2026 Employee Compensation & Benefits Report

The definitive benchmarking resource for pay, benefits, and workforce trends in the health and fitness industry.

Attracting and retaining top talent remains one of the most pressing challenges facing fitness operators. The 2026 Employee Compensation & Benefits Report for the Commercial Health & Fitness Industry provides the sector’s most comprehensive benchmarking data to help facility operators and owners evaluate compensation strategy, benefits offerings, and workforce practices with confidence.

Based on data from 88 companies representing 1,400 facilities across the United States and Canada, this report delivers detailed compensation and benefits benchmarks for some 50 job titles across corporate leadership, salaried club-level roles, and hourly positions.

What’s Inside the Report

Comprehensive Benchmarks

• Median and average total compensation for approximately 50 common industry roles
• Breakouts by:
  • Annual company sales
  • Census region
  • Club structure
  • Primary facility type
  • Number of clubs owned or managed
• Separate reporting for Canadian respondents

Breakouts are provided where sufficient data was available to ensure statistical reliability and confidentiality. 

Leadership Compensation Trends

• Compensation progression across revenue tiers
• Insights into bonus and commission structures
• Tenure patterns and education requirements
• Differences between corporate and club-level leadership pay

Salaried and Hourly Workforce Insights

• Salaried and hourly wage benchmarks across key frontline roles
• Hiring timelines by position level
• Turnover rates by employee type
• Recruiting channel effectiveness

Employee Benefits and Leave Practices

• Health plan prevalence (PPO, HMO, HSA-based plans)
• Employer contribution rates for individual vs. family coverage
• Retirement plan availability and employer match levels
• Paid leave benchmarks by tenure
• Sick leave policies and accrual practices
• Prevalence of remote and hybrid policies for corporate staff

Methodology

In September 2025, an email invitation was distributed to fitness facility operators and owners with a link to a strictly confidential online questionnaire. In total, 88 completed survey forms were returned, representing 1,400 facilities. Of the submissions, 11 were from Canada. The Canadian results are shown separately in the report.

The report was produced in partnership with Industry Insights, an independent research firm specializing in association benchmarking studies.

Get Access

The 2026 Employee Compensation & Benefits Report for the Commercial Health & Fitness Industry is available to HFA members complimentary as a membership benefit while professional members receive discounted pricing.  

Not an HFA member? Explore membership or purchase the report for $699.