Train and compete in organized sports at the professional or semi-professional level.
You may also see this posted as: Baseball Player, Golf Professional, Hockey Player, Race Car Driver, Baseball Pitcher, Basketball Player.
Stadiums, arenas, and training facilities
Long, seasonal, heavy travel
Realistic
working with tools, equipment, materials, or the physical world
Enterprising
leading, persuading, selling, or turning an idea into action
Social
helping, teaching, caring for, or supporting other people
O*NET job zone 2 of 5
Some preparation—often a high school credential and on-the-job learning—is usually needed.
Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.
May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
BLS estimates 20.7% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.
Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.
No formal credential
Training path: Years of training and competition.
Related work experience: None.
On-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training.
No license required to start in most places.
Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.
Very few make a living at professional sports, and the careers that do happen tend to be short.
Run the Reality Check — build the life you want and see the salary it takes, then compare it to this one.
Browse verified internships, fellowships, and programs — many paid — that lead into fields like this.
Free resume templates, interview practice, and getting-hired guides in the Careers kit.
Standard Occupational Classification 27-2021. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.