With an exercise science degree, you can pursue a career in any of the four main health-fitness sectors: sport, industry, health and education. Some careers you may be able to jump right into, while others may require further education and experience.
Fortunately, if you have a passion to go further academically in your field, you will also be in a very strong position to apply to graduate school with a bachelor's degree in this field.
An undergraduate degree in this field also serves as a great foundation for advanced study in exercise science and other areas such as exercise physiology, medicine, cardiac rehabilitation, physical therapy, sports nutrition, sports medicine, biomechanics or other health related disciplines.
This guide contains detailed occupational information on 49 exciting, interesting, and in some cases surprising career paths relevant to this degree. Included are job descriptions, expected salaries, educational requirements and other pertinent information related to these careers. We’ve also included exercise science-specific scholarships to help you pay for school!
What Exercise Science Programs Teach You
Exercise science degree programs in Canada and the United States are typically designed to provide you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to become a competent professional in entry-level health and fitness careers.
The core component of exercise science programs involves the study of physical activity and the associated acute and chronic physiological responses and adaptations resulting from it. Coursework in these programs typically covers exercise science fundamentals in the first few years of study, with the latter years providing a more in-depth view of these topics.
Some programs may offer complimentary coursework in health/fitness business management principles, in order to prepare you for a role as a health and fitness manager, or as an entrepreneur. Many undergraduate exercise science degree programs involve real-world experience, wherein you are taught hands-on skills such as the appropriate use of relevant equipment, and the application of various techniques, such as those used in sports medicine.
49 Careers Relevant to This Degree
Technically, there is no limit to what you can actually "do" (in the working world) with an exercise science degree; it won't stop you from doing anything. It might not make sense however, to pursue this degree if you want to get into a field where a set of unrelated skills is needed, such as accounting.
What this degree is helpful however, is for providing a knowledge base and foundation that can be directly or indirectly applied to the following occupations and career fields:
3. Anatomist
7. Blogger
9. Cardiac Rehabilitation Specialist
10. Chiropractor
11. Community Program Director
12. Dietitian
13. Entrepreneur
14. Ergonomist
16. Fitness Coach
18. Gym Manager
19. Health Care Aide
21. Health Educator
22. Kinesiologist
24. Military Officer
26. Occupational Therapist Assistant
29. Personal Trainer
30. Physical Education Teacher
31. Physical Therapy Assistant
32. Physiologist
33. Physiotherapist
34. Recreation and Leisure Supervisor
35. Recreation and Sports Director
37. Registered Nurse
40. Spa Manager
42. Sports Agent
43. Sports Coach
47. Strength and Conditioning Coach
Please Note: Some of the above listed careers require additional education, training and/or experience. Click on careers that are of interest to you to find out more about the qualifications you’ll need.
Types of Employers
If you choose to pursue a career in exercise science, try looking for work with one of the following types of employers:
• Athletic Associations
• College and University Sport Associations
• Colleges and Universities
• Country Clubs
• Government Agencies
• Health and Fitness Clubs
• High Schools
• Hospitals
• Private and non-profit
• Professional Sports Teams and Leagues
• Rehabilitation Clinics
• Sport Marketing & Management Agencies
• Sporting Arenas and Stadiums
• Sporting Goods Companies
• Sports Medicine Clinics
• Self-employment (as a consultant, contractor or entrepreneur)
Success Tip: Gaining experience with one of the types of employers listed above while you're a student can be an excellent to get a head start in your career.
Sectors of Employment in the Health/Fitness Industry
Below of some examples of career fields within the major sectors of industry that employ exercise science graduates.
Industry: Working as an occupational health officer in staff development for companies and corporations.
Health: Working for a hospital or clinic developing training and exercise programs for general health, injury rehabilitation and disabilities.
Education: Working for a college or university teaching exercise and sport science.
Sport: Working as a strength and conditioning coach working with individual athletes and teams. Using exercise science skills for program design, execution and monitoring.
Gaining Experience as a Student
Pursuing an internship opportunity (also known as a field placement, practicum or co-op opportunity) in a career field related to your exercise science degree is the best way to gain work experience for your future career while you’re still in school.
Internships are win-win situations - not only do they allow you to gain professional experience while earning school credit, they give employers the opportunity to gain valuable temporary team members.
