Exercise Physiologist

Exercise physiologists treat chronic disease, injury and disability with exercise, assessing what a client can do and building a program that improves it.

Median salary: $96,100; 3.8%vs last year, before tax
People employed: 5,100; 2.0%vs last year
Projected growth: +24.7%; to 2035
AI exposure*: Low; 3 out of 10
Average hours: 41/wk; +1h vs all jobs
Shortage status: In shortage (regional); national

You'll find exercise physiologists in hospitals, rehabilitation units, private clinics, community health centres and aged care, with a growing share of appointments delivered over telehealth.
Most clients arrive on a referral from a GP, specialist, insurer or the NDIS, which decides how the work is funded and measured.
Accreditation with Exercise & Sports Science Australia is what allows Medicare, NDIS and workers' compensation billing, and it rests on a clinical degree.

How much do exercise physiologists earn?

The median full-time salary for an exercise physiologist is $96,100 per annum, before tax, up $19,800 since 2018.

Where you work changes what you earn: hospital and community health roles pay against a set award, while private practices often combine a base salary with a share of what you bill. Ask how super is treated, and whether you're paid for admin, travel between clients and late cancellations. Contracting is common in this field, so check who covers indemnity insurance, room hire and the gap when someone doesn't turn up.

Median annual salary, 2018–2028

Median annual salary (AUD/year), Modelled trend anchored to a real ABS Employee Earnings figure, interim years are indicative, not a real yearly series. 2025-2028 is a projection from that anchor using the real ABS Wage Price Index annual growth rate (3.2%, June quarter 2026), not a role-specific forecast., Estimate
Period	Median annual salary (AUD/year)	Change
2018	76,300	-
2019	78,800	+2,500
2020	82,300	+3,500
2021	85,000	+2,700
2022	88,700	+3,700
2023	92,600	+3,900
2024	96,100	+3,500
2025estimated	99,200	+3,100
2026estimated	102,300	+3,100
2027projected	105,600	+3,300
2028projected	109,000	+3,400

The median salary rose by $19,800 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.

Full exercise physiologist salary breakdown →

What does an exercise physiologist do day to day?

The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.

Taking a full health and exercise history, then testing capacity with measures such as a six-minute walk test, grip strength or a cardiopulmonary exercise test
Writing a program around one specific condition, so a cardiac client's sessions look nothing like the plan for someone with type 2 diabetes
Running sessions one to one or in small groups, adjusting load, pace and technique as capacity changes from week to week
Liaising with the referring GP, physiotherapist or insurer and writing progress notes they can act on
Coaching clients through the hard stretches, such as the first fortnight of a new program, a flare-up, or a setback that has stalled their motivation

What skills do exercise physiologists need?

Employers look for clinical assessment and treatment, care planning and coordination, rehabilitation and therapy, backed by Cardiopulmonary exercise testing equipment fluency and strong written communication.

Specialist skills

Clinical assessment and treatment
Care planning and coordination
Rehabilitation and therapy
Health education and advice
Patient care and support
Data analysis

Software and tools

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing equipment
Strength and conditioning apparatus
Wearable fitness monitors
Electronic health records (EHR)
Telehealth platforms

General skills

Written communication
Problem solving

Specialist skills

Clinical assessment and treatment: An initial session usually means taking a full health and medication history, then measuring what a client can actually do through a timed walk test, grip strength or a graded exercise test. Those readings set the starting load, so an exercise physiologist treats from the assessment rather than guessing at it.
Care planning and coordination: Programs run for weeks or months, so the plan has to spell out frequency, intensity and progression for one condition, and who else is involved. Exercise physiologists often sit between a GP, a physiotherapist and an insurer, and it falls to them to keep the plan current and the referrals moving.
Rehabilitation and therapy: Much of the caseload is people rebuilding capacity after a cardiac event, a joint replacement, a stroke or a workplace injury. The work is gradual and measured: sessions are adjusted week to week, and progress is often a small gain in how far someone can walk or how much they can lift.
Health education and advice: Clients need to understand why the program is shaped the way it is, or they stop coming. Exercise physiologists explain how movement affects blood pressure, blood sugar or pain, and answer the questions people raise about exercising with a condition they have been told to be careful with.
Patient care and support: Sessions involve a lot of encouragement through the stretches where progress is slow, especially the first fortnight of a new program or after a flare-up. The relationship carries the treatment as much as the prescription does, which is why clients often stay with the same exercise physiologist for years.
Data analysis: Outcome measures are recorded session to session, whether that is a walk distance, a strength reading or a pain score, and the pattern across those entries is what justifies continuing, changing or ending a program. Insurers and the NDIS ask for that evidence when they review funding.

