The Average Health Club Manager Salary

Health clubs can be a hustle and bustle of activity with things going on in different areas. The person who coordinates all of those activities so that classes are double booked in a room, machines are maintained, staff is trained and bills are paid is the club manager. The manager might not be the face of the club in the customer's eyes, but the manager is many times the representative of the club at various community events.

Job Duties

Health club managers oversee the operation of a health club. They manage staff members, which may include sales people, trainers, maintenance crew, day care providers and foodservice staff. They allocated budgets to best meet the needs of the club. They evaluate new products, programs and trends to decide on whether their use is appropriate for the club or not. They develop marketing plans for the club to increase membership.

Education

Many health club managers will have a degree in business management or a related field. At the same time, they also need to be knowledgeable about health and fitness since they will be making decisions that will affect members' health and fitness. Some managers may work their way up from being an employee at a health club to managing it, but this route requires them to prove their capability to manage through positions with increasing responsibility.

Skills

Besides being good managers, health club managers need to understand how business operates. They need to understand what their members want and need from a health club and how to get those things into the club. They must understand budgeting and finance. They should be comfortable working with people, not only employees but also members and outside organizations that managers market the club to.

Salary by City

Salaries vary depending on the demand for a health club in the city and reputation. According to SalaryExpert.com, the average salary nationally for a health club manager is $62,118 in 2010. One of the highest-paying cities for health club managers to work in is New York City, where they earn an average of $91,937 a year. Other higher-than-average paying cities include: Chicago, Illinois; Houston, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina and Boston, Massachusetts.

Job Growth

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics list health club managers among fitness workers, which is a job area that is expected to grow 29 percent between 2008 and 2018. One of the major reasons for this growth is expected to be the aging Baby Boomers who want to maintain their health. Another factor mentioned is the concern of child obesity and the reduction of physical education programs in school. It is expected that this will lead parents to enroll families in health clubs in order to get healthy. With this growth will come an increasing number of new health clubs, each of which will need a manager.

References

• Salary Expert: Health Club Manager Salaries
• State University: Health Club Owner and Manager Job Description, Career as a Health Club Owner and Manager, Salary, Employment - Definition and Nature of the Work, Education and Training Requirements, Getting the Job
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Fitness Workers