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Athletic trainer: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 23, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$62,520median pay per year, May 2025[1]
  1. $48,180lowest 10% earn less
  2. $55,13025th percentile
  3. $62,520median
  4. $74,63075th percentile
  5. $88,760top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

The median athletic trainer earned $62,520 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 12.7% from 2025 to 2035, and the usual entry degree is a master's[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+12.7%[2]
Openings per year
2,400[6]
Typical entry education
Master's degree[3]

How much do athletic trainers make?

The median athletic trainer in the US earned $62,520 a year in May 2025[1]. Half earned more and half earned less. The mean (average) was $66,620[7]. For all occupations together, the median was $50,980[5].

The pay range is fairly narrow at the bottom and wider at the top:

Wage point Annual wage Source
10th percentile[4] $48,180
25th percentile[4] $55,130
Median[1] $62,520
75th percentile[4] $74,630
90th percentile[4] $88,760

A percentile is a boundary. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $48,180, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $88,760[4]. BLS does not publish a starting salary[8].

BLS publishes only annual wages for athletic trainers, not hourly wages[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions[10]. In 2025, 5.9% of athletic trainers were self-employed[11].

Pay by state and city

California had the highest median wage at $78,490, followed by Hawaii at $76,320 and New Jersey at $76,210[12]. Alabama had the lowest listed median, $46,940[12].

Texas had the most athletic trainer jobs with 3,130, followed by Ohio with 2,100 and Pennsylvania with 1,870[13]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median at $89,630[14]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area had the most jobs, 1,330, with a median of $76,500[15].

Show median pay in 49 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
California[12]$78,4901,760
Hawaii$76,320200
New Jersey$76,210890
District of Columbia$74,450100
New Mexico$72,440150
Massachusetts$70,010630
Connecticut$69,960290
New York$66,2301,370
Utah$65,980340
Minnesota$65,390820
Illinois$64,750850
Georgia$64,590860
Colorado$64,580380
Texas$64,1503,130
Maryland$63,970320
Rhode Island$63,750n/a
Washington$63,750240
Wyoming$63,19060
Vermont$62,910140
Indiana$62,7801,040
Louisiana$62,760810
Maine$61,970180
Virginia$61,860830
Wisconsin$61,820620
Arizona$61,710590
Ohio$61,4202,100
Florida$61,3501,430
Oklahoma$61,320360
Pennsylvania$61,0601,870
Nebraska$61,020270
North Dakota$60,900110
Kentucky$60,680720
Idaho$60,410170
New Hampshire$60,200210
Montana$60,09050
Tennessee$59,850580
Nevada$59,820180
Delaware$59,65050
Michigan$59,280870
South Carolina$59,240530
Kansas$59,140390
Missouri$58,660510
South Dakota$58,620150
Mississippi$58,180200
Oregon$57,790280
Arkansas$57,240240
North Carolina$56,540990
Iowa$55,430570
West Virginia$50,510110
Alabama$46,940840

How to become an athletic trainer

BLS lists a master's degree as the typical education for entry. It lists no related work experience and no on-the-job training[3]. In an O*NET survey of 19 workers, 54% said a master's degree is required, 37% said a bachelor's degree and 8% said a high school diploma[16].

The steps look like this[3][17][18]:

1) Earn a bachelor's degree that includes science and health courses. Master's programs generally ask for this[19]. In high school, anatomy, physiology and physics are useful courses to take[20]. 2) Complete a master's degree from an accredited program[17]. These programs combine classroom work with clinical work and cover topics such as injury prevention, therapeutic modalities and nutrition[17][19]. 3) Meet your state's rules[18]. Nearly all states require a license or certification, and the details differ by state. Your state licensing board can give the specifics[18]. 4) Certification typically requires finishing an accredited program and passing a qualifying exam[21]. Certified athletic trainers then take continuing education courses to keep it[21].

The facts here do not say how many years the path takes.

