This side-by-side compares Athletic Trainers (SOC 29-9091) against Cardiologists (SOC 29-1212) using BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics from May 2025 plus BLS Employment Projections covering 2023–2033. The national median pay gap is $433,490/year (87%), favoring Cardiologists. Total U.S. employment sits at 30,500 for Athletic Trainers and 17,290 for Cardiologists, which matters when judging how competitive the market is on either side.

Career trajectory diverges as well: BLS projects Athletic Trainers employment to change +11.1% through 2033 versus +4.1% for Cardiologists, a difference of 7.0 percentage points. Annual openings (growth + replacement combined) are projected at 2.4 for Athletic Trainers against 0.6 for Cardiologists. Entry-level education also differs — Athletic Trainers typically requires Master's degree while Cardiologists typically requires Doctoral or professional degree — which shapes both time-to-entry and starting salary.

Salary comparisons mask enormous state-level variation. This page's state-by-state table shows where each occupation pays best relative to the other — 23 states have reported wage data for both occupations, and the top-paying metros can exceed the national median by 20-40%. When weighing these two careers, look past the headline median: check the 10th-to-90th percentile spread to understand ceiling and floor, compare the state where you actually want to live, factor in the educational and experience investment required to enter, and keep in mind that BLS wage data excludes employer benefits, stock options, tips, and bonuses which can shift total compensation by 20-40%. Both sides of this comparison link through to full national profiles where you can run those deeper checks before making a career decision.