Athletes and Sports Competitors: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media · SOC 27-2021 · O*NET 27-2021.00
Athletes and Sports Competitors fall under the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media category in the U.S. occupational classification. Athletes and Sports Competitors earn a median salary of $66,710 per year, ranking in the top 42% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +5.5% job growth through 2035, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do athletes and sports competitors earn?
The median annual wage for athletes and sports competitors is $66,710. That puts athletes and sports competitors at #344 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is above the U.S. median for individual workers and reflects a stable, credentialed occupation. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
Is athletes and sports competitors a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for athletes and sports competitors is +5.5%, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 22K positions in 2024 to 24K in 2034, a net change of 2K. Average growth signals a healthy, resilient occupation that mirrors broader U.S. employment trends. Job availability tends to track regional economic conditions.
What education does my child need to become athletes and sports competitor?
The standard path into athletes and sports competitors begins with a bachelor's degree in a related field, followed by entry-level experience or internships during college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about athletes and sports competitors
What is the median salary for athletes and sports competitors?
The median annual salary for athletes and sports competitors is $66,710 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is athletes and sports competitors a growing career?
BLS projects +5.5% growth for athletes and sports competitors from 2025 through 2035, which is average growth projected to grow at roughly the US average.
What education does my child need to become athletes and sports competitor?
The typical entry path requires a bachelor's degree, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to athletes and sports competitors?
Related occupations within the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 release.