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Athletic Trainers

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

Median salary (BLS)

$62,520

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$48k – $89k

Job outlook

+11% (faster than average)

AI exposure

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $93,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Athletic Trainers

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Education

Typical entry: Master's degree

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$64,200–$231,000

Time to qualify

6.2 yr

Renewal

$75/yr

  1. 1

    Bachelor's degree

    Degree

    Four years at public in-state rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $11,610/yr, plus books. Private and out-of-state run higher; grant aid lowers most students' actual net price.

    $40,000–$150,000 · 4 years source

  2. 2

    Master's degree

    Degree

    Typically two years; average graduate tuition ≈ $20,000/yr at public universities (NCES).

    $24,000–$80,000 · 2 years source

  3. 3

    National & state licensure

    License

    A national board/registry exam plus a state license application (the NCLEX pattern). Exact exam and fees depend on the role and state.

    $200–$1,000 · 2 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Athletic Trainers" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Athletic Trainers

    Entry / Junior

    $48,180

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Athletic Trainers

    Established

    $62,520

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Athletic Trainers

    Senior

    $75,640

Key skills

A typical day

  • •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.

Fields of study

Any field

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.