Projected to grow +11.1% through 2034, Athletic Trainers is expanding faster than most occupations. Median pay is $62,520, and early movers in a growing field often advance faster.
Evaluate and treat musculoskeletal injuries or illnesses. Provide preventive, therapeutic, emergency, and rehabilitative care.
Also known as:
Athletic Trainers earn $62,520 nationally, near the national median for college graduates. The middle 50% of earners fall between $55,130 and $74,630. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and location.
Near the national median for college graduates.
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
O*NET data identifies 5 core activities and 5 measurable skills for Athletic Trainers roles. Use this section to judge whether the day-to-day reality aligns with what you actually want to spend time doing.
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
Hands-on tasks, physical activity, or working with tools and real materials are central parts of the daily work here.
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
The BLS projects +11.1% employment change for Athletic Trainers through 2034, well above the national average of +5%. About 2,400 openings per year keep the field accessible to new entrants.
Faster than average.
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
Total US employment as of BLS May 2024.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024.
The five states below employ the most Athletic Trainers professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $62,520 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | 2,310 | $58,970 | -5.7% |
| 2 | Texas | 2,030 | $66,430 | +6.3% |
| 3 | California | 1,760 | $74,150 | +18.6% |
| 4 | Ohio | 1,690 | $60,900 | -2.6% |
| 5 | Florida | 1,490 | $58,410 | -6.6% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
Most Athletic Trainers positions require a master's degree to qualify. The 2 programs below are the most common academic pathways into this field, ranked by how many graduates they produce each year.
Extensive education (usually a master's or doctoral degree) plus years of field experience is required to qualify for most positions.
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allied Health Diagnostic | 85,413 | $70,786 | 1,768 |
| 2 | Kinesiology | 65,385 | $54,562 | 1,406 |
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States Military Academy West Point, NY | 96 | — | — |
| 2 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 3 | Stanford University Stanford, CA | 92 | $13,807 | $124,080 |
| 4 | Rice University Houston, TX | 91 | $13,370 | $89,718 |
| 5 | North Florida College Madison, FL | 91 | $804 | $33,929 |
| 6 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | 91 | $13,138 | $83,648 |
Once you've sized up Athletic Trainers, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
See if the degree that leads to Athletic Trainers pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
The data on Athletic Trainers shows 2 measurable strengths and 1 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
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Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
Only 95 of 385 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
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