Salary AI Book a Demo

Exercise Physiologist Salary in the United States

How much does an Exercise Physiologist make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for an Exercise Physiologist in the United States is $67,500 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $32.

However, an Exercise Physiologist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $81,037
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $60,991 to $74,586
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $55,065
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Exercise Physiologist Salaries

An Exercise Physiologist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Exercise Physiologist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Exercise Physiologist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $65,363
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $65,557
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $68,029
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $70,990
  • Expert (over 8 years): $71,202
Levels Salary
Entry Level Exercise Physiologist$65,363
Intermediate Level Exercise Physiologist$65,557
Senior Level Exercise Physiologist$68,029
Specialist Level Exercise Physiologist$70,990
Expert Level Exercise Physiologist$71,202
View as Graph

How Do Exercise Physiologists Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Exercise Physiologists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $74,736.
  • California: $74,453.
  • Massachusetts: $73,460.

Top Paying Cities for Exercise Physiologist

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $85,138
  • San Francisco: $84,206
  • Oakland: $82,431

What Skills Can Increase an Exercise Physiologist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Commitment (Mentioned in 2.79% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
  • Patient Care (Mentioned in 3.77% Job Postings): Patient care refers to the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of physical and mental well-being through services offered by health professionals.
  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (Mentioned in 1.58% Job Postings): It is used to provide urgent treatment to cardiac emergencies such as cardiac arrest, stroke, myocardial infarction, and other conditions.
Skills Demand Percentage
Commitment 2.79%
Patient Care 3.77%
Advanced Cardiac Life Support 1.58%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Exercise Physiologist's salary.

  • Stress Testing: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Dedication: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Cardiology: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Stress Testing $75,600
12%
Dedication $73,575
9%
Cardiology $73,575
9%
Get Latest Data

Exercise Physiologist Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Exercise Physiologist salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $71,599. While startup companies pay approximate $61,012.

Exercise Physiologist Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $61,012
Growth Stage 51~500 $64,407
Established 501~5000 $69,257
Enterprise 5000+ $71,599

Exercise Physiologist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Exercise Physiologist roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit, offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely, Exercise Physiologist positions in Healthcare typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Exercise Physiologist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for an Exercise Physiologist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit$81,000$39.020%

How Education impacts an Exercise Physiologist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Exercise Physiologist enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Exercise Physiologist with a Bachelor's Degree is between $57,518 and $61,785.

Exercise Physiologist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Exercise Physiologist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.3%
High School 0.3%
Associates 0.8%
Bachelors 41.6%
Masters 55.1%
Doctorate 2.2%
View as Graph

Exercise Physiologist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Exercise Physiologist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$60,991
Average $67,500/year
$74,586
$5,083
Average $5,625/month
$6,216
$1,173
Average $1,298/week
$1,434
$29
Average $32/hour
$36
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $74,586 $6,216 $1,434 $36
Average $67,500 $5,625 $1,298 $32
25th Percentile $60,991 $5,083 $1,173 $29

Exercise Physiologist Salary Growth & Career Path

Exercise Physiologist

Next Role

Advancement

For an Exercise Physiologist, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Physical Therapy Supervisor role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $107,122 - a projected growth of 59% over your current level.

Most common benefits for Exercise Physiologist

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Exercise Physiologist

Here are companies hiring for Exercise Physiologist and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Exercise Physiologist Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Exercise Physiologist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Exercise Physiologist

1. Where can an Exercise Physiologist earn the most?

An Exercise Physiologist's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, an Exercise Physiologist earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of an Exercise Physiologist is $85,138.

2. What is the highest pay for Exercise Physiologist?

The highest pay for Exercise Physiologist is $81,037.

3. What is the lowest pay for Exercise Physiologist?

The lowest pay for Exercise Physiologist is $55,065.

4. What are the responsibilities of Exercise Physiologist?

Develops, implements, and evaluates exercise programs for patients. Conducts testing that assesses cardiovascular and metabolic effects of exercise for cardiac and musculoskeletal rehabilitation. Follows testing protocols and selects appropriate testing protocol for the patient. Monitors patient during testing. Calculates and records testing results. Coordinates with cross-functional patient care teams. May design exercise prescriptions, instructional materials, home exercise guidelines, and discharge instructions. Conducts exercise training sessions for patients. Requires a bachelor's degree in exercise physiology. Typically reports to a manager. Work is generally independent and collaborative in nature. Contributes to moderately complex aspects of a project. Typically requires 4 -7 years of related experience.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Exercise Physiologist?

The Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit industry offers the highest average compensation for Exercise Physiologist roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst
lower level job