29 Series · SOC 29-9091

Athletic Trainers Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$62,520
Median / year
+3.8%
2024→2025
$88,760
Top 10% earn
+11.1%
Growth '24–'34
30,500
Estimated US jobs

Athletic Trainers earn a median of $62,520 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $62,520, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $48,180 (10th percentile) to $88,760 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 30,500 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is California ($78,490).

29 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Athletic Trainers earn a median of $62,520, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 52% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks #59 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 11.1% by 2034.

$62,520
Median annual wage
Top 48%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#59 of 71
in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
1.8×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: California at $78,490. Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Athletic Trainers moved from $48,440 in May 2019 to $62,520 in May 2025 (+29.1%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Athletic Trainers sits +4.6 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Athletic Trainers (SOC 29-9091) has a national median of $62,520 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $48,180 to $88,760, and the published mean is $66,620. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 30,500 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 50 state or territory areas and 199 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $60,250 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $62,520 in May 2025, a rise of $2,270 (+3.8%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +11.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as much faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 2,400 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Master's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. California pays the highest state median at $78,490, which is +26% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $89,630. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 30,500 jobs Median $62,520/yr

Median Salary

$62,520

per year

Median Hourly

N/A

per hour

Mean Salary

$66,620

average

Employment

30,500

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Athletic Trainers pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$62,520 Top 48% higher than 52% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

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.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 (this entry) 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$62,520 · 52nd percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 29-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Athletic Trainers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 25 29-series occupations with growth data, Athletic Trainers sits on the faster-growing side at +11.1% growth and $62,520 median pay. Scatter plot of 25 data points. $0$50000$100000$150000$200000$250000$300000 0%10%20%30%40%50% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Registered Nurses - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.9% · Median annual wage: $97550Licensed Practical a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.6% · Median annual wage: $64400Pharmacy Technicians - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.4% · Median annual wage: $45750Physicians, All Other - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.5% · Median annual wage: $265930Clinical Laboratory … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.7% · Median annual wage: $62930Nurse Practitioners - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 40.1% · Median annual wage: $132300Pharmacists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.6% · Median annual wage: $140910Physical Therapists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 10.9% · Median annual wage: $102760Radiologic Technolog… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.3% · Median annual wage: $80110Dental Hygienists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 7% · Median annual wage: $98100Medical Records Spec… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 7.1% · Median annual wage: $51140Speech-Language Path… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 15% · Median annual wage: $97870Health Technologists… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.2% · Median annual wage: $50290Emergency Medical Te… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.1% · Median annual wage: $44470Occupational Therapi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 13.8% · Median annual wage: $100330Physician Assistants - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 20.4% · Median annual wage: $135880Psychiatric Technici… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 20% · Median annual wage: $45130Respiratory Therapists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.1% · Median annual wage: $82280Veterinary Technolog… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 9.1% · Median annual wage: $47380Dentists, General - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.1% · Median annual wage: $170950Surgical Technologists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $64650Family Medicine Phys… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.7% · Median annual wage: $244180Paramedics - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5% · Median annual wage: $60600Diagnostic Medical S… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 13% · Median annual wage: $96590Athletic Trainers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 11.1% · Median annual wage: $62520
Among 25 29-series occupations with growth data, Athletic Trainers sits on the faster-growing side at +11.1% growth and $62,520 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Registered Nurses: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $97550
  • Licensed Practical a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.6%, Median annual wage $64400
  • Pharmacy Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $45750
  • Physicians, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $265930
  • Clinical Laboratory …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $62930
  • Nurse Practitioners: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 40.1%, Median annual wage $132300
  • Pharmacists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $140910
  • Physical Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10.9%, Median annual wage $102760
  • Radiologic Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $80110
  • Dental Hygienists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7%, Median annual wage $98100
  • Medical Records Spec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.1%, Median annual wage $51140
  • Speech-Language Path…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 15%, Median annual wage $97870
  • Health Technologists…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.2%, Median annual wage $50290
  • Emergency Medical Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.1%, Median annual wage $44470
  • Occupational Therapi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13.8%, Median annual wage $100330
  • Physician Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20.4%, Median annual wage $135880
  • Psychiatric Technici…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20%, Median annual wage $45130
  • Respiratory Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.1%, Median annual wage $82280
  • Veterinary Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.1%, Median annual wage $47380
  • Dentists, General: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $170950
  • Surgical Technologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $64650
  • Family Medicine Phys…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.7%, Median annual wage $244180
  • Paramedics: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5%, Median annual wage $60600
  • Diagnostic Medical S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13%, Median annual wage $96590
  • Athletic Trainers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 11.1%, Median annual wage $62520

