Athletes and Sports Competitors Salary
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations · 15K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$66,710
Median hourly
$32
Average annual
$206,180
Typical range
$26,500–$742,310
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Athletes and Sports Competitors is $66,710 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $32 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Compete in athletic events..
Most earn between $26,500 and $742,310 a year. There are roughly 15K people employed as athletes and sports competitors in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Athletes and Sports Competitors.
- Hourly
- $32.07
- Daily
- $257
- Weekly
- $1,283
- Bi-weekly
- $2,566
- Monthly
- $5,559
- Annual
- $66,710
$66,710 a year is around the 50th percentile for Athletes and Sports Competitorss. The median is $66,710.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1New Jersey$253,870
- 2Missouri$172,700
- 3Utah$122,800
- 4Nevada$119,780
- 5Texas$80,510
- 6California$79,040
- 7Florida$78,610
- 8Georgia$77,530
- 9Kansas$63,630
- 10Kentucky$63,020
- 11Virginia$61,500
- 12Pennsylvania$57,100
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1St. Louis, MO-IL$203,390
- 2Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV$124,130
- 3Salt Lake City-Murray, UT$123,140
- 4Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL$107,590
- 5Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL$106,060
- 6New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$100,130
- 7Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$94,530
- 8Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT$84,810
- 9Kansas City, MO-KS$78,790
- 10Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL$76,860
- 11Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$75,550
- 12Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL$74,440
Related job titles
Employers advertise Athletes and Sports Competitors roles under these titles.
Related occupations
- Coaches and Scouts$47,320
- Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials$40,710
- Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors$47,160
- Training and Development Specialists$69,280
- Amusement and Recreation Attendants$32,150
- Athletic Trainers$62,520
- Self-Enrichment Teachers$46,800
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$66,270
What a Athletes and Sports Competitors does
- 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.
- Exercise or practice under the direction of athletic trainers or professional coaches to develop skills, improve physical condition, or prepare for competitions.
- 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.
- Participate in athletic events or competitive sports, according to established rules and regulations.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Athletes and Sports Competitors make?
- The median annual wage for Athletes and Sports Competitors is $66,710 ($32 per hour). Pay ranges from about $26,500 at the 10th percentile to $742,310 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Athletes and Sports Competitors?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $206,180, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Athletes and Sports Competitorss the most?
- New Jersey has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $253,870.
- Is Athletes and Sports Competitors a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 15K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Athletes and Sports Competitors 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..