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Athletic trainer salary in California

Updated November 2, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$78,490median pay per year in California, May 2025[1]
  1. $54,770lowest 10% earn less
  2. $67,60025th percentile
  3. $78,490median
  4. $90,18075th percentile
  5. $108,050top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $62,520[3]

Athletic trainers in California had a median wage of $78,490 a year[1]. That was 25.5% above the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
1,760[4]
Rank by median pay
1 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
+25.5%[6]

How much do athletic trainers make in California?

The median wage for athletic trainers in California was $78,490 a year[1]. Half of them earned more and half earned less. The average was $80,780[7]. Across the US, the median was $62,520[3], so California was $15,970 (25.5%) higher[6]. California had the 1st highest median of all the states and DC with a published figure[5].

All jobs in California had a median of $58,240 a year[8]. Athletic trainers earned $20,250 more than that[9].

The lowest-paid 10% of athletic trainers in California earned less than $54,770 a year[2]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $108,050[2]. Among metro areas, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median at $89,630[10]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had the largest job count, with a median of $76,890[11].

BLS publishes only annual wages for this job, not hourly ones[12]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers, and it leaves out the self-employed and business owners. It also leaves out nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[13].

California vs US pay

Pay for athletic trainers in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$78,490[1]$62,520[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$54,770[2]$48,180[14]
Top 10% earn more than$108,050[2]$88,760[14]
Jobs1,760[4]30,500[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for athletic trainers, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$76,890560
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$77,840250
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$79,950240
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$73,770200
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$89,630120
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$77,58060
Fresno, CA$74,65050

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for athletic trainers in the states that border California, highest first[15].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Arizona[15]$61,710590
Nevada$59,820180
Oregon$57,790280

Median pay for athletic trainers in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for athletic trainers are projected to grow 12.7% from 2025 to 2035[16]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: master's degree[17].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does an athletic trainer make in California?
The median was $78,490 a year in May 2025, and the average was $80,780[1][7]. The middle half earned between $67,600 and $90,180[2].
How much does an athletic trainer make an hour in California?
BLS publishes only annual wages for athletic trainers, so there is no hourly figure[12][2]. The median annual wage in California was $78,490[1].
Which city in California pays athletic trainers the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median of the metro areas with a published figure, at $89,630 a year[10].
Is California a good state for athletic trainers?
California had the 1st highest median annual wage of all the states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 25.5% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become an athletic trainer in California?
This is a US figure and not a California one. Across the US, the typical education for entry is a master's degree, with no related work experience and no on-the-job training listed[17].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Athletic Trainers in California was $78,490 per year. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Athletic Trainers in California: 10th percentile $54,770, 25th percentile $67,600, 75th percentile $90,180, 90th percentile $108,050. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Athletic Trainers in the US as a whole was $62,520 per year, with about 30,500 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 1,760 people worked as Athletic Trainers in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 1st highest median annual wage for Athletic Trainers out of the 49 states and DC with a published median (the highest of all). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Athletic Trainers in California ($78,490) was $15,970 (25.5%) higher than the US median ($62,520). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Athletic Trainers in California was $80,780 per year. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Athletic Trainers in California was $20,250 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 7 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Athletic Trainers, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median annual wage, $89,630. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Athletic Trainers in the US: 10th percentile $48,180, 25th percentile $55,130, 75th percentile $74,630, 90th percentile $88,760. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Athletic Trainers in states that border California (highest first): Arizona $61,710; Nevada $59,820; Oregon $57,790. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Athletic Trainers is projected to grow 12.7% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,400 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), 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

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.