# Athletic Trainers

> Evaluate and treat musculoskeletal injuries or illnesses. Provide preventive, therapeutic, emergency, and rehabilitative care.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/athletic-trainers
- SOC code: 29-9091.00
- Career family: Healthcare practitioners
- Median annual pay: $62,520 (10th percentile $48,180, 90th percentile $88,760)
- Projected growth: Much faster than average, +12.7%
- Openings a year: 2,400
- Typical entry education: Master's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code SRI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 77 |
| Investigative (I) | 57 |
| Artistic (A) | 2 |
| Social (S) | 79 |
| Enterprising (E) | 21 |
| Conventional (C) | 37 |

## What you'd do

- Assisting and Caring for Others (importance 97/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 97/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 91/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 81/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 79/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 75/100)
- Thinking Creatively (importance 75/100)
- Getting Information (importance 73/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 70/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 68/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring, Speaking, Active Learning, Reading Comprehension, Social Perceptiveness, Instructing, Service Orientation

## Knowledge

Medicine and Dentistry, Customer and Personal Service, Psychology, Therapy and Counseling, English Language, Education and Training, Public Safety and Security, Administrative, Biology, Administration and Management

## Also called

Athletic Instructor, Athletic Lecturer, Athletic Trainer, Certified Athletic Trainer, Clinical Athletic Instructor, Clinical Athletic Trainer, Fitness Specialist, Licensed Athletic Trainer, On-Site Industrial Athletic Trainer, Outreach Athletic Trainer

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5109) (CIP 5109, 1,504 colleges)
- [Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/3105) (CIP 3105, 1,394 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Wagner College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/wagner-college-3148) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | not reported | $156,982 | $27,000 |
| [St. John's University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/st-john-s-university-new-york-2579) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $102,500 | $142,774 | $23,325 |
| [John Patrick University of Health and Applied Sciences](https://www.collegesref.com/college/john-patrick-university-of-health-and-applied-sciences-1341) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $112,673 | $122,061 | $23,437 |
| [Saint Francis University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/saint-francis-university-2301) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | not reported | $115,813 | $28,000 |
| [D'Youville University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/d-youville-university-755) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $113,290 | $114,737 | $30,703 |
| [Molloy College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/molloy-college-1749) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $90,567 | $111,267 | not reported |
| [Salisbury University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/salisbury-university-2329) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $75,312 | $109,739 | $23,250 |
| [Long Island University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/long-island-university-1520) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $90,526 | $107,539 | $22,000 |

## Related careers

- [Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/exercise-trainers-and-group-fitness-instructors): $47,160 median pay
- [Sports Medicine Physicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/sports-medicine-physicians): $265,930 median pay
- [Exercise Physiologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/exercise-physiologists): $59,460 median pay
- [Physical Therapist Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/physical-therapist-assistants): $68,380 median pay
- [Recreational Therapists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/recreational-therapists): $61,960 median pay
- [Coaches and Scouts](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/coaches-and-scouts): $47,320 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.