Minimum pay rates for personal trainers under the Fitness Industry Award 2020, including base rates, casual rates, penalty rates, and classification levels.
Personal trainers design and deliver exercise programs, conduct fitness assessments, and provide health and fitness guidance in gyms, studios, and outdoor settings.
$24.73
Base rate/hr
$30.91
Casual rate/hr
Hourly (Full-Time)
$24.73
Hourly (Casual)
$30.91
Weekly (38hrs)
$939.74
Annual (Full-Time)
$48,866.48
What Award Covers Personal Trainers?
Personal Trainers in Australia are generally covered by the Fitness Industry Award 2020 (MA000094). This Modern Award sets out the minimum terms and conditions of employment including pay rates, hours of work, rosters, breaks, allowances, penalty rates, and overtime.
Some personal trainers may be covered by an enterprise agreement instead, which must provide conditions that are at least as favourable as the award overall (the Better Off Overall Test).
Personal Trainer Classification Levels & Pay Rates
Level
Description
Base Rate/hr
Casual Rate/hr
Weekly (38hrs)
Annual
Level 1
Gym floor staff
$24.10
$30.13
$915.80
$47,621.60
Level 2
Cert III fitness instructor
$24.73
$30.91
$939.74
$48,866.48
Level 3
Cert IV personal trainer
$25.68
$32.10
$975.84
$50,743.68
Level 4
Senior trainer / studio manager
$27.14
$33.93
$1,031.32
$53,628.64
Rates effective from 1 July 2025. Casual rate includes 25% loading.
Casual Personal Trainer Pay Rate
Casual personal trainers receive a 25% casual loading on top of the base hourly rate, increasing the minimum from $24.73/hr to $30.91/hr.
The casual loading compensates for not receiving paid annual leave, personal leave, notice of termination, or redundancy pay. Over a full year, a casual personal trainer working 38 hours per week would earn $61,078.16 (before tax and penalty rates).
From 1 July 2024, casual employees who have worked regular hours for at least 6 months can request conversion to permanent employment. Check your casual conversion eligibility →
Part-Time Personal Trainer Pay Rate
Part-time personal trainers receive the same hourly rate as full-time employees ($24.73/hr) but work fewer than 38 hours per week on a regular, agreed pattern. Part-time employees receive all the same entitlements as full-time employees (annual leave, personal leave, notice, redundancy) on a pro-rata basis.
Personal Trainer Penalty Rates
Penalty rates apply when personal trainers work on Saturdays, Sundays, or public holidays. Rates shown are for Level 1 permanent employees ($24.73/hr base).
Saturday
$37.10/hr
1.5x base
Sunday
$49.46/hr
2x base
Public Holiday
$61.83/hr
2.5x base
Casual employees may receive different penalty rate multipliers. Check the full award pay rates for detailed penalty rate tables.
Am I Being Underpaid as a Personal Trainer?
Many personal trainers are incorrectly classified as independent contractors. If you work set hours at a gym, use their equipment, and cannot sub-contract your shifts, you may legally be an employee entitled to award rates and entitlements.
If you earn less than $24.73/hr as a full-time or part-time personal trainer, or less than $30.91/hr as a casual, you may be underpaid. You can claim up to 6 years of back pay.
How much does a personal trainer get paid per hour?
The minimum hourly rate for a personal trainer in Australia is $24.73/hr for full-time/part-time employees and $30.91/hr for casuals (including 25% loading) under the Fitness Industry Award 2020. Actual rates may be higher depending on classification level, experience, and any enterprise agreement that applies.
What is the minimum wage for a personal trainer?
Under the Fitness Industry Award 2020 (MA000094), the minimum wage for a personal trainer starts at $24.73/hr (Level 1 adult rate). This equates to $939.74/week or $48,866.48/year for a standard 38-hour week. The national minimum wage is $24.95/hr.
What award covers personal trainers?
Personal Trainers in Australia are generally covered by the Fitness Industry Award 2020 (MA000094). This award sets out minimum pay rates, penalty rates, allowances, and other working conditions. Some personal trainers may be covered by an enterprise agreement instead, which must meet or exceed the award.
What is the casual rate for a personal trainer?
A casual personal trainer receives $30.91/hr, which includes the 25% casual loading on top of the $24.73/hr base rate. The casual loading compensates for not receiving paid leave and other permanent employment benefits.
What are the penalty rates for a personal trainer?
Under the Fitness Industry Award 2020, personal trainers receive: Saturday 1.5x ($37.10/hr), Sunday 2x ($49.46/hr), and Public Holiday 2.5x ($61.83/hr) at Level 1 rates.
FairWork Mate is an independent commercial service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with the Fair Work Ombudsman, the Fair Work Commission, or any Australian Government agency. Content is general information and estimates only — not legal, financial, or tax advice. Always verify with the Fair Work Ombudsman (13 13 94) or a qualified professional.
Free tools surface the issue. Our partners help you solve it.
Authorised Employment Hero Partner
Employment Hero
Australian HR, payroll, rostering and award interpretation in one platform. Used by 300,000+ businesses. Fixes the underlying payroll/compliance issues our calculators surface.
Best for: SMEs that have outgrown spreadsheet payroll or want automated award interpretation.
Matched with the right Australian lawyer for your situation — unfair dismissal, underpayment, workplace injury, debt, tenancy and more. Many lawyers offer a free first consult and no-win-no-fee arrangements.
Best for: anyone whose workplace or personal legal issue needs proper advice, not just a calculator.
Microsoft 365, Copilot rollouts, Essential Eight, Privacy Act 2026 and board-level cyber compliance for Australian SMBs. Where pay and HR end, your data and IT obligations begin.
Best for: SMBs running on Microsoft 365, anyone hitting cyber/privacy compliance, boards wanting an outside read on IT risk.