What athletic trainers do

Athletic trainers evaluate and treat muscle and bone injuries and illnesses. They give preventive, emergency and rehabilitative care[22]. Typical tasks include:

The job calls for compassion, sound clinical decisions, accurate record keeping and good communication with physicians, patients, athletes, coaches and parents[24][25][26][27].

Where they work

Educational services employed the largest share of athletic trainers in 2025, at 40%[28]. Athletic trainers may also work with the military, law enforcement, professional sports teams or performing artists[29].

Some of the work happens outdoors on sports fields in all kinds of weather[30]. Full-time work is the usual schedule. Trainers who cover team events may work evenings or weekends and travel often[31].

Job outlook

BLS projects athletic trainer employment to grow 12.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 35,200 jobs to 39,600[2]. For all occupations, projected growth is 3.5%[32]. The projection counts include self-employed workers[2]. The OEWS count of about 30,500 jobs covers wage and salary jobs only[33].

BLS expects about 2,400 openings a year on average from 2025 to 2035[6]. Openings include jobs that open when people retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 2.5% of athletic trainers leave the labor force and 2.7% move to a different occupation[34].

Is it a good fit?

The pay is above the all-occupations median, and projected growth is well above the 3.5% average for all occupations[1][5][2][32]. The entry bar is high, since a master's degree is the typical requirement[3]. State licensing or certification adds another step[18]. The field is also small, with about 30,500 wage and salary jobs[33]. Work with teams can mean evenings, weekends and travel[31]. Pay differs by state, so it is worth checking your own state's figure in the table below[12].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[35].

Frequently asked questions

How much does an athletic trainer make a year?
The median was $62,520 a year in May 2025 and the mean was $66,620[1][7]. The middle half earned between $55,130 and $74,630[4].
How much does an athletic trainer make an hour?
BLS publishes only annual wages for athletic trainers, not hourly wages[9].
What degree do you need to be an athletic trainer?
BLS lists a master's degree as the typical entry education[3]. Programs must be accredited[17].
Is athletic trainer a growing job?
BLS projects 12.7% growth from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[2][32]. About 2,400 openings a year are projected[6].
What is the highest paying state for athletic trainers?
California, with a median of $78,490 in May 2025[12]. Hawaii was next at $76,320[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Athletic Trainers in the US was $62,520 per year. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Athletic Trainers is projected to grow 12.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 35,200 to 39,600 jobs (a change of +4,400). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Athletic Trainers: education needed for entry: Master's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Athletic Trainers: 10th percentile $48,180, 25th percentile $55,130, 75th percentile $74,630, 90th percentile $88,760. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 2,400 openings for Athletic Trainers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Athletic Trainers was $66,620 per year. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS publishes only annual wages for Athletic Trainers, not hourly wages, because many work fewer than 2,080 hours a year but are paid yearly. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS Employment Projections: 5.9% of Athletic Trainers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  12. Median annual wage for Athletic Trainers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Athletic Trainers jobs: Texas 3,130; Ohio 2,100; Pennsylvania 1,870; California 1,760; Florida 1,430. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Athletic Trainers (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $89,630; Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $79,950; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $77,840; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $76,890; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $76,500; Urban Honolulu, HI $75,540; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $75,390; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $73,770. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Athletic Trainers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 1,330 (median $76,500); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 790 (median $62,520); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 770 (median $63,840); Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX 650 (median $64,150); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 650 (median $65,780); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 560 (median $76,890). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 29-9091.00 survey of workers (19 respondents), education level they say is required: Master's Degree 54%, Bachelor's Degree 37%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 8% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. O*NET description of Athletic Trainers. O*NET OnLine
  23. O*NET task list for Athletic Trainers. O*NET OnLine
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of athletic trainers in 2025: Educational services; state, local, and private 40%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  33. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 30,500 people were employed as Athletic Trainers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  34. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Athletic Trainers: 2.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 2.7% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  35. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.