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.
8,560 people do this job in the US. $59,460 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 50%
- 15%
- 35%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 1%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 26%. Today's estimate: 29%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 25 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan or conduct exercise physiology research projects.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 18% | 4.2 work days6.7 h to 3.5 work weeks | 0%Half by Apr 2029 | |
| Develop exercise programs to improve participant strength, flexibility, endurance, or circulatory functioning, in accordance with exercise science standards, regulatory requirements, and credentialing requirements.Done several times a day by most who do it. | 11% | 1.7 h38 min to 3.3 h | 80%Half by now | |
| Provide clinical oversight of exercise for participants at all risk levels.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 10% | 50 min25 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Prescribe individualized exercise programs, specifying equipment, such as treadmill, exercise bicycle, ergometers, or perceptual goggles.Done several times a day by most who do it. | 7% | 1.1 h25 min to 2.1 h | 95%Half by now | |
| Assess physical performance requirements to aid in the development of individualized recovery or rehabilitation exercise programs.Done daily by most who do it. | 7% | 1.3 h38 min to 2.5 h | 97%Half by now | |
| Conduct stress tests, using electrocardiograph (EKG) machines.Done several times a day by most who do it. | 6% | 1.1 h38 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Teach courses or seminars related to exercise or diet for patients, athletes, or community groups.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 5% | 2.1 h50 min to 4.2 h | Stays with people | |
| Teach group exercise for low-, medium-, or high-risk clients to improve participant strength, flexibility, endurance, or circulatory functioning.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 5% | 1.1 h38 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Teach behavior modification classes related to topics such as stress management or weight control.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 4% | 1.3 h38 min to 2.5 h | Stays with people | |
| Interview participants to obtain medical history or assess participant goals.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 3% | 33 min17 min to 50 min | Stays with people | |
| Mentor or train staff to lead group exercise.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 3% | 1.3 h38 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Demonstrate correct use of exercise equipment or performance of exercise routines.Done several times a day by most who do it. | 3% | 17 min8 min to 38 min | Stays with people |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians42% now, 42% by 2028
- Physical Therapists22% now, 30% by 2028
- Physical Therapist Assistants11% now, 11% by 2028
- Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors56% now, 67% by 2028
- Athletic Trainers28% now, 46% by 2028
- Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians18% now, 18% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025).
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025).