What are the best exercise physiologist qualifications and training to get ahead?

What is the best training for becoming an exercise physiologist? What types of ongoing training or certifications are necessary to be an effective exercise physiologist?

What do non-traditional career paths look like?

I would say start out by getting these at the very least:

1) EXPERIENCE
2) Bachelor's in Exercise Science or Exercise Physiology
3) ACSM-CES or ACSM-RCEP certification

I am in the process of getting the ACSM-CES certification and I am HOPING it will let me advance. If you choose the field of Exercise Science you have to be VERY creative and make it based on a special niche, it seems. It is definitely not a well-established path like PT, etc. Enter at your own risk. Would I have gone into a different major in school if I could have done it over? I don't know, but now that I have a wife and a baby I definitely don't know about this. I see people with high school degrees making the same as me.

Fully agree with the previous post. You definitely enter Exercise Physiology at your own risk. If you put a good salary as a higher priority than following your interests, then do not go into this field. However, you CAN make a moderate income. You just have to get as much experience as possible, get your foot into any door you can, and follow up your BS by getting the ACSM-CES certification. Even 5 years ago, the ACSM-CES certification wasn't a requirement or preference with most employers. Now I see at least 75% of employers looking for it. All the other organizations, including ACE, seem to have fallen by the wayside.

Many people use this degree as a "stepping stone". You can make a little bit of money right out of college and get by, but from what I've seen the majority of us wind up moving on to a higher level of education or to fields such as pharmaceutical reps, nurses, or physician assistants. However, as I have said, you WILL see people who remain lifelong exercise physiologists. People who do this have managed to find some niche which is not on the beaten path.

I am currently looking to see how far I can take my BS and ACSM-CES certification, like the poster above. If I can make a respectable income AND feel like I am taken seriously as a professional, then I will stay in this field. It's 50/50 right now. Good luck to you all!

Everyone I know in 2008 that I graduated with in Exercise Phys with a M.S has moved on to Nursing or something else to do a lack of jobs in the field. Making 20,000-40,000 with a M.S is stupid and not worth the time and loans.

What in Tallmadge, Ohio said: Everyone I know in 2008 that I graduated with in Exercise Phys with a M.S has moved on to Nursing or something else to do a lack of jobs in the field. Making 20,000-40,000 with a M.S is stupid and not worth the time and loans.

Agreed. I am currently seeking out directorship position in fitness centers or wellness programs. Not exactly exercise physiology, but at least it's close. We'll see how much success I have with this.

If you get a GA position and get paid to go for free might as well take it since there is no jobs in this field (I posted here recently and am the same person). I am certified by ACSM-CPT and work within the field. It's stable but not the best pay. ACSMs magazine and Faculty posted they are fighting for the Clinical Exercise Physiologist, but it won't be a while for that. They are phonies doing research on common sense and trying to promote people being certified as well as join a extremely over flooded field. Honestly the Faculty of ACSM are a bunch of liars and crooks trying to promote the field. Even some of their faculty teach at nursing schools.

If you cardiac rehab but you should get it being a RN/BSN and get paid a lot more to do it. At our place the Exercise Phys was the first to be laid off during the recession. The Nurses still did cardiac rehab. I'm getting out of this field, its a plateau in my career and I feel like I am a underachiever. People with no degrees make more than me.

Wow, I thought I was the only one experiencing all of this. I currently work in cardiac rehab and agree that I have reached a plateau. I encourage anyone to RUN from an Exercise degree unless you don't plan on working and just want to learn about the human body. GET A CERTIFICATE in something secure like nursing or PT. Rad techs and EKG tech's make more than I do and I have a Master's degree. Learn from someone like me who has thousands and thousands of dollars in student loans and not a great income to pay them off anytime soon. Choose your career wisely.