Working such an opportunity also has several other benefits. For example, it allows you to get your foot in the door with the employer, which can result in being hired upon graduation.
Chances are, that if you’ve done quality work and made a good impression, the organization will want to retain you on a full-time basis once you’ve graduated. They will already be familiar with you and your work ethic, and they will save a great deal of time and expense trying to recruit someone else.
Another important, and often overlooked benefit of internships, is that they give you a chance to experience what actual day-to-day work in the field is like. Sort of like a career test drive. This is the best way to truly figure out if a career in this field is well suited for you or not.
How Do I Find an Internship?
If working an internship is an academic requirement, you will likely have the opportunity arranged for you, or at least a variety of potential options presented to you. If it is not a requirement, speak with your professors, other exercise science department staff as well as your school’s guidance and career counselors to help you find a suitable opportunity.
Please Note: Be aware of external non-paid internships (internships not arranged by your school in exchange for school credit) as in most cases, these are illegal.
Employability Tip: Consider an Advanced Degree
An advanced degree (such as a professional, master’s or doctoral degree) enables you to develop highly specialized knowledge. This can open the doors to careers that aren’t accessible with only an undergraduate degree, including many applied, research, consulting and teaching positions.
A Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science serves as excellent preparation for further study in various fields. If you are considering a career in a field related to exercise science, then you should strongly consider further study. This may be in the form of a graduate or professional degree in exercise science or other health related disciplines, such as:
• Athletic Therapy
• Biomechanics
• Cardiac Rehabilitation
• Chiropractic
• Kinesiology
• Medicine (and sports medicine)
• Nursing
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiology
• Physiotherapy
• Sports Nutrition
• Sports Psychology
Exercise Science Scholarships
If you’re an exercise science student looking for help in paying for school, then you’re in luck! Our scholarships database has Canadian and American scholarships that are specific to your field of study, as well as scholarships for science students in general, and those that are open to any field of study.
Success Tip: Be sure to apply for any and all scholarships for which you qualify, as there are millions of dollars of scholarships in Canada and the United States that go unused every year due to a lack of applicants.
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Average Salary Levels of Graduates
The average salary you could earn with an exercise science degree varies based on a wide variety of factors, such as:
• The size, budget and type of your employer
• The discretion of your employer
• The level of education you’ve achieved and any additional, relevant training or experience
• The region in which you work
• The amount of responsibility inherent in your position
Most importantly, however, the salary you could earn with this degree varies based on the career field you choose to pursue with your degree. Below is an overview of the average earnings of people in career fields that are relevant to a degree in exercise science.
Some of these occupational fields listed below are more directly relevant to a degree in exercise science than others, although having a degree in exercise science would be helpful for any of them.
Please Note: The salary information listed below is meant only to serve as a guideline. In many cases, workers in these fields can earn much more, or less less, than the figures stated.
Anatomist
Alberta: $84,998 (ALIS)
Canada: N/A
United Sates: $43,500 (indeed)
Athletic Director
Alberta: $68,890 (ALIS)
Canada: $74,000 (PayScale)
United Sates: $59,000 (PayScale)
Athletic Therapist
Alberta: $49,234 (ALIS)
