What is an Athletic Trainer?
Job Description & Duties Evaluate and advise individuals to assist recovery from or avoid athletic-related injuries or illnesses, or maintain peak physical fitness. May provide first aid or emergency care.
Athletic Trainer Responsibilities
- Travel with athletic teams to be available at sporting events.
- File athlete insurance claims and communicate with insurance providers.
- Conduct research or provide instruction on subject matter related to athletic training or sports medicine.
- 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.
- Collaborate with physicians to develop and implement comprehensive rehabilitation programs for athletic injuries.
- Massage body parts to relieve soreness, strains, or bruises.
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Athletic Trainer Needed Skills
Athletic Trainers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Resident Athletic Trainer
- Clinical Athletic Instructor
- Sports Medicine Coordinator
- Head Athletic Trainer
- Athletic Trainer
Is There Job Demand for Athletic Trainers?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 27,800 jobs in the United States for Athletic Trainer. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 22.7% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 6,300 new jobs for Athletic Trainer by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 2,200 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Athletic Trainer are Utah, Colorado, and Oregon. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Kansas, or Wisconsin. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does an Athletic Trainer Make?
The typical yearly salary for Athletic Trainers is somewhere between $31,010 and $70,750.

Athletic Trainers who work in Hawaii, Texas, or California, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Athletic Trainers in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $41,690 |
Alaska | $46,870 |
Arizona | $46,140 |
Arkansas | $46,700 |
California | $58,060 |
Colorado | $53,030 |
Connecticut | $58,920 |
Delaware | $47,930 |
District of Columbia | $68,470 |
Florida | $45,130 |
Georgia | $48,870 |
Hawaii | $59,990 |
Idaho | $41,200 |
Illinois | $44,380 |
Indiana | $45,370 |
Iowa | $47,260 |
Kansas | $45,860 |
Kentucky | $47,140 |
Louisiana | $46,650 |
Maine | $44,320 |
Maryland | $51,820 |
Massachusetts | $56,850 |
Michigan | $51,230 |
Minnesota | $50,310 |
Mississippi | $49,650 |
Missouri | $45,050 |
Montana | $42,860 |
Nebraska | $45,880 |
Nevada | $41,530 |
New Hampshire | $50,210 |
New Jersey | $51,890 |
New York | $49,960 |
North Carolina | $47,120 |
North Dakota | $45,470 |
Ohio | $46,990 |
Oklahoma | $47,720 |
Oregon | $48,370 |
Pennsylvania | $48,310 |
Rhode Island | $53,790 |
South Carolina | $42,590 |
South Dakota | $45,320 |
Tennessee | $44,590 |
Texas | $56,170 |
Utah | $48,490 |
Vermont | $50,470 |
Virginia | $48,970 |
Washington | $49,240 |
West Virginia | $45,170 |
Wisconsin | $49,370 |
Wyoming | $48,960 |
What Tools & Technology do Athletic Trainers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Athletic Trainers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Web browser software
- Email software
- Word processing software
- Spreadsheet software
- Database software
- Scheduling software
- BioEx Systems Exercise Pro
Becoming an Athletic Trainer
Education needed to be an Athletic Trainer:

What work experience do I need to become an Athletic Trainer?

Athletic Trainers Sector

Below are examples of industries where Athletic Trainers work:

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those thinking about becoming an Athletic Trainer might also be interested in the following careers:
Those who work as an Athletic Trainer sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
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