Career
Athletes and sports competitors
Compete in sports at the highest level.
$66,710
Median pay
+5.5%
Job growth, 2025–35
2,200
Openings a year
No formal educational credential
Typical education
None required
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- 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.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on objects & tools, then persuasion & leadership?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Assess performance following athletic competition, identifying strengths and weaknesses and making adjustments to improve future performance.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Speaking, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Coordination.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
No degree beyond high school, though long-term on-the-job training is typical, for a median of $66,710 a year and 2,200 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Kinesiology and Exercise ScienceSee the degree →
- Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, GeneralCIP 31.0501
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Coaches and Scouts$47,320 · +6.1%
- Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials$40,710 · +5.2%
- Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors$47,160 · +7.3%
- Amusement and Recreation Attendants$32,150 · +3.7%
- Athletic Trainers$62,520 · +12.7%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.