Health Sciences
• University of Nebraska-Omaha Health, Physical Education and Recreation
• Wayne State College Health, Human Performance, and Sport

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 Nebraska?

In Nebraska, a personal trainer can make approximately $62,458, but this can range from $45,056 to $76,728 depending on their credentials, the city, any other additional skills they may have, and years of experience. Here is the report.

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

State Fitness Rating

So the first critical bit of information I’d like us to look at is the state fitness rating or ranking in this case.

This measures how to fit a state based on population health and population access to health and fitness infrastructure.

The data I’ll use was sourced from exercise.com and includes two important aspects.

Those are the obesity prevalence and access to gyms.

Obesity statistics show us how healthy a population is by medical standards. And the health of a population tells us how engaged it is with health and fitness. 

Given that you are a health and fitness professional, this lets you know how viable and opportune a particular state is for you to ply your trade as a fitness trainer.

As far as Nebraska is concerned, you’re dealing with a 32% obesity prevalence. This is pretty high and indicates a population with a relatively low engagement with the fitness industry.

Coming 38th out of 50 states and one district (DC), Nebraska’s obesity means you’ll have your work cut out for you.

The other piece of the puzzle is the top gyms.

This metric shows us how many fitness facilities Nebraskans have access to in achieving their fitness goals; in particular, it shows how many affordable, accessible fitness options there are.

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That’s because top gyms are categorized based on being cheaper, more available, and easier to use than other specialist fitness facilities.

Top gyms include household names such as:

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

Nebraska has 135 top gyms to a population of 1,907,116 inhabitants.

That means, for every 100 thousand residents, there are 7.08 gyms, giving Nebraska the 9th spot out of 51 when it comes to gym access.

The gym statistics spell opportunity and balance out the high obesity prevalence, making Nebraska a decent prospect with a rank of 23 out of 51.

Information gathered shows there are lots of fitness enthusiasts in need of specialized exercise programs with a local personal trainer.

Other popular gyms are:

• The University of Nebraska Omaha gym
• Grand Island NE gyms
• Gyms in North Platte NE
• CrossFit Lincoln NE
• Elite gym Omaha

Fitness Market Makeup

Nebraska’s fitness market will be very general for the most part, composed mainly of adults living sedentary lifestyles, many of which are seeking help with weight loss.

A fitness market of this type would also include many who want to participate in group fitness programs.

Having group fitness instruction in your repertoire as well as dietetics or nutrition coaching, is essential, given the local market.

Personal Trainer Certifications in Nebraska

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

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

Overall here are my top 2 best personal trainer certificates in Nebraska. Ensure you have any or all of them when you decide to become a personal trainer in Lincoln and other areas.

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

It is important to pass the personal training certification exams to obtain a personal trainer certification in Omaha and other major cities.

Personal training schools in Nebraska

e you want to take your fitness career and how having a degree will serve that purpose.

Personal Trainer Jobs in Nebraska

With 135 top gyms and numerous other fitness centers, health clubs, and facilities, there is ample employment opportunity, so long as your credentials are in check.

Starting your career off in a gym, especially one of the top gyms, is a great way to build your reputation and skillset.

An Omaha personal trainer can work with a college or professional athletic training program.

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Being an athletic trainer on a full-time or part-time basis has its benefits.

Simply google online for “personal training jobs Omaha” or “personal trainer jobs Omaha” to find the current vacancies.

It’s also a safe way to launch into the industry, given the employment benefits and guaranteed income.

Your endgame should be on building a business, with special consideration for having an online training platform.

The digital fitness market is one of the fastest-growing sectors in health and fitness, so best you jump on it as soon as possible.

Best Cities to Be a Personal Trainer in Nebraska

As I mentioned earlier, I’ll only be looking at the top 3 cities in Nebraska when it comes to jobs in fitness.

Ideally, you should only be concerned with Personal trainer jobs in Lincoln and Omaha, as these are the only two with populations above 100k.

I believe your most comfortable odds are in cities with a minimum population of 100,000.

Omaha personal trainers certainly have an edge here.

Outside of Omaha and Lincoln, most towns and cities have tiny populations in comparison. If you become a personal trainer in Bellevue, the third-largest city, you’ll have barely more than one 10th opportunity as Omaha.

Personal Trainer Salary in Nebraska

Trainer in Nebraska typically earns an annual average income of $56,736 per year.

This is entirely below the national average for PTs in America, which is $61,802.

At face value, this means Nebraska has a low-income potential, even though earning an above-average salary is entirely possible.

With that said, it’s important to factor in the cost of living. What you earn is made or broken by how much you will need to spend.

Let’s take a look at the cost of living, along with other quality of life signifiers.

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

Quality of Life Rating

Nebraska is often in the top 10 most livable states based on numerous quality of life indices.

One of the key pull factors leading us back to the average salary in Nebraska is the affordability and relatively low cost of living.

Housing, business freedom, and healthcare are also top-notch in this state.

Nebraska only really suffers when it comes to travel and transport.

Considering all that, I’ll give Nebraska an 8.5 out of 10 QoL rating, propped up by a high cost of living statistic.

Methodology 

After extensive research, I was able to come up with this comprehensive review based on the following considerations: 

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

Nebraska is a small state, but one with a robust fitness industry from the looks of things.

Despite the state looking great, you should focus your efforts on working in Omaha and maybe Lincoln. Personal trainer jobs in Bellevue and other smaller cities are just not worth it.

That’s because Omaha holds almost a quarter of the entire state’s population, so there will be much more opportunity there than anywhere else.

FAQs on How to Become a Personal Trainer in Nebraska

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