Huh in Kennewick, Washington said: Wow, I thought I was the only one experiencing all of this. I currently work in cardiac rehab and agree that I have reached a plateau. I encourage anyone to RUN from an Exercise degree unless you don't plan on working and just want to learn about the human body. GET A CERTIFICATE in something secure like nursing or PT. Rad techs and EKG tech's make more than I do and I have a Master's degree. Learn from someone like me who has thousands and thousands of dollars in student loans and not a great income to pay them off anytime soon. Choose your career wisely.

You can go in accelerated nursing license or get a weekend nursing program. ACSM is a joke and always will be. Are you certified in it? You notice all their professors teach something else. I never knew a college degree would get somebody 12-14 dollars...a garbage guy makes more than us. I'm changing my career and going back next Fall. Don't do PT..it's a waste of school and loans, and chiropractors are a joke field. Making 60k-70k starting and owing 150k plus interest is stupid. It is a very good field but you owe so much. Physican Assistants can do the same thing with Exercise Perscriptions and kinesotherapy just like PT's and they are a Masters. Plus they work under Orthopedic Doctors/MD's. Some specialized RN's after 3 years make that much. Talk to any PT who graduated with a Masters or B.S when it was around and they will tell you they wouldn't go back in the doctoral program. If I were you I would get the Associates of RN and just do cardiac rehab first...it will be a excellent investment then get the BSN.

I am currently pursuing my masters in Exercise Science and Rehab. I would like to work in Cardiac Rehab after graduating and getting my ACSM certification in CES and RCEP. However, after reading these posts I am not sure whether or not it was a smart decision to continue with my masters degree in this field. It seems as thought it is very difficult for graduates to obtain jobs in this field and judging from the comments the salary is not quite what it should be. Do many exercise physiologists that work in the field for a couple of years end up returning to school for a different career path? Is it true that RNs can perform the same tasks that an exercise physiologist can do for cardiac rehab patients?

Amanda16 in Brooklyn, New York said: I am currently pursuing my masters in Exercise Science and Rehab. I would like to work in Cardiac Rehab after graduating and getting my ACSM certification in CES and RCEP. However, after reading these posts I am not sure whether or not it was a smart decision to continue with my masters degree in this field. It seems as thought it is very difficult for graduates to obtain jobs in this field and judging from the comments the salary is not quite what it should be. Do many exercise physiologists that work in the field for a couple of years end up returning to school for a different career path? Is it true that RNs can perform the same tasks that an exercise physiologist can do for cardiac rehab patients?

Smart move I made in my career was leaving the field of exercise physiology. You will realize you saved money, have more value, and can bill. Exercise Physiolgists are the first ones to be laid off in a hospital, and RN's and PTA's/PT's are more valueable to do cardiac rehab, and stress tests. I worked full time as a Exercise Physiologist making 30k and decided to leave and become a RN, I make more money and work side by side with a Ex phys and make 15 dollars more and can find a job anywhere. CNP's are now going to possibly phase out Exercise Physiologists in the hospital doing cardiac rehab. Nursing is a field that is growing and will never fall. Don't listen to those dumb professors trying to promote the Masters and PHD. People I graduated with PHD's can't find jobs as professors. Plus you can make more than them as a RN if you move up. Spread the word! Leave the field ASAP!

It truly is sad that the field of exercise physiology has come to this point. I have been an exercise physiologist working in the field for over 23 years now. Back in the early to late 90's and even into the early 2000's I was always able to find work. I have worked in cardiac rehab for a little over 20 years, this is my true love. I was an adjunct prof teaching kinesiology. I have worked as a strength and conditioning coach and also worked in corporate wellness. I have made extra money doing public speaking and freelance writing. Like everyone else in this field I have also made money doing personal training. Suddenly it seamed, around 2007 everything seamed to change. The only work I can find in cardiac rehab is per diem shifts and I have been on unemployment twice. Like so many exercise physiologists I used to work with I'm looking into abandoning my field completely and going back to school, but at the age of 46 I have no idea what else I can do. I have wife and son and I still love the field of exercise physiology. I have a second cousin who is in her early twentys and she just finished her MS in ex phys and asked me for advice, I told her that I wished she asked me that question before she went for her masters becouse I would have told her to study something else!

