Athletic Trainers
Evaluate and treat musculoskeletal injuries or illnesses. Provide preventive, therapeutic, emergency, and rehabilitative care.
What it pays
Athletic Trainers earn a median of $28.97/hr — about $60,500 a year. (Annual figure is approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Athletic Trainers earn a median of $28.97/hr — about $60,500 a year. (Annual figure is approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Conduct an initial assessment of an athlete's injury or illness to provide emergency or continued care and to determine whether they should be referred to physicians for definitive diagnosis and treatment.
- Assess and report the progress of recovering athletes to coaches or physicians.
- Care for athletic injuries, using physical therapy equipment, techniques, or medication.
- Evaluate athletes' readiness to play and provide participation clearances when necessary and warranted.
- Perform general administrative tasks, such as keeping records or writing reports.
- Clean and sanitize athletic training rooms.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Master's degree. Overall preparation: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).
The feel of the work
Much of the work happens outdoors; you're around people constantly; it rewards working independently. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 6.2% of athletic trainers are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are people-focused, hands-on and analytical.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
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Quick questions
- How much does a athletic trainer make?
- The median pay is $28.97 per hour — roughly $60,500 a year. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a athletic trainer?
- The typical entry-level education is: Master's degree. Overall preparation level: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).
- What does a athletic trainer actually do all day?
- Conduct an initial assessment of an athlete's injury or illness to provide emergency or continued care and to determine whether they should be referred to physicians for definitive diagnosis and treatment. Assess and report the progress of recovering athletes to coaches or physicians. Care for athletic injuries, using physical therapy equipment, techniques, or medication.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.