27 Series · SOC 27-2021
Athletes and Sports Competitors Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $66,710
- Median / year
- $742,310
- Top 10% earn
- +5.5%
- Growth '23–'33
- 15,070
- US workers
Athletes and Sports Competitors earn a median of $66,710 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $66,710, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $26,500 (10th percentile) to $742,310 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 15,070 US workers. New Jersey pays the most ($253,870), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Athletes and Sports Competitors earn a median of $66,710, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 58% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media, it ranks #21 of 36 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 5.5% by 2033.
- $66,710
- Median annual wage
- Top 42%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #21 of 36
- in Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- 28.0×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: New Jersey at $253,870. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Athletes and Sports Competitors (SOC 27-2021) pays a national median of $66,710 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $26,500 at the 10th percentile to $742,310 at the 90th, with a mean of $206,180 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 15,070 Americans work in this occupation across 18 reporting states and 22 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +5.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 2,100 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is No formal educational credential and long-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.6 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New Jersey pays the highest state median at $253,870, which is +281% above the national figure. The top metro is St. Louis, MO-IL at $203,390 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$66,710
per year
Median Hourly
N/A
per hour
Mean Salary
$206,180
average
Employment
15,070
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Athletes and Sports Competitors pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$66,710 Top 42% higher than 58% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 27-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Athletes and Sports Competitors; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 27-series occupations with growth data, Athletes and Sports Competitors sits on the faster-growing side at +5.5% growth and $66,710 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+5.5%
About average
Annual Openings
2,100
per year (projected)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
On-the-Job Training
Long-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.6/100K
Injury Rate
0.5/100
Danger Index
2.3/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Athletes and Sports Competitors roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Assess performance following athletic competition, identifying strengths and weaknesses and making adjustments to improve future performance.
- ▸ Maintain equipment used in a particular sport.
- ▸ Attend scheduled practice or training sessions.
- ▸ Maintain optimum physical fitness levels by training regularly, following nutrition plans, or consulting with health professionals.
- ▸ Participate in athletic events or competitive sports, according to established rules and regulations.
- ▸ Exercise or practice under the direction of athletic trainers or professional coaches to develop skills, improve physical condition, or prepare for competitions.
- ▸ Receive instructions from coaches or other sports staff prior to events and discuss performance afterwards.
- ▸ Represent teams or professional sports clubs, performing such activities as meeting with members of the media, making speeches, or participating in charity events.
- ▸ Lead teams by serving as captain.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$26,500
25th Percentile
$36,790
Median
$66,710
75th Percentile
$109,880
90th Percentile
$742,310
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 18 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $253,870 | +281% above national |
| 2 | Missouri | $172,700 | +159% above national |
| 3 | Utah | $122,800 | +84% above national |
| 4 | Nevada | $119,780 | +80% above national |
| 5 | Texas | $80,510 | +21% above national |
| 6 | California | $79,040 | +18% above national |
| 7 | Florida | $78,610 | +18% above national |
| 8 | Georgia | $77,530 | +16% above national |
| 9 | Kansas | $63,630 | 5% below national |
| 10 | Kentucky | $63,020 | 6% below national |
| 11 | Virginia | $61,500 | 8% below national |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $57,100 | 14% below national |
| 13 | Louisiana | $55,890 | 16% below national |
| 14 | Arizona | $50,090 | 25% below national |
| 15 | Maryland | $48,200 | 28% below national |
| 16 | South Carolina | $45,720 | 31% below national |
| 17 | Oklahoma | $44,110 | 34% below national |
| 18 | Ohio | $39,040 | 41% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 22 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $203,390 | +205% above national |
| 2 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $124,130 | +86% above national |
| 3 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $123,140 | +85% above national |
| 4 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $107,590 | +61% above national |
| 5 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $106,060 | +59% above national |
| 6 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $100,130 | +50% above national |
| 7 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $94,530 | +42% above national |
| 8 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $84,810 | +27% above national |
| 9 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $78,790 | +18% above national |
| 10 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $76,860 | +15% above national |
| 11 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $75,550 | +13% above national |
| 12 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $74,440 | +12% above national |
| 13 | Baton Rouge, LA | $63,920 | 4% below national |
| 14 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $63,650 | 5% below national |
| 15 | Pittsburgh, PA | $61,160 | 8% below national |
| 16 | Colorado Springs, CO | $56,890 | 15% below national |
| 17 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $50,070 | 25% below national |
| 18 | Wichita, KS | $46,080 | 31% below national |
| 19 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $45,710 | 31% below national |
| 20 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $45,230 | 32% below national |
| 21 | Omaha, NE-IA | $34,490 | 48% below national |
| 22 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $24,890 | 63% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 27 (arts design entertainment sports and media) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Athletes and Sports Competitors pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $109,880/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: New Jersey leads at $253,870/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.