Software and tools

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing equipment: Used mainly in hospital and clinic settings to measure how a heart and lungs respond to graded effort, which sets safe exercise limits for cardiac and respiratory clients before a program starts.
Strength and conditioning apparatus: Bands, free weights, cable machines and stationary bikes are the everyday tools for building strength and aerobic capacity, chosen to match what a client can manage and what the clinic or gym has available.
Wearable fitness monitors: Activity trackers and heart rate monitors let clients keep an eye on steps, sleep and effort between sessions, giving the exercise physiologist real data to adjust the next program rather than relying on recall.
Electronic health records (EHR): Progress notes, assessment results and referral details are recorded in systems such as those used across hospitals and community health, so the referring GP or the next clinician can see what changed.
Telehealth platforms: Video consultations are common for reviews and for clients in regional areas or with limited mobility, and they suit program adjustments and check-ins rather than the physical testing itself.

General skills

Written communication: Progress notes and reports go to GPs, insurers and the NDIS, and need to set out the assessment, the program and the outcome for someone who was not in the room to act on.
Problem solving: A client who is not improving, a flare-up mid-program or a condition that complicates the usual prescription all call for rethinking the approach, since not every plan works first time.

Is the job growing?

About 5,100 people work as exercise physiologists in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 24.7% over the decade to 2035. That's very strong growth. Few roles in Australia are expanding this fast, and it points to solid demand for years to come.

Employment, 2015–2024, projected to 2035

Employment (workers), Modelled trend anchored to a real Jobs and Skills Australia employment figure, interim years are indicative, not a real yearly series, Estimate
Period	Employment (workers)	Change
2015	4,200	-
2016	4,300	+100
2017	4,400	+100
2018	4,500	+100
2019	4,600	+100
2020	4,700	+100
2021	4,800	+100
2022	4,900	+100
2023	5,000	+100
2024	5,100	+100
2027projected	5,500	+400
2029projected	5,800	+300
2031projected	6,000	+200
2033projected	6,400	+400
2035projected	6,700	+300

Employment rose by 900 between 2015 and 2024; the dashed line shows the official projection to 2035.

How do you become an exercise physiologist?

Here's the path most exercise physiologists take, step by step.

1
Complete a degree accredited by Exercise & Sports Science Australia
Most people take a four-year bachelor program in clinical exercise physiology, which includes supervised placement hours in hospitals, clinics or community programs.
2
Or take the graduate-entry route
If you have a degree in exercise science, health science or a similar field, a master's in clinical exercise physiology takes about two years and covers the same clinical training.
3
Finish your supervised placement
Placement is where you work with real clients under supervision, including people managing several conditions at once, and it is part of what makes you eligible for accreditation.
4
Apply for accreditation as an Accredited Exercise Physiologist
Exercise & Sports Science Australia grants the credential employers and funding schemes recognise. You renew it annually and record your professional learning to keep it current.
5
Get a Medicare provider number and arrange insurance
Without a provider number your clients cannot claim a rebate, and you need professional indemnity cover before you see anyone, whether you're an employee or contracting.

Study routes we have checked

Qualifications that are a recognised way into this role, and what else you need.

Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology
A recognised route into this role
Complete the ESSA-accredited exercise-physiology programme, clinical practical experience and professional accreditation requirements. Exercise science and sport science alone are different qualifications. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.
Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology
A recognised route into this role
Complete an accredited exercise physiology programme, its clinical practicum hours and professional accreditation requirements. The course alone does not confer accreditation. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.

Ready to apply as an exercise physiologist?

Whether you're working toward becoming an exercise physiologist or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.

