### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Athletic Trainers Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                    
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            						
							
				                                                
                                            




            			athletic trainers imageAthletic trainers specialize in preventing, diagnosing, and treating muscle and bone injuries and illnesses.							
						Quick Facts:     Athletic Trainers2023     Median Pay
            						$57,930     per yearTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    Master's degreeWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    NoneNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    33,800Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    14% (Much faster than average)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    4,800What Athletic Trainers  Do
                                                
                        
                        
Athletic trainers specialize in preventing, diagnosing, and treating muscle and bone injuries and illnesses.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Many athletic trainers work in educational settings, such as colleges, universities, elementary schools, and secondary schools. Others work in hospitals, fitness centers, or physicians’ offices, or for professional sports teams.
            
                                                How to Become an Athletic Trainer
                                                
                        
Athletic trainers typically need at least a bachelor's degree, and master’s degrees are common. Nearly all states require athletic trainers to have a license or certification; requirements vary by state.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for athletic trainers was $57,930 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Employment							of athletic trainers is projected to grow							 14 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.
						About 2,700 openings for athletic trainers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for athletic trainers.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of athletic trainers with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about athletic trainers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Athletic Trainers  Do 
            

			athletic trainers imageAthletic trainers carry out rehabilitation programs for injured athletes.			
Athletic trainers specialize in preventing, diagnosing, and treating muscle and bone injuries and illnesses.
Duties
Athletic trainers typically do the following:
Apply protective or injury-preventive devices, such as tape, bandages, and braces
Recognize and evaluate injuries
Provide first aid or emergency care
Develop and carry out rehabilitation programs for injured athletes
Plan and implement comprehensive programs to prevent injury and illness among athletes
Perform administrative tasks, such as keeping records and writing reports on injuries and treatment programsAthletic trainers work with people of all ages and all skill levels, from young children to soldiers and professional athletes. Athletic trainers are usually one of the first healthcare providers on the scene when injuries occur on the field. They work under the direction of a licensed physician and with other healthcare providers, often discussing specific injuries and treatment options or evaluating and treating patients, as directed by a physician. Some athletic trainers meet with a team physician or consulting physician regularly.
An athletic trainer’s administrative responsibilities may include regular meetings with an athletic director or another administrative officer to deal with budgets, purchasing, policy implementation, and other business-related issues. Athletic trainers plan athletic programs that are compliant with federal and state regulations; for example, they may ensure a football program adheres to laws related to athlete concussions.
Athletic trainers should not be confused with fitness trainers and instructors, which include *personal trainers*.
 Work Environment
			Athletic trainersAthletic trainers may travel to games with athletes.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Athletic trainers held about 33,800 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of athletic trainers were as follows:
        Educational services; state, local, and private
                40%Hospitals; state, local, and private
                18Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists
                15Fitness and recreational sports centers
                3Self-employed workers
                3Athletic trainers also may work with military, with law enforcement, with professional sports teams, or with performing artists.
Athletic trainers may spend their time working outdoors on sports fields in all types of weather.
Work Schedules
Most athletic trainers work full time. Athletic trainers who work with teams during sporting events may work evenings or weekends and travel often.
 How to Become an Athletic Trainer