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+11.1%

Much faster than average

Annual Openings

2,400

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+3,800

33,900 (2024) → 37,600 (2034)

Typical Education

Master's degree

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

0.7/100K

Injury Rate

1.5/100

Danger Index

6.4/100

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 Athletic Trainers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Active Listening 4.0
Speaking 3.9
Critical Thinking 3.9
Monitoring 3.9
Judgment and Decision Making 3.9
Reading Comprehension 3.8
Active Learning 3.8
Social Perceptiveness 3.8
Instructing 3.6
Service Orientation 3.6

Knowledge Areas

Medicine and Dentistry 4.6
Customer and Personal Service 4.4
Psychology 4.2
Therapy and Counseling 3.9
English Language 3.7
Education and Training 3.6
Public Safety and Security 3.2
Administrative 3.2
Biology 3.2
Administration and Management 3.1

Key Tasks

  • 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.
  • Instruct coaches, athletes, parents, medical personnel, or community members in the care and prevention of athletic injuries.
  • Apply protective or injury preventive devices, such as tape, bandages, or braces, to body parts, such as ankles, fingers, or wrists.
  • Collaborate with physicians to develop and implement comprehensive rehabilitation programs for athletic injuries.
  • Travel with athletic teams to be available at sporting events.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$48,180
25th$55,130
Median$62,520
75th$74,630
90th$88,760

Hourly Rate Distribution

Athletic Trainers pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$40,000$45,000$50,000$55,000$60,000$65,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $44,670National median - 2016: $45,630National median - 2017: $46,630National median - 2018: $47,510National median - 2019: $48,440National median - 2020: $49,860National median - 2021: $48,420National median - 2022: $53,840National median - 2023: $57,930National median - 2024: $60,250National median - 2025: $62,520$62,520
National median annual wage for Athletic Trainers, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $44,670
2016 $45,630
2017 $46,630
2018 $47,510
2019 $48,440
2020 $49,860
2021 $48,420
2022 $53,840
2023 $57,930
2024 $60,250
2025 $62,520

2015 median

$44,670

2025 median

$62,520

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$14,080 (+29.1%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+4.3%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Athletic Trainers by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $44,670 First banked release 23,450
May 2016 $45,630 +2.1% 24,130
May 2017 $46,630 +2.2% 25,010
May 2018 $47,510 +1.9% 26,890
May 2019 $48,440 Classification break 28,600
May 2020 $49,860 +2.9% 27,430
May 2021 $48,420 -2.9% 26,070
May 2022 $53,840 +11.2% 29,720
May 2023 $57,930 +7.6% 28,480
May 2024 $60,250 +4.0% 28,950
May 2025 $62,520 +3.8% 30,500