This conversation interested me. As someone who is going into the field of Exercise Physiology and Physical Therapy, my experience so far is on par with what is being said here. Our field is not one that leads to success overnight, and I also whole-heartedly agree that one should only go into this field if they are passionate about it and desire to help people, not because you read a news article that said physical therapists make a lot of money. Personally I feel that I my life goals are different from the majority of people who go into this field, I would be content with studying physical therapy for decades if it takes that long to become a professional in this field because it's what I enjoy doing. I am still young (24), and don't expect to have a high paying physical therapy job anytime soon. Some advice that I can give is allow yourself to keep your options open and explore related fields, such as strength training, youth coaching, personal training, caregiver work, anything in the broad spectrum of your field. This might seem misguided, but you'll reach a point where you will have experienced so many job skills, that everyone who interviews you will be blown away.

Stay true to yourself, be good to yourself, keep following that dream, and you'll wake up one day to find it's reality.

Our field of exercise physiology is flooded, has no credentials to bill insurance and a there us weak economy; all spell for less jobs (cut b/c of economy) and lower pay. If you want to do clinical then I would recommend doing BS in nursing and masters in Ex phys (the other way around can work too). I have a great paying job, but most people I know I went to school with or who intern with us are doing something else as stated previously. IF exercise is your passion then be smart and look clinical (RN, PT, RD, Chiro, or MD-sports medicine) and balance it a degree in exercise advance degree or certification. Think how you can be valuable long term.

My advice is to leave America if you want to stay in the field, as someone who is in Australia I make 62,421.37 USD (converted from AUS) as a graduate, granted it is case management so mainly paperwork and insurance companies om my back.

You will get less in clinical work as a graduate..anywhere from $42,000 USD and up..but it seems like Australia pays much higher.

May not be an option for a lot of you, guess it depends on how bad you want to stay in the field

wow Im a junior on my way to getting a b.s. in exercise and health science. All this talk makes me want to change my major. I've had thoughts of just finishing my degree at my university and going back to get a certification being a PTA so I'll at least have a 4 year degree to back me up and make me seem more valuable. Does this sound dumb?

Trevor,

How did you go about moving to Australia...did you find a job first or move first? I would definitely be interested in doing something similar but would like to find out more information. I graduated in 2007 and thankfully I have been able to find decent jobs but I do agree with most of these comments about the field of exercise physiology. The pay stinks and jobs are becoming harder to find. It's really sad that an RN with an ASN degree can take the cardiac rehab jobs although someone with a Masters in the field would have much more knowledge of the field.

Moved first, getting a work visa in Australia isn't hard, and having qualifications behind you will work in your favour with getting into the country, also being able to show that you have looked into employment within australia will help.

I will warn you though that positions in Australia ARE competitive, but as long as you are flexible with what location you are willing to move to and are willing to move interstate once here you will be able to secure a job, I know people who have taken months to find a job, but I have also known people who secured jobs before they even graduated

I have a couple of friends who graduated last year and have secured full time jobs earning $50,000-$60,000 AUS, some others secured work part time but are younger and live at home so they still arent struggling finacially.

Keep an eye out on the cost of living though as it can get very expensive, Perth for example has the most expensive property market in the western world, and second only to Hong Kong in the entire world.

What i would advise though is checking that you meet the requirements for Australian Exercise Physiologist accreditation, and getting that sorted before you move (if you do) because it can take a few months to be approved, and you may even be required to do further study or hours depending on your situation.

the site below is the body that you need to register with so i would spend some time going through that it detail
www.essa.org.au/

Awesome, Thanks Trevor! Sounds like employment for us is much better in Australia. Going to check out the website now.
Take care.