All About Athletic Trainers
Job Description & Duties Evaluate and advise individuals to assist recovery from or avoid athletic-related injuries or illnesses, or maintain peak physical fitness. May provide first aid or emergency care.
Athletic Trainer Responsibilities
- 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.
- Lead stretching exercises for team members prior to games or practices.
- Collaborate with physicians to develop and implement comprehensive rehabilitation programs for athletic injuries.
- Perform team support duties, such as running errands, maintaining equipment, or stocking supplies.
- Perform general administrative tasks, such as keeping records or writing reports.
- Develop training programs or routines designed to improve athletic performance.
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Athletic Trainer Needed Skills
When polled, Athletic Trainers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Types of Athletic Trainer
- Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer
- Sports Medicine Coordinator
- Sports Trainer
- Head Athletic Trainer
- Physical Trainer
Are There Job Opportunities for Athletic Trainers?
There were about 27,800 jobs for Athletic Trainer in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 22.7% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 6,300 new jobs for Athletic Trainer by 2026. The BLS estimates 2,200 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Athletic Trainer are Utah, Colorado, and Oregon. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Kansas, or Wisconsin. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of an Athletic Trainer
The average yearly salary of an Athletic Trainer ranges between $31,010 and $70,750.

Athletic Trainers who work in Hawaii, Texas, or California, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Athletic Trainers in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $41,690 |
Alaska | $46,870 |
Arizona | $46,140 |
Arkansas | $46,700 |
California | $58,060 |
Colorado | $53,030 |
Connecticut | $58,920 |
Delaware | $47,930 |
District of Columbia | $68,470 |
Florida | $45,130 |
Georgia | $48,870 |
Hawaii | $59,990 |
Idaho | $41,200 |
Illinois | $44,380 |
Indiana | $45,370 |
Iowa | $47,260 |
Kansas | $45,860 |
Kentucky | $47,140 |
Louisiana | $46,650 |
Maine | $44,320 |
Maryland | $51,820 |
Massachusetts | $56,850 |
Michigan | $51,230 |
Minnesota | $50,310 |
Mississippi | $49,650 |
Missouri | $45,050 |
Montana | $42,860 |
Nebraska | $45,880 |
Nevada | $41,530 |
New Hampshire | $50,210 |
New Jersey | $51,890 |
New York | $49,960 |
North Carolina | $47,120 |
North Dakota | $45,470 |
Ohio | $46,990 |
Oklahoma | $47,720 |
Oregon | $48,370 |
Pennsylvania | $48,310 |
Rhode Island | $53,790 |
South Carolina | $42,590 |
South Dakota | $45,320 |
Tennessee | $44,590 |
Texas | $56,170 |
Utah | $48,490 |
Vermont | $50,470 |
Virginia | $48,970 |
Washington | $49,240 |
West Virginia | $45,170 |
Wisconsin | $49,370 |
Wyoming | $48,960 |
What Tools & Technology do Athletic Trainers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Athletic Trainers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Web browser software
- Email software
- Word processing software
- Spreadsheet software
- Database software
- Scheduling software
- BioEx Systems Exercise Pro
How to Become an Athletic Trainer
Are there Athletic Trainers education requirements?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Athletic Trainers Sector

The table below shows the approximate number of Athletic Trainers employed by various industries.

Similar Careers
Those thinking about becoming an Athletic Trainer might also be interested in the following careers:
Career changers with experience as an Athletic Trainer sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
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More about our data sources and methodologies.
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