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $44,670 in May 2015 to $62,520 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +4.3% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 28,600 in May 2019 to 30,500 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 50 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 California $78,490 +26% above national
2 Hawaii $76,320 +22% above national
3 New Jersey $76,210 +22% above national
4 District of Columbia $74,450 +19% above national
5 New Mexico $72,440 +16% above national
6 Massachusetts $70,010 +12% above national
7 Connecticut $69,960 +12% above national
8 New York $66,230 +6% above national
9 Utah $65,980 +6% above national
10 Minnesota $65,390 +5% above national
11 Illinois $64,750 +4% above national
12 Georgia $64,590 +3% above national
13 Colorado $64,580 +3% above national
14 Texas $64,150 +3% above national
15 Maryland $63,970 +2% above national
16 Rhode Island $63,750 +2% above national
17 Washington $63,750 +2% above national
18 Wyoming $63,190 +1% above national
19 Vermont $62,910 +1% above national
20 Indiana $62,780 same as national
21 Louisiana $62,760 same as national
22 Maine $61,970 1% below national
23 Virginia $61,860 1% below national
24 Wisconsin $61,820 1% below national
25 Arizona $61,710 1% below national
26 Ohio $61,420 2% below national
27 Florida $61,350 2% below national
28 Oklahoma $61,320 2% below national
29 Pennsylvania $61,060 2% below national
30 Nebraska $61,020 2% below national
31 North Dakota $60,900 3% below national
32 Kentucky $60,680 3% below national
33 Idaho $60,410 3% below national
34 New Hampshire $60,200 4% below national
35 Montana $60,090 4% below national
36 Tennessee $59,850 4% below national
37 Nevada $59,820 4% below national
38 Delaware $59,650 5% below national
39 Michigan $59,280 5% below national
40 South Carolina $59,240 5% below national
41 Kansas $59,140 5% below national
42 Missouri $58,660 6% below national
43 South Dakota $58,620 6% below national
44 Mississippi $58,180 7% below national
45 Oregon $57,790 8% below national
46 Arkansas $57,240 8% below national
47 North Carolina $56,540 10% below national
48 Iowa $55,430 11% below national
49 West Virginia $50,510 19% below national
50 Alabama $46,940 25% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 160 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $89,630 +43% above national
2 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $82,480 +32% above national
3 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $79,950 +28% above national
4 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $78,910 +26% above national
5 Corpus Christi, TX $78,580 +26% above national
6 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $77,840 +25% above national
7 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $77,580 +24% above national
8 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $76,890 +23% above national
9 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $76,500 +22% above national
10 Urban Honolulu, HI $75,540 +21% above national
11 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $75,390 +21% above national
12 Fresno, CA $74,650 +19% above national
13 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $73,770 +18% above national
14 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $72,800 +16% above national
15 Madison, WI $72,780 +16% above national
16 Albuquerque, NM $72,440 +16% above national
17 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $72,360 +16% above national
18 El Paso, TX $72,250 +16% above national
19 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $72,150 +15% above national
20 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $71,880 +15% above national
21 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $71,660 +15% above national
22 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $71,140 +14% above national
23 Corvallis, OR $70,120 +12% above national
24 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $69,980 +12% above national
25 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $68,410 +9% above national
26 York-Hanover, PA $68,150 +9% above national
27 Lubbock, TX $68,060 +9% above national
28 New Haven, CT $67,630 +8% above national
29 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $67,210 +8% above national
30 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $66,490 +6% above national
31 Charlottesville, VA $66,390 +6% above national
32 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $66,140 +6% above national
33 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $65,980 +6% above national
34 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $65,830 +5% above national
35 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $65,800 +5% above national
36 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $65,780 +5% above national
37 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $65,620 +5% above national
38 Fargo, ND-MN $65,440 +5% above national
39 Champaign-Urbana, IL $65,400 +5% above national
40 Ogden, UT $65,160 +4% above national
41 Boulder, CO $65,110 +4% above national
42 Portland-South Portland, ME $65,070 +4% above national
43 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $64,940 +4% above national
44 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $64,770 +4% above national
45 Athens-Clarke County, GA $64,590 +3% above national
46 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $64,580 +3% above national
47 Oklahoma City, OK $64,530 +3% above national
48 Duluth, MN-WI $64,460 +3% above national
49 Colorado Springs, CO $64,430 +3% above national
50 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $64,360 +3% above national
51 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $64,290 +3% above national
52 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $64,210 +3% above national
53 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $64,150 +3% above national
54 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $64,030 +2% above national
55 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $63,840 +2% above national
56 Baton Rouge, LA $63,750 +2% above national
57 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $63,750 +2% above national
58 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $63,560 +2% above national
59 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $63,490 +2% above national
60 Kansas City, MO-KS $63,430 +1% above national
61 Fort Wayne, IN $63,380 +1% above national
62 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $63,370 +1% above national
63 Ann Arbor, MI $63,330 +1% above national
64 Springfield, MA $63,250 +1% above national
65 Harrisonburg, VA $63,230 +1% above national
66 Syracuse, NY $62,970 +1% above national
67 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $62,690 same as national
68 Iowa City, IA $62,660 same as national
69 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $62,630 same as national
70 Lincoln, NE $62,590 same as national
71 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $62,560 same as national
72 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $62,520 same as national
73 College Station-Bryan, TX $62,410 same as national
74 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $62,350 same as national
