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Boston Career Explorer

Healthcare Practitioners and Technical

Exercise Physiologists

Assess, plan, or implement fitness programs that include exercise or physical activities such as those designed to improve cardiorespiratory function, body composition, muscular strength, muscular endurance, or flexibility.

Also called: Bariatric Weight Loss Counselor, Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Practitioner, Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Therapist, Certified Exercise Physiologist (Certified EP), Clinical Cardiac Exercise Physiologist, Clinical Exercise Physiologist

Median pay in Greater Boston
$64,170
$30.85/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
150
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+6.0%
30 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Bachelor's degree

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$60,660$62,410$64,170$77,500$94,980

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Explain exercise program or physiological testing procedures to participants.
  • Develop exercise programs to improve participant strength, flexibility, endurance, or circulatory functioning, in accordance with exercise science standards, regulatory requirements, and credentialing requirements.
  • Provide clinical oversight of exercise for participants at all risk levels.
  • Provide emergency or other appropriate medical care to participants with symptoms or signs of physical distress.
  • Interview participants to obtain medical history or assess participant goals.
  • Demonstrate correct use of exercise equipment or performance of exercise routines.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Moderate exposure51 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 45
  • Language-model AIOE 54
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 55

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

Exercise physiology has moderate AI exposure, and observed AI use is little or none so far. AI tools may help with drafting exercise programs and recording participant information. They do not replace in-person oversight, emergency care, or explaining tests to participants. Massachusetts job growth is projected at 6.0%.

Likely to change

  • Drafting exercise programs
  • Recording medical history and goals

Still relies on people

  • Supervising exercise and responding to emergencies
  • Explaining tests and encouraging participants

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians

    Stress testing and explaining procedures to calm patients build on your skills. It needs an associate's degree and pays $107,000, though projected growth is slow at 1.2%.

    Pay difference
    +$42,830 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +1.2%
    To get started
    Associate's degree

  • Physical Therapist Assistants

    Guiding patients through exercises and tracking progress carry over. It needs an associate's degree, pays $80,430, and has 18.5% projected growth.

    Pay difference
    +$16,260 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +18.5%
    To get started
    Associate's degree

  • Respiratory Therapists

    Monitoring how patients respond to treatment and handling distress carry over. It needs an associate's degree, pays $104,580, and has 10.4% projected growth.

    Pay difference
    +$40,410 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +10.4%
    To get started
    Associate's degree

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

13 programs near Boston (plus 5 graduate)

Related occupations

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