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Athletic Trainer

$60,250
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Prevent, evaluate, and rehabilitate athletes' injuries, working alongside coaches and physicians.

Where you work

Schools, teams, clinics, and hospitals

The hours

Evenings and weekends during sports seasons

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$60,250
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~2,400
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+11%
Much faster than average
Working in the U.S.
33,900
people, nationwide

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.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Master's degree

Training path: Master's degree + certification.

License or certification

Requires national board certification, and most states also require a license.

What it takes

Injury assessmentRehabilitationQuick judgmentCommunication

The honest take

Rewarding work in sports medicine, but the master's requirement now sets a higher bar than many expect.

Standard Occupational Classification 29-9091. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.