Updated April 15, 2026
Athletic Trainer
Also known as: Athletic Instructor, Athletic Lecturer, Athletic Trainer
Athletic trainers prevent, diagnose, and treat muscle and bone injuries for athletes and active individuals. You'll tape ankles before games, evaluate concussions on the sideline, and design rehabilitation programs to get players back on the field.
Getting Started
How to Become a Athletic Trainer
You can start working as an athletic trainer in 6.3 years with $135k-$266k in training — that is much longer and more expensive than most health care careers requiring only certificates or associate degrees.
Bachelor's Degree
4 years · $80,000-$160,000
Master's Degree in Athletic Training
2 years · $55,000-$106,000
BOC Certification Exam
1-3 months · $300-$500
State Licensure
1 month · $100-$300
Entry-Level Athletic Trainer
Ongoing
Continuing Education & Recertification
Ongoing · $500-$1,000
Start
Year 4
Year 6
Year 6
Bachelor's Degree
4 years
Master's Degree in Athletic Training
2 years
BOC Certification Exam
1-3 months
Entry-Level Athletic Trainer
Ongoing
| Step | Duration | Cost | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
Bachelor's Degree | 4 years | $80,000-$160,000 | Complete a 4-year bachelor's degree with prerequisite courses in sciences such as anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and biology. This serves as the foundation for admission to a CAATE-accredited master's program. |
Master's Degree in Athletic Training | 2 years | $55,000-$106,000 | Complete a 2-year Master's degree from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). The program includes advanced coursework and clinical experiences in athletic training. |
BOC Certification Exam | 1-3 months | $300-$500 | Pass the Board of Certification (BOC) exam to become a certified athletic trainer. This national certification is a prerequisite for state licensure in nearly all states. |
State Licensure | 1 month | $100-$300 | Obtain state licensure to practice as an athletic trainer. Nearly all states require licensure, with BOC certification as a prerequisite. Requirements vary by state. |
Entry-Level Athletic Trainer | Ongoing | — | Begin professional practice as a certified athletic trainer in settings such as schools, colleges, hospitals, or sports organizations. Provide injury prevention, assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation services to athletes and active individuals.Starting salary: $60,250/yr |
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Overview
What Does a Athletic Trainer Do?
Athletic trainers work in high schools, colleges, professional sports teams, and outpatient clinics. Your day splits between injury prevention (taping, stretching routines), immediate care (sideline evaluations, emergency response), and rehabilitation (designing exercise programs, monitoring recovery progress).
- Conduct an initial assessment of an athlete's injury or illness to provide emergency or continued care and to determine whether the athlete should be referred to a physician for 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 whether athletes are ready to play and provide clearance to participate when appropriate.
- Perform general administrative tasks such as keeping records or writing reports.
- Clean and sanitize athletic training rooms.
- Instruct coaches, athletes, parents, medical personnel, or community members in the care and prevention of athletic injuries.
- Apply protective or injury prevention devices such as tape, bandages, or braces to body parts like ankles, fingers, or wrists.
Tasks from O*NET OnLine
Requirements
Licensing & Certification
You must have both BOC certification and state licensure to practice as an athletic trainer. Without these credentials, you cannot legally provide athletic training services or use the "athletic trainer" title in 49 states plus D.C.
| Credential | Status | Cost | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| BOC Certification (ATC) | Required | $375 | Every 2 yr |
| State Licensure | Required | $50-$300 | 12-24 months |
BOC Certification (ATC) (Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer) — Required in most states to practice; proves entry-level competency in athletic training
- Exam: BOC Exam: computer-based, multiple-choice and alternative item formats; $375 exam fee
- Cost: $375 (exam) + $65/year (maintenance fee)
- Renewal: 50 CEUs per 2-year cycle, annual certification maintenance fee ($65), adherence to BOC Standards of Professional Practice
State Licensure (State licensing board (varies by state)) — Most states require licensure or registration in addition to BOC certification to practice
- Exam: BOC certification serves as the qualifying exam in most states
- Cost: $50-$300 (varies by state)
- Renewal: Varies by state; typically requires active BOC certification and state-specific CEU hours
Forty-nine states plus D.C. regulate athletic trainers, but the type of regulation varies — most require full licensure while others use registration or certification. California does not currently regulate athletic trainers, meaning you can practice there without state approval. Continuing education requirements and supervision rules differ by state.
The Athletic Trainer Interstate Compact is in development with model legislation released in 2025, but it is not yet operational. You will need separate licenses in each state where you practice until the compact becomes active.
Compensation
Athletic Trainer Salary
At $60k, athletic trainers earn less than ultrasound technicians ($89k) and diagnostic medical sonographers ($89k), but significantly more than EKG technicians ($67k). Salaries vary widely by setting — professional sports teams pay more than high schools, and urban areas typically offer higher compensation than rural districts.
$60k/yr
median annual salary
You will spend $201k and 6.3 years to start earning $60k — that is 40 months to pay back your training cost. This payback period is much longer than most health care careers due to the expensive master's degree requirement.
Salaries vary by location and setting. Athletic Trainers in metropolitan areas and specialty practices typically earn more than the national median.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024
HealthJob Analysis
Is It Worth It? 20-Year ROI
Your 20-year net earnings are $622k with a break-even point at year 10. This is one of the weaker ROI paths in health care because of the high upfront education cost and moderate starting salary. Compare this to ultrasound technicians who break even in year 3 despite similar earnings, or EKG technicians who break even in just 4 months.
Athletic Trainer ROI
Net earnings over 20 years
$622k
Pre-tax 20-year estimate after required education and training costs; taxes and living expenses excluded.
How the 20-year estimate is calculated
Athletic Trainer Career ROI (20-year net earnings)
Track how education costs and earnings typically accumulate from enrