2026 Employee Compensation & Benefits Report for the Commercial Health & Fitness
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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.
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 as a membership benefit.
Not an HFA member? Explore membership or purchase the report for $699.