Athletic trainers earn a median annual salary of $66,620, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 release. That figure places the profession in a solid range for healthcare roles that require a master’s degree, though compensation varies considerably depending on where you work, what setting you practice in, and how many years you have been in the field. If you are a pre-health student weighing athletic training against other career paths, or simply trying to understand how much an athletic trainer makes, the salary picture is more nuanced than a single number suggests.
Athletic training is a licensed healthcare profession, not a fitness certification. Athletic trainers are qualified, multi-skilled clinicians who collaborate with physicians to provide injury prevention, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and rehabilitation. They work with athletes at every level, but also with military personnel, performing artists, industrial workers, and other physically active populations. Understanding the compensation landscape requires first understanding the scope and demands of the role itself.
What Athletic Trainers Actually Do
Athletic trainers function as frontline healthcare providers for musculoskeletal injuries and related conditions. Their daily responsibilities typically include evaluating injuries, designing and supervising rehabilitation programs, applying taping and bracing techniques, managing concussion protocols, and coordinating care with physicians, surgeons, and physical therapists. They also spend significant time on injury prevention programs, athlete education, and detailed documentation.
The work is physically demanding and the hours are often irregular. Athletic trainers in high school or collegiate settings frequently work evenings, weekends, and holidays to cover games and practices. Those in clinical or hospital settings may keep more traditional schedules, but the role still requires hands-on, active engagement throughout the day. This is not a desk job, and the compensation reflects both the clinical expertise required and the demanding conditions of the work.
It is worth noting that the profession now requires a master’s degree from an accredited athletic training program for entry-level practice. All states require athletic trainers to hold licensure or certification, though specific requirements vary. This educational bar is higher than many students initially expect, and it is a meaningful factor when evaluating salary relative to the investment required.
Athletic Trainer Salary: National Figures and What They Mean
The BLS reports a median annual wage of $66,620 for athletic trainers as of the May 2024 data release. The median represents the midpoint: half of athletic trainers earned more and half earned less. This figure is useful as a benchmark, but it does not tell the whole story.
According to the same BLS occupational employment and wage data for athletic trainers, the lowest 10 percent of earners made less than approximately $40,490 per year, while the highest 10 percent earned more than $83,010. That range reflects real differences in geography, employer type, and seniority. A first-year athletic trainer at a rural high school and a veteran AT working for a professional sports organization or a large hospital system will see very different paychecks.
The national mean (average) hourly wage provides another lens. At roughly $32.02 per hour based on the May 2024 data, athletic trainers earn a competitive hourly rate for allied health professionals, though it trails some adjacent roles like physical therapists, who carry a different scope of practice and educational pathway.
How Much Does an Athletic Trainer Make by State?
Geographic location is one of the strongest predictors of athletic trainer salary. States with higher costs of living, larger concentrations of professional sports teams, or greater demand for athletic training services tend to pay more. Conversely, states with lower demand or smaller athletic programs often fall below the national median.
Based on the BLS May 2024 data, states such as New Jersey, Connecticut, California, and the District of Columbia have historically reported among the highest mean annual wages for athletic trainers, often exceeding $70,000 to $80,000 or more. States in the South and parts of the Midwest have generally reported lower average wages, sometimes falling in the $45,000 to $55,000 range. These figures shift from year to year, so students should check the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook page for athletic trainers for the most current state-level breakdowns.
It is important to weigh salary against cost of living. A $75,000 salary in a high-cost state may offer less purchasing power than a $58,000 salary in a lower-cost area. Students evaluating where to begin their careers should consider total compensation, including benefits, housing costs, and quality of life, not just the top-line number.
Salary Differences by Work Setting and Experience
Where an athletic trainer works matters as much as where they live. The profession spans a wide range of employment settings, and pay reflects those differences.
Work Setting
Athletic trainers employed by hospitals and large health systems tend to earn higher salaries than those working in secondary schools. Professional sports organizations can pay well above the median, but those positions are extremely competitive and represent a small fraction of total employment. College and university athletic departments fall somewhere in the middle, with compensation often supplemented by benefits such as tuition remission and retirement contributions. Clinical and outpatient rehabilitation settings have grown as an employment sector and generally offer competitive pay with more predictable schedules.
Corporate and industrial settings, where athletic trainers help prevent workplace injuries and manage ergonomic programs, represent an emerging market. These roles often pay competitively and come with standard business-hours schedules, which appeals to many professionals seeking work-life balance.