Resume templateExample bullet points grounded in this role's real tasks.View & download →Cover letter templateA structured letter with role-specific example content.View & download →Interview questionsWhat people are actually asked, and why.View & download →

What jobs can an exercise physiologist move to?

Moving into Work Health and Safety Officer typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $22,700 a year more on average.

Exercise Physiologist

$96,100

Work Health and Safety Officer

$118,800+$22,700

Physiotherapist

$98,200+$2,100

Human Resources Manager

$143,900+$47,800

Work Health and Safety Inspector

$123,900+$27,800

Safety Consultant

$118,800+$22,700

Work Health and Safety OfficerRecorded move
$118,800+$22,700
PhysiotherapistRecorded move
$98,200+$2,100

Recorded in tax dataSuggested from skill overlap

Thick lines are moves people were recorded making in Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility (income tax records, 2011-12 to 2020-21). Thin lines are moves we suggest from skill overlap and entry requirements.

Move to	Typical pay change	Overlap	Retraining
Work Health and Safety Officer Rehabilitation and injury prevention knowledge suits work health and safety, with a short course adding the required compliance skills.Known move	+$22,700	18%	short course
Physiotherapist Exercise prescription and chronic disease management carry across, but becoming a physiotherapist requires a physiotherapy qualification and registration.Known move	+$2,100	81%	requalify

Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.

Who works as an exercise physiologist?

The typical exercise physiologist is 29 years old; 52% are women, 62% work full-time, and full-timers average 41 hours a week.

29
Median age: 52%
Female share: 62%
Full-time: +1h
vs all-jobs avg

What's it like being an exercise physiologist?

Your week is a mix of assessments, one-to-one sessions and small group classes, with notes and phone calls fitted around them. You'll often meet people at their most discouraged, so keeping someone going through the weeks when nothing seems to change is a skill you build over time. Most private clinics book appointments back to back and you carry the admin that goes with each one, which keeps the day moving quickly. If you enjoy explaining why a plan works and watching small gains add up, this suits you; if you need quick results to feel useful, chronic disease work can be draining.

What people like

You watch capacity come back. Someone who couldn't manage the walk to their letterbox at the first appointment can often handle a full supermarket trip a few months later, and you were there for every step of it.
Your caseload spans very different conditions. A cardiac rehabilitation group in the morning, a teenager with cerebral palsy after lunch and someone preparing for knee surgery the next day keeps the clinical thinking varied.
The evidence backs what you prescribe. Exercise for chronic disease has a solid research base, so you can explain why a program works and give advice you're confident in.
Clients stay with you for months or years. Longer relationships mean you see confidence return and families start to understand the condition, not just a number on a test result.

What people find hard

Progress is slow and rarely linear. Chronic conditions improve over months, and a bad fortnight can undo weeks of work, which is hard when you're invested in the outcome.
Notes and reports follow you home. Medicare, NDIS and insurer paperwork doesn't fit inside a 30-minute session, so plenty of clinicians write it after hours.
Referrals decide your caseload. You rarely control who walks through the door; GP referral habits, funding rules and the local population decide which conditions you see.
Diaries are booked solid. Private clinics schedule appointments back to back, so there's little room to spend an extra ten minutes with someone who needs it.

Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.

Which industries employ exercise physiologists?

Health Care and Social Assistance employs the largest share of exercise physiologists, followed by Arts and Recreation Services.

Top employing industries

1Health Care and Social Assistance
2Arts and Recreation Services

Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.

Highest qualification held
Bachelor degree		51.6%
Postgraduate		45.1%
Diploma / Advanced Diploma		0.7%
Year 12 or below		0.6%
Certificate III/IV		0.1%

Will AI replace exercise physiologists?

3out of 10

Low exposure. Unlikely. AI will change some of the work around this job, not the job itself.

AI has little reach into the treatment itself. Software reads exercise test results, wearable data and screening questionnaires quickly and can pre-fill parts of a report, but the session is one person noticing that another is breathless, hesitant or ready for more. For anyone entering the profession, the skills worth building are telehealth delivery and interpreting wearable data, plus the coaching that keeps a client turning up.

How a typical week splits

20%

AI already does a lot of this

of a typical working week

Notes, reports and billing
20% of the week
Progress notes, GP letters, NDIS reports and Medicare claims are text and numbers, so drafting tools save genuine time, though you check every line before it goes out.

20%

AI helps, you still do it

of a typical working week

Assessment and exercise testing
20% of the week
Graded exercise tests, six-minute walks and strength measures produce data software can interpret, but you're watching the person for a blood pressure drop, an irregular pulse or a face that says stop.

60%

Stays with people

of a typical working week

Supervising sessions and coaching
35% of the week
Cueing, encouragement and technique correction happen in the room, and clients come back for the relationship as much as for the plan on the page.
Program design and progression
25% of the week
Templates are easy to find; deciding how much load to prescribe for someone with heart failure, knee osteoarthritis and a night-shift job is where your clinical training shows.

How we work this out

We break each job into its main tasks, estimate the share of a typical week each one takes, and judge how far current AI and automation tools reach into it. The score out of 10 starts from the job's overall rating (low is 1 to 3, moderate 4 to 6, high 7 to 10) and the task split places it within that range. Source: Career Tips analysis of each role's main tasks.

Common questions about becoming an exercise physiologist

Straight answers to the questions people ask most.

How much do exercise physiologists earn?

Full-time exercise physiologists earn $96,100 per year before tax. Hospital and community health roles pay against an award, while private practices often add a share of billings to a base salary, so two jobs with the same title can pay quite differently. Treat that figure as a guide, and ask exactly what the package includes.

How do you become an exercise physiologist?

You need a degree accredited by Exercise & Sports Science Australia, usually a four-year bachelor program that includes supervised clinical placement. If you have an exercise science or health degree, a two-year master's in clinical exercise physiology is the alternative route. You then apply for accreditation as an Accredited Exercise Physiologist, which allows you to bill Medicare, the NDIS and workers' compensation.

Are exercise physiologists in demand?

Exercise physiologists are currently in shortage in regional areas, and employment is projected to grow 24.7% over the decade to 2035. The work is funded mainly through Medicare chronic disease management plans, the NDIS and aged care, so it's worth asking a prospective employer how much of their caseload comes through those schemes. A placement or first job with an older or high-need population will broaden the conditions you can treat.

Will AI replace exercise physiologists?

AI helps most with the information around a session: reading wearable and exercise test data, drafting a progress report, flagging a client who hasn't rebooked. It can't get a reluctant client moving or tell you when to stop a session, so those judgement and coaching skills are the ones to develop early. Learn the telehealth platforms and monitoring tools properly and they'll take admin off your desk.

What's the difference between an exercise physiologist and a physiotherapist?

Physiotherapists diagnose and treat acute injury and movement problems, often with hands-on techniques, while exercise physiologists design and supervise longer programs for chronic conditions. Both are university-qualified allied health professionals, but physiotherapists register with AHPRA and exercise physiologists are accredited through Exercise & Sports Science Australia. If hands-on treatment appeals more, physiotherapy is worth comparing; if you prefer long-term behaviour change, this job fits better.

What can an exercise physiologist move into?

The move into physiotherapy makes sense because the two roles share the same assessment and exercise prescription skill, but it means completing a physiotherapy degree and registering; physiotherapists earn $2,100 more. Moving into work health and safety lets your injury prevention knowledge carry over, with a short course supplying the compliance skills, and those officers earn $22,700 more. Many exercise physiologists also end up running their own clinic or contracting to a practice, which pays well only once referrals are steady and means covering your own insurance, room hire and admin.

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How much do exercise physiologists earn?

What does an exercise physiologist do day to day?

What skills do exercise physiologists need?

Specialist skills

Software and tools

General skills

Specialist skills

Software and tools

General skills

Is the job growing?

How do you become an exercise physiologist?

Study routes we have checked

Ready to apply as an exercise physiologist?

What jobs can an exercise physiologist move to?

Who works as an exercise physiologist?

What's it like being an exercise physiologist?

What people like

What people find hard

Which industries employ exercise physiologists?

Top employing industries

Will AI replace exercise physiologists?

How a typical week splits

Common questions about becoming an exercise physiologist

Related roles

Career advice