			Athletic trainersAthletic trainers must be licensed or certified in nearly all states.			
Athletic trainers typically need at least a bachelor's degree, and master’s degrees are common. Nearly all states require athletic trainers to have a license or certification; requirements vary by state.
Education
To enter the occupation, athletic trainers typically need a degree from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). Although some jobs are available for workers with a bachelor's degree, many athletic trainers have a master's degree.
Admission into athletic trainer master’s programs generally requires a bachelor's degree with completion of coursework in science and health. Master's degree programs have classroom and clinical components and include instruction in areas such as injury prevention, therapeutic modalities, and nutrition.
High school students interested in postsecondary athletic training programs should take courses in anatomy, physiology, and physics.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Nearly all states require athletic trainers to be licensed or certified; requirements vary by state. For specific requirements, contact the particular state’s licensing board.
The Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer (BOC) offers the standard certification examination that most states use for licensing athletic trainers. Certification requires graduating from a CAATE-accredited program and passing the BOC exam. To maintain certification, athletic trainers must adhere to the BOC Standards of Professional Practice and take continuing education courses.
Important Qualities
***Compassion.*** Athletic trainers work with athletes and patients who may be in considerable pain or discomfort. The trainers must be sympathetic while providing treatments.
***Decision-making skills.*** Athletic trainers must make informed clinical decisions that could affect the health or livelihood of patients.
***Detail oriented.***Athletic trainers must record patients’ progress accurately and ensure that they are receiving the appropriate treatments or practicing the correct fitness regimen.
***Interpersonal skills.***Athletic trainers must have strong interpersonal skills in order to manage difficult situations. They must communicate well with others, including physicians, patients, athletes, coaches, and parents.
Advancement
Assistant athletic trainers may become head athletic trainers, athletic directors, or physician, hospital, or clinic practice administrators. In any of these positions, they will assume a management role. Athletic trainers working in colleges and universities may pursue an advanced degree to increase their advancement opportunities.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                Athletic TrainersMedian annual wages, May 2023Other healthcare practitioners and technical occupations$61,020  Athletic trainers$57,930  Total, all occupations$48,060Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median annual wage for athletic trainers was $57,930 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $43,180, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $80,640.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median annual wages for athletic trainers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Educational services; state, local, and private
                $59,890Hospitals; state, local, and private
                57,390Fitness and recreational sports centers
                53,820Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists
                53,120Most athletic trainers work full time. Athletic trainers who work with teams during sporting events may work evenings or weekends and travel often.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
                Athletic TrainersPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Athletic trainers14%  Other healthcare practitioners and technical occupations11%  Total, all occupations3%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Employment				of athletic trainers is projected to grow				 14 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.
			
			About 2,700 openings for athletic trainers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
Sports programs at all ages and for all experience levels will continue to create demand for athletic trainers. With high levels of participation by children and youth in individual and team sports, athletic trainers will be needed to manage emergency and non-emergency situations that arise. The popularity of college sports and continued participation by student athletes will increase demand for these workers to help athletes prevent and recover from injuries and perform at their highest level.
Meanwhile, growing numbers of middle-aged and older people are remaining physically active. Their continued activity will likely lead to an increase in athletics-related injuries, such as sprains. Athletic trainers will be needed to provide sophisticated treatments in injury prevention and detection.
			

                        Employment projections data for     athletic trainers, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Athletic trainers**
			29-9091
			33,800
			38,500
			14
			4,800
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Athletic trainers **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of athletic trainers. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Coaches and Scouts**
            Coaches teach amateur or professional athletes the skills they need to succeed at their sport. Scouts evaluate athletes as possible recruits.
            Bachelor's degree
            $45,910**Chiropractors**
            Chiropractors evaluate and treat patients' neuromusculoskeletal system, which includes nerves, bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
            Doctoral or professional degree
            $76,530**EMTs and Paramedics**
            Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics assess injuries and illnesses, provide emergency medical care, and may transport patients to medical facilities.
            Postsecondary nondegree award
            $44,780**Exercise Physiologists**
            Exercise physiologists develop fitness and exercise programs to help people improve their health.
            Bachelor's degree
            $54,860**Massage Therapists**
            Massage therapists treat clients by applying pressure to manipulate the body's soft tissues and joints.
            Postsecondary nondegree award
            $55,310**Occupational Therapists**
            Occupational therapists evaluate and treat people who have injuries, illnesses, or disabilities to help them with vocational, daily living, and other skills that promote independence.
            Master's degree
            $96,370**Physical Therapists**
            Physical therapists help injured or ill people improve movement and manage pain.
            Doctoral or professional degree
            $99,710**Physician Assistants**
            Physician assistants examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the supervision of a physician.
            Master's degree
            $130,020**Recreational Therapists**
            Recreational therapists plan, direct, and coordinate recreation-based medical treatment programs for people with disabilities, injuries, or illnesses.
            Bachelor's degree
            $57,120**Respiratory Therapists**
            Respiratory therapists care for patients who have trouble breathing—for example, because of a chronic condition such as asthma.
            Associate's degree
            $77,960
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information about athletic trainers, visit
National Athletic Trainers’ Association
For more information about accredited athletic training programs, visit
Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education
For more information about certification and state regulatory requirements for athletic trainers, visit
Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer
CareerOneStop
For a career video on athletic trainers, visit
Athletic Trainers

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Athletic Trainers
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Athletic Trainers, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/athletic-trainers.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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