Experience Level
Entry-level athletic trainers typically start at the lower end of the pay scale. Salaries tend to increase meaningfully with experience, specialization, and additional credentials. Athletic trainers who pursue board certifications in specialties such as orthopedics or who take on administrative roles (like directing a sports medicine department) can move into the upper quartile of earners. Leadership positions in large athletic departments or health systems can exceed the 90th percentile figures reported by the BLS.
Job Outlook for Athletic Trainers
The BLS projects employment of athletic trainers to grow 14 percent from 2022 to 2032, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. This projected growth reflects increasing awareness of sports-related injuries, a broader understanding of the value of injury prevention, and the expansion of athletic training services into non-traditional settings such as corporate wellness and performing arts.
The BLS estimates approximately 2,700 openings for athletic trainers each year over the projection period. These openings come from both new job creation and the need to replace professionals who retire or transition into other roles. For students entering athletic training programs now, the employment landscape looks favorable relative to many other allied health professions.
That said, competition for the most desirable positions, particularly in professional sports and at major universities, remains intense. Students who build strong clinical skills, gain diverse experience, and develop professional networks during their graduate training will be best positioned for these roles.
How Athletic Training Fits into the Broader Pre-Health Landscape
For pre-health students still deciding on a career path, athletic training is worth evaluating alongside other options like physical therapy, physician assistant practice, and primary care medicine. Each of these paths involves patient assessment, clinical reasoning, and team-based care, but they differ in scope of practice, educational requirements, compensation, and daily work life.
Athletic training shares significant overlap with physical therapy in terms of musculoskeletal focus and rehabilitation, but the AT role emphasizes acute injury management and prevention in active populations. Students who are drawn to the sports medicine environment but uncertain about athletic training specifically may benefit from shadowing ATs in multiple settings before committing. The AAMC’s career exploration resources offer useful guidance for students comparing different health professions and understanding the full spectrum of clinical careers.
Pre-health students who gain clinical exposure early, whether through shadowing athletic trainers domestically or observing clinical care in structured programs, build a stronger foundation for understanding what different healthcare roles actually involve day to day. That kind of grounded perspective is valuable regardless of which profession you ultimately pursue.
What to Consider Before Pursuing Athletic Training
If you are seriously considering athletic training, there are a few practical factors to weigh alongside salary data. The master’s degree requirement means at least two to three years of graduate education beyond your undergraduate degree, with associated tuition costs. Licensure requirements vary by state, so you will need to research the specific regulations where you plan to practice. Clinical rotations during graduate school are intensive and demanding.
The work itself is rewarding but physically and emotionally taxing. Long hours during sports seasons, the responsibility of managing acute injuries, and the challenge of supporting athletes through difficult recoveries all require resilience, patience, and strong interpersonal skills. Students who thrive in this field tend to be those who genuinely enjoy the clinical problem-solving and the close, ongoing relationships they build with the people they treat.
Financially, the median athletic trainer salary of $66,620 (BLS, May 2024) is respectable and growing. Combined with a strong job outlook and expanding opportunities in non-traditional settings, the profession offers a stable career for those who are well-suited to the work. The key is to enter with realistic expectations, a clear understanding of the educational investment, and genuine enthusiasm for the clinical role itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a master’s degree required to become an athletic trainer?
Yes. A master’s degree from an accredited athletic training program is now the standard entry-level requirement for the profession. All states also require licensure or certification, though specific requirements vary by state. Students should verify the accreditation status of any program they are considering and check their state’s licensure board for current regulations.
What is the difference between an athletic trainer and a personal trainer?
Athletic trainers are licensed healthcare professionals who assess, treat, and rehabilitate injuries in collaboration with physicians. Personal trainers design fitness and exercise programs for healthy individuals but are not licensed to diagnose or treat injuries. The educational requirements are significantly different: athletic trainers must hold a master’s degree and pass a board certification exam, while personal trainer certifications vary widely and do not require a graduate degree.
Where do athletic trainers earn the highest salaries?
According to BLS May 2024 data, athletic trainers in states with higher costs of living and larger concentrations of sports programs or healthcare systems tend to earn the highest wages. States like New Jersey, Connecticut, and California have historically reported above-average mean salaries. However, cost of living should be factored in when comparing compensation across states. The BLS website provides the most current state-level wage data.