75 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $62,350 same as national
76 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $62,010 1% below national
77 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $61,880 1% below national
78 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $61,830 1% below national
79 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $61,820 1% below national
80 Cleveland, OH $61,800 1% below national
81 Lexington-Fayette, KY $61,710 1% below national
82 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $61,710 1% below national
83 Mankato, MN $61,670 1% below national
84 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $61,580 2% below national
85 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $61,580 2% below national
86 Columbia, MO $61,540 2% below national
87 Reno, NV $61,440 2% below national
88 Columbus, OH $61,420 2% below national
89 Auburn-Opelika, AL $61,410 2% below national
90 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $61,350 2% below national
91 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $61,300 2% below national
92 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $61,270 2% below national
93 Tucson, AZ $61,130 2% below national
94 Worcester, MA $61,020 2% below national
95 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $60,940 3% below national
96 Toledo, OH $60,890 3% below national
97 Lawrence, KS $60,820 3% below national
98 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $60,640 3% below national
99 Florence, SC $60,550 3% below national
100 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $60,450 3% below national
101 Rochester, NY $60,440 3% below national
102 Richmond, VA $60,370 3% below national
103 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $60,340 3% below national
104 Akron, OH $60,330 4% below national
105 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $60,190 4% below national
106 Reading, PA $59,940 4% below national
107 St. Louis, MO-IL $59,900 4% below national
108 Boise City, ID $59,820 4% below national
109 Raleigh-Cary, NC $59,770 4% below national
110 Gainesville, GA $59,750 4% below national
111 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $59,640 5% below national
112 Knoxville, TN $59,570 5% below national
113 Lafayette, LA $59,570 5% below national
114 Savannah, GA $59,520 5% below national
115 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $59,470 5% below national
116 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $59,430 5% below national
117 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $59,370 5% below national
118 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $59,340 5% below national
119 Killeen-Temple, TX $59,330 5% below national
120 Macon-Bibb County, GA $59,290 5% below national
121 Tulsa, OK $59,290 5% below national
122 Omaha, NE-IA $59,180 5% below national
123 Muncie, IN $59,120 5% below national
124 Lancaster, PA $58,940 6% below national
125 Winston-Salem, NC $58,930 6% below national
126 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $58,620 6% below national
127 Manchester-Nashua, NH $58,300 7% below national
128 Columbia, SC $58,170 7% below national
129 Canton-Massillon, OH $58,050 7% below national
130 Wichita, KS $58,010 7% below national
131 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $58,000 7% below national
132 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $57,520 8% below national
133 Chattanooga, TN-GA $57,350 8% below national
134 Jacksonville, FL $57,330 8% below national
135 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $57,290 8% below national
136 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $56,970 9% below national
137 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $56,740 9% below national
138 Waco, TX $56,730 9% below national
139 Bowling Green, KY $56,630 9% below national
140 Pittsburgh, PA $56,510 10% below national
141 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $56,410 10% below national
142 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $56,230 10% below national
143 Wilmington, NC $55,980 10% below national
144 Erie, PA $55,150 12% below national
145 St. Joseph, MO-KS $54,810 12% below national
146 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $54,550 13% below national
147 Cedar Rapids, IA $54,460 13% below national
148 Springfield, MO $53,930 14% below national
149 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $53,440 15% below national
150 Asheville, NC $52,610 16% below national
151 Greensboro-High Point, NC $52,250 16% below national
152 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $52,120 17% below national
153 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $52,090 17% below national
154 Huntsville, AL $51,550 18% below national
155 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $51,390 18% below national
156 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $51,240 18% below national
157 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $50,110 20% below national
158 Mobile, AL $50,070 20% below national
159 Birmingham, AL $46,280 26% below national
160 Montgomery, AL $43,850 30% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 29 (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 70 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($62,520 here) and reported employment (30,500 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Athletic Trainers make?
The median annual salary for Athletic Trainers is $62,520 ($N/A/hour). The salary range spans from $48,180 at the 10th percentile to $88,760 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Athletic Trainers pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $62,520, Athletic Trainers pay is higher than 52% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Athletic Trainers the most?
California pays the highest median salary for Athletic Trainers at $78,490/year, which is +26% above the national median.
What education do Athletic Trainers need?
BLS assigns Athletic Trainers to Master's degree for typical education needed for entry.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Athletic Trainers?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Athletic Trainers in this release. WageDex shows the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Athletic Trainers a good career?
Employment for Athletic Trainers is projected to grow 11.1% from 2024 to 2034, which is much faster than average. About 2,400 openings are projected each year.
How does Athletic Trainers pay vary by state?
Athletic Trainers salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is California at $78,490/year, while Alabama pays the least at $46,940/year. BLS data covers 50 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Athletic Trainers?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $89,630/year. BLS reports a median for 160 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Athletic Trainers pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $74,630/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: California leads at $78,490/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.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

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.