Canada: N/A
United Sates: $46,630 (BLS)
Cardiac Rehabilitation Specialist
Alberta: $71,200 (ALIS)
Canada: N/A
United Sates: $43,923 (BLS)
Chiropractor
Alberta: N/A
Canada: $69,700 (indeed)
United Sates: $68,640 (BLS)
Dietitian
Alberta: $85,056 (ALIS)
Canada: $59,263 (PayScale)
United Sates: $59,410 (BLS)
Ergonomist
Alberta: $81,207 (ALIS)
Canada: $63,982 (PayScale)
United Sates: $39,000 (indeed)
Exercise Physiologist
Alberta: $49,234 (ALIS)
Canada: N/A
United Sates: $52,401 (Glassdoor)
Gym Manager
Alberta: N/A
Canada: $40,968 (PayScale)
United Sates: $33,703 (PayScale)
Health Care Aide
Alberta: $34,460 (ALIS)
Canada: $36,667 (PayScale)
United Sates: $23,210 (BLS)
Health Care Consultant
Alberta: $101,292 (Glassdoor)
Canada: $86,164 (indeed)
United Sates: $76,292 (Glassdoor)
Health Educator
Alberta: N/A
Canada: N/A
United Sates: $42,362 (indeed)
Kinesiologist
Alberta: $49,234 (ALIS)
Canada: N/A
United Sates: $49,090 (BLS)
Massage Therapist
Alberta: $54,084 (ALIS)
Canada: $68,102 (indeed)
United Sates: $51,900 (BLS)
Occupational Therapist
Alberta: $84,994 (ALIS)
Canada: $60,906 (PayScale)
United Sates: $83,200 (BLS)
Occupational Therapist Assistant
Alberta: $46,457 (ALIS)
Canada: N/A
United Sates: $64,318 (indeed)
Orthopaedic Technician
Alberta: N/A
Canada: N/A
United Sates: $66,240 (BLS)
Osteopathic Physician
Alberta: $94,842 (ALIS)
Canada: N/A
United Sates: $423,392 (BLS)
Personal Trainer
Alberta: $27,737 (ALIS)
Canada: $40,760 (Glassdoor)
United Sates: $39,210 (BLS)
Physical Education Teacher
Alberta: $73,966 (ALIS)
Canada: $47,824 (indeed)
United Sates: $48,919 (indeed)
Physical Therapy Assistant
Alberta: $46,457 (ALIS)
Canada: $41,660 (indeed)
United Sates: $46,920 (BLS)
Physiologist
Alberta: $84,998 (ALIS)
Canada: N/A
United Sates: $77,030 (BLS)
Physiotherapist
Alberta: $87,885 (ALIS)
Canada: $74,300 (indeed)
United Sates: $86,850 (BLS)
Recreation and Sports Director
Alberta: $68,890 (ALIS)
Canada: N/A
United Sates: $90,625 (indeed)
Registered Nurse
Alberta: $80,129 (ALIS)
Canada: $73,980 (indeed)
United Sates: $70,000 (BLS)
Research Assistant
Alberta: $41,027 (ALIS)
Canada: $32,796 (Glassdoor)
United Sates: $26,560 (BLS)
Retail Sales Associate
Alberta: $24,206 (ALIS)
Canada: $23,180 (PayScale)
United Sates: $23,370 (BLS)
Sporting Goods Sales Rep
Alberta: $62,683 (ALIS)
Canada: $61,624 (indeed)
United Sates: $60,340 (BLS)
Sports Coach
Alberta: $32,688 (ALIS)
Canada: $38,840 (PayScale)
United Sates: $32,270 (BLS)
Sports Facility Manager
Alberta: $21,190 (ALIS)
Canada: N/A
United Sates: N/A
Sports Medicine Physician
Alberta: $94,842 (ALIS)
Canada: N/A
United Sates: $423,392 (BLS)
Sports Nutritionist
Alberta: $85,056 (ALIS)
Canada: N/A
United Sates: $59,410 (BLS)
Strength and Conditioning Coach
Alberta: $32,688 (ALIS)
Canada: $47,932 (PayScale)
United Sates: $32,270 (BLS)
University Professor
Alberta: $74,877 (ALIS)
Canada: $157,610 (indeed)
United Sates: $76,000 (BLS)
The name is brackets next to the salary data for each region is the sources from which the data was obtained. Please note, the salary data that is sourced from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS.gov) is represents median salary figurer, rather than average salary figures.
Salary Data References:
• ALIS: Alberta Learning and Information Service (alis.alberta.ca), sponsored by the Government of Alberta. For an overview of their salary survey methodology, please visit here.
• PayScale: Private organization owned by PayScale Incorporated (payscale.com). For an overview of their salary survey methodology, please visit here.
• BLS: United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov), sponsored by the federal government of the United States of America. For details regarding their salary survey methodology, please visit here.
• Glassdoor: indeed is a private organization owned by Glassdoor incorporated (glassdoor.com). For an overview of their salary survey methodology, please visit here.
• indeed: indeed is a private organization owned by indeed incorporated. They collect their salary estimation figures by averaging those found in past and present job advertisements submitted by users on Indeed over the past 36 months.
