Athletic Trainers: Career Overview
Evaluate and treat musculoskeletal injuries or illnesses. Provide preventive, therapeutic, emergency, and rehabilitative care.
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What Tasks Do Athletic Trainers Take On?
The core tasks performed by athletic trainers include:
- Conduct an initial assessment of an athlete's injury or illness to provide emergency or continued care and to determine whether they should be referred to physicians for definitive diagnosis and treatment.
- Assess and report the progress of recovering athletes to coaches or physicians.
- Care for athletic injuries, using physical therapy equipment, techniques, or medication.
- Evaluate athletes' readiness to play and provide participation clearances when necessary and warranted.
- Perform general administrative tasks, such as keeping records or writing reports.
- Clean and sanitize athletic training rooms.
- Instruct coaches, athletes, parents, medical personnel, or community members in the care and prevention of athletic injuries.
- Apply protective or injury preventive devices, such as tape, bandages, or braces, to body parts, such as ankles, fingers, or wrists.
What Athletic Trainers Need to Know
Successful athletic trainers draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Athletic Trainers Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Athletic Instructor
- Athletic Lecturer
- Athletic Trainer
- Certified Athletic Trainer
- Clinical Athletic Instructor
- Clinical Athletic Trainer
- Fitness Specialist
- Licensed Athletic Trainer
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 316,977 athletic trainers working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -0.3% over the projection horizon.
Athletic Trainers Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $79,834 |
| Hourly median | $38.38 |
| 10th percentile | $52,557 |
| 25th percentile | $66,195 |
| 75th percentile | $93,472 |
| 90th percentile | $107,110 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Athletic Trainers Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | $77,350 |
| District of Columbia | $74,990 |
| California | $74,150 |
| Hawaii | $70,930 |
| Connecticut | $67,090 |
| Texas | $66,430 |
| Oklahoma | $65,070 |
| Minnesota | $64,340 |
| New York | $63,850 |
| Massachusetts | $63,720 |
| Utah | $63,190 |
| Alaska | $62,740 |
| Colorado | $62,670 |
| Louisiana | $62,500 |
| New Mexico | $62,300 |
| Illinois | $62,140 |
| Georgia | $61,790 |
| Montana | $61,590 |
| Ohio | $60,900 |
| Maryland | $60,840 |
| Wyoming | $60,790 |
| Delaware | $60,750 |
| Wisconsin | $60,520 |
| Idaho | $60,360 |
| Washington | $60,350 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,970 |
| Michigan | $58,550 |
| Florida | $58,410 |
| North Dakota | $58,380 |
| Arizona | $58,270 |
| Virginia | $58,200 |
| Maine | $58,140 |
| Rhode Island | $58,140 |
| Indiana | $57,750 |
| Nevada | $57,670 |
| Nebraska | $57,430 |
| Oregon | $57,420 |
| Vermont | $57,160 |
| New Hampshire | $55,180 |
| Kansas | $54,990 |
| Missouri | $54,340 |
| South Dakota | $54,200 |
| Tennessee | $54,040 |
| Alabama | $53,640 |
| South Carolina | $53,520 |
| Arkansas | $53,490 |
| North Carolina | $52,980 |
| Mississippi | $52,260 |
| Kentucky | $51,550 |
| Iowa | $49,700 |
| West Virginia | $45,140 |
Where Athletic Trainers Earn the Most
Compensation for athletic trainers shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $69,632 | 9.3% | 0.59 |
| Southwest | $64,188 | 11.7% | 0.96 |
| Middle Atlantic | $63,678 | 16.2% | 1.39 |
| Rocky Mountains | $62,380 | 3.7% | 0.95 |
| New England | $62,104 | 5.5% | 1.34 |
| Great Lakes | $60,227 | 16.4% | 1.22 |
| Plains States | $57,112 | 9.5% | 1.43 |
| Southeast | $56,334 | 27.8% | 1.17 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Athletic Trainers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | MI | $80,560 | 40 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | TX | $79,700 | 30 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | TX | $78,550 | 80 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | TX | $78,510 | 350 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $78,400 | 230 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $78,210 | 160 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $77,150 | 240 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | NJ | $76,300 | 40 |
Which Industries Hire Athletic Trainers
The largest employers of athletic trainers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 13,840 | n/a |
| Educational Services | 12,180 | n/a |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 2,150 | n/a |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 260 | n/a |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 120 | n/a |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 60 | n/a |
Below are examples of industries where athletic trainers work:
Tech Stack
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for athletic trainers is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Frequency of Decision Making
Getting Started in This Career
Most athletic trainers positions require a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Fitness and Wellness Coordinators (Supplemental)
- Training and Development Specialists (Supplemental)
- Coaches and Scouts (Primary-Long)
- Chiropractors (Primary-Long)
- Occupational Therapists (Primary-Long)
- Physical Therapists (Primary-Long)
- Recreational Therapists (Primary-Short)
- Respiratory Therapists (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Future athletic trainers commonly pursue programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness Studies, and Kinesiology
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-9091.00 (Athletic Trainers).
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