A Higher Personal Training Credential with Proven Results
Choosing the right educational path in personal training can make all the difference in your career or if you just want to know how to train someone. While standard certifications may offer a quicker route, experience and higher credentialing is now necessary to enter the job force or receive a quality education.
- Comprehensive Curriculum
- Diploma programs cover a wider range of topics, including exercise science, physiology, biomechanics, program design and nutrition.
- Learn how to train special populations like athletes, power lifters, prenatal, menopausal, teenagers, elderly, obese, etc. Certifications only teach you how to train healthy adult males.
- Higher Credential Recognition
- A diploma is often viewed as a more prestigious qualification than a certification, enhancing employability and career mobility. Earn 38% more than certification holders.
- Licensed by the Department of Education. Proof of Education > Passing a Test. 90% of trainers with just a personal trainer certification quit in 1 year.
- Career Opportunities and Advancement
- With a diploma, you may qualify for advanced roles, such as lead trainer, fitness manager, or gym owner and will give you access to higher quality gyms.
- We are required by statute to uphold high job placement and salary standards for trainers, unlike certifications, which have no such obligation.
- GI Bill® & Financial Assistance Eligibility
- Diploma programs may be eligible for financial assistance, including the GI Bill® and Vocational Rehab, which is typically not available for short certification courses.
- 0% Interest monthly payments available to all at the National Personal Training Institute.
- Avoid Costly CEUs and Renewal Fees
- All certifications require continuing education units (CEUs) and have recurring renewal fees, making them costly over time ~$800/year.
- The National Personal Training Institute Diploma is recognized nationally and internationally and requires no upkeep.
Two Types of Diploma Programs
As if navigating the personal training certification process wasn’t confusing enough, an increasing number of local colleges, community colleges, and online colleges are now offering diplomas or degrees in personal training. Avoid them at all costs. Let us break down exactly why these programs are taking advantage of you:
Credit Hour vs. Clock Hour Programs
Most colleges follow a credit hour system, bundling personal training with somewhat related courses that have little to no relevance to the fitness industry. You will find yourself in class alongside nurses and phlebotomists, learning peripheral subjects that do nothing to make you a better trainer. After spending time and money on unnecessary coursework, you will end up taking a prep course for an inexpensive third-party personal training certification—something you could have done on your own for a fraction of the cost. This is nothing but a glorified prep course for a personal trainer certification. The diploma you receive from these colleges cannot be used a qualifying credential. Getting a certification from a college or university should be an immediate red flag. And don’t expect career placement assistance when you graduate.
On the other hand, clock hour programs—like the National Personal Training Institute—are entirely dedicated to personal training and nutrition. Consider it as one full course with the same students throughout. Every hour of education is committed to making you a qualified, knowledgeable personal trainer, without wasting time on “building credits” on classes that do not lead to a credential. This is why the Department of Education considers our diploma a stand-alone credential, and the qualifying credential for a credit hour program is a third-party certification prep course. To sum things up, you are not saying you got a “John University” certification. Instead, you will have a National Personal Training Institute Certification. Credit hour programs saw a rapid growth once it became clear they could leverage GI Bill benefits through their existing platforms for personal trainers. We at the National Personal Training Institute see it as a manipulation of an unregulated industry and well intentioned prospects.
What Happened to the Certification Industry?
Over the last 5 to 10 years, the fitness industry has shifted toward a subscription-style business model. Many certification companies now offer fast, easy-to-get credentials—but there’s a catch. To keep these certifications active, you’re required to pay ongoing renewal fees and complete continuing education units (CEUs), often through the same company that sold you the certification in the first place.
While it might seem affordable at first, these costs quickly add up. Between renewal fees, CEU courses, and related expenses, professionals can end up spending many thousands of dollars over the years just to maintain a basic certification. This model is no accident. Many of the major certification companies have been purchased by billion-dollar investment firms, shifting the focus from education to profit. As a result, the market is flooded with quickly obtained credentials, and employers are taking notice.
Today, more and more employers are raising the bar—seeking professionals with deeper knowledge, stronger credentials, and a serious commitment to the field. Basic certifications and pay-to-renew models just don’t carry the same weight they once did.
