Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$48,180
- 25th Percentile — Junior$55,130
- 50th Percentile — Median$62,520
- 75th Percentile — Senior$74,630
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$88,760
The top 10% of Athletic Trainers earn $88,760 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $48,180, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska (est.) | $87,938 | +32.0% |
| District of Columbia | $84,310 | +26.6% |
| California | $80,780 | +21.3% |
| New Jersey | $79,790 | +19.8% |
| Connecticut | $74,680 | +12.1% |
| Massachusetts | $74,390 | +11.7% |
| New York | $73,730 | +10.7% |
| Hawaii | $72,560 | +8.9% |
| Georgia | $72,490 | +8.8% |
| Texas | $71,800 | +7.8% |
| Utah | $70,450 | +5.7% |
| New Mexico | $70,060 | +5.2% |
| Colorado | $69,050 | +3.6% |
| Minnesota | $68,750 | +3.2% |
| Illinois | $68,510 | +2.8% |
| Montana | $67,950 | +2.0% |
| Washington | $67,670 | +1.6% |
| Idaho | $67,210 | +0.9% |
| Maryland | $67,130 | +0.8% |
| Virginia | $66,890 | +0.4% |
| Wisconsin | $65,870 | -1.1% |
| Rhode Island | $65,760 | -1.3% |
| Arizona | $65,640 | -1.5% |
| Oregon | $65,530 | -1.6% |
| Vermont | $65,210 | -2.1% |
| New Hampshire | $64,950 | -2.5% |
| Delaware | $64,850 | -2.7% |
| Louisiana | $64,850 | -2.7% |
| Florida | $64,040 | -3.9% |
| Maine | $63,860 | -4.1% |
| Nevada | $63,760 | -4.3% |
| Indiana | $63,680 | -4.4% |
| Wyoming | $63,320 | -5.0% |
| Ohio | $63,040 | -5.4% |
| Pennsylvania | $62,510 | -6.2% |
| Oklahoma | $62,310 | -6.5% |
| Nebraska | $62,140 | -6.7% |
| Michigan | $61,790 | -7.3% |
| Kansas | $61,410 | -7.8% |
| Kentucky | $61,320 | -8.0% |
| North Dakota | $60,320 | -9.5% |
| Mississippi | $60,080 | -9.8% |
| North Carolina | $59,800 | -10.2% |
| Missouri | $59,620 | -10.5% |
| Arkansas | $58,840 | -11.7% |
| South Carolina | $58,820 | -11.7% |
| South Dakota | $57,880 | -13.1% |
| Tennessee | $57,670 | -13.4% |
| Iowa | $56,170 | -15.7% |
| West Virginia | $54,500 | -18.2% |
| Alabama | $50,760 | -23.8% |
What Factors Affect Athletic Trainers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Athletic Trainers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: District of Columbia pays an average of $84,310, while Alabama pays $50,760 — a gap of $33,550 per year.
The middle half of Athletic Trainers earn between $55,130 and $74,630 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $48,180, while the top 10% earn more than $88,760.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Athletic Trainers?
The average salary for Athletic Trainers in the United States is $66,620 per year, with a median of $62,520.
What is the starting salary for Athletic Trainers?
Entry-level Athletic Trainers typically earn between $48,180 and $55,130 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Athletic Trainers the most?
District of Columbia pays Athletic Trainers the most at $84,310 per year on average, followed by California ($80,780) and New Jersey ($79,790).
How much do Athletic Trainers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $66,620, Athletic Trainers earn approximately $32.03 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Athletic Trainers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 30,500 Athletic Trainers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $66,620 and a median of $62,520 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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