Exercise
physiology explained
Careers, salary and how to get started
Exercise physiology explained
Careers, salary and how to become an exercise physiologist
In his 20 years as a clinical exercise physiologist, Assistant Professor Neil Chapman has seen firsthand how exercise can transform people’s health. One patient, living with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and weight gain, had spent years trying medications, education programs, and to follow advice to "exercise more".
When they arrived at a multidisciplinary clinic in regional New South Wales, exercise was the area where they felt they were falling short.
Working alongside doctors, nurses, dietitians and podiatrists, Neil helped the patient view exercise not as a lifestyle goal, but as a prescribed treatment. Together they started with short walks and simple strength exercises that felt achievable.
Over time, blood glucose levels improved, blood pressure settled, energy increased and the patient became more engaged in managing their own health.
"What has stayed with me is the shift in how they understood movement," Neil says.
"When our whole multidisciplinary team consistently treated exercise as one of their key medicines, they stopped viewing physical activity as a moral obligation and started seeing it as a powerful, prescribed therapy."
Experiences like this sit at the heart of exercise physiology, a profession that uses evidence-based exercise to help people recover from injury, manage chronic disease and improve their quality of life.
With rising rates of chronic disease and an ageing population in Australia, demand for exercise physiologists is growing. For students passionate about health and helping others, the profession offers an opportunity to build a career while making a tangible difference to people's lives.
A Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology can provide the pathway into this rewarding profession.
What does an exercise physiologist do?
Exercise physiologists, also known as Accredited Exercise Physiologists (AEPs), use evidence-based exercise to help people manage chronic disease, recover from injury, and improve their health and quality of life. An exercise physiologist may conduct functional assessments, prescribe individualised exercise programs and support clients to make sustainable lifestyle changes.
Where do exercise physiologists work?
One of the benefits of a career in exercise physiology is the variety of workplaces available to graduates.
As an exercise physiologist, you may work in:
Hospitals and
health services
Private practice
clinics
Rehabilitation
centres
Community health
programs
Workplace health
and wellbeing
Aged care
services
Professional and
community sport
Strength and
conditioning settings
What does an exercise physiologist do?
Exercise physiologists, also known as Accredited Exercise Physiologists (AEPs), use evidence-based exercise to help people manage chronic disease, recover from injury, and improve their health and quality of life. An exercise physiologist may conduct functional assessments, prescribe individualised exercise programs and support clients to make sustainable lifestyle changes.
Where do exercise physiologists work?
One of the benefits of a career in exercise physiology is the variety of workplaces available to graduates. This diversity allows clinical exercise physiologists to build careers aligned with their interests, whether that's helping people manage chronic disease, support rehabilitation or improve physical performance.
Hospitals and
health services
Private practice
clinics
Rehabilitation
centres
Community health
programs
Workplace health
and wellbeing
Aged care
services
Professional and
community sport
Strength and
conditioning settings
Physiotherapist vs exercise physiologist: what's the difference?
Physiotherapists often focus on acute injury management, diagnosis and manual therapy, while exercise physiologists typically focus on longer-term rehabilitation, chronic disease management and exercise-based interventions.
Exercise scientist vs exercise physiologist: what's the difference?
The key difference between an exercise scientist and a clinical exercise physiologist is their scope of practice. Exercise scientists typically focus on fitness testing and general exercise programming, while clinical exercise physiologists are trained to work with clinical populations, manage chronic disease, and deliver interventions eligible for Medicare, NDIS and private health referral pathways in Australia.
What does an exercise physiologist earn?
Exercise physiologists in Australia typically earn between $80,000 and $90,000 per year, with salary potential increasing with experience, specialisation and location, according to SEEK Salary Insights.
How long does it take to become an exercise physiologist?
At Bond University, students can complete a Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology in two years and four months and graduate eligible to apply for accreditation* as both an exercise physiologist and exercise scientist. As the fastest undergraduate pathway to becoming an exercise physiologist in Australia, the program enables graduates to enter the workforce sooner than many similar undergraduate degrees at other universities.
*Pending Bond's Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology being awarded provisional or full program accreditation by ESSA, students must then apply to ESSA for individual accreditation as an AES and AEP
How do you become an exercise physiologist?
To become an exercise physiologist in Australia, you need to complete an accredited degree in clinical exercise physiology and then apply to Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA) directly for individual accreditation as an Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) and Accredited Exercise Scientist (AES).
Bond's Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology provides the knowledge, practical skills and clinical placement experience required to pursue accreditation and work with people living with injury, illness and chronic disease, to enhance their health and quality of life.
Why choose a career in exercise physiology?
Exercise physiology is a rewarding career with strong employment prospects, diverse career pathways and the opportunity to make a meaningful difference to people's health and wellbeing.
There is growing demand for accredited exercise physiologists in Australia, particularly in clinical and community healthcare settings. As chronic disease rates increase and Australia's population ages, exercise is playing an increasingly important role in disease prevention, rehabilitation and long-term health management. NSW Health projects public sector demand to grow by up to 1.5% annually to 2040.
For those passionate about health, movement and helping others, exercise physiology offers the chance to build a purpose-driven career across a variety of healthcare, rehabilitation and performance environments.
Why study a Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology?
A Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology provides the academic and practical training required to become an exercise physiologist in Australia. Students develop knowledge of exercise assessment, prescription and delivery for people living with injury, illness and chronic disease.
The degree includes 500 hours of supervised clinical placement, giving students experience working with clients across a range of healthcare, rehabilitation and community settings. Placements may include university clinics, hospitals, private practices and sporting organisations.
Areas of study typically include chronic disease management, musculoskeletal rehabilitation, exercise testing, behavioural change and evidence-based exercise prescription. Graduates can pursue roles in healthcare, rehabilitation, community health and high-performance sport settings.
Ready to study exercise physiology?
If you're interested in using exercise to improve people's health and wellbeing, studying clinical exercise physiology is one pathway into the profession. Learn more about Bond University’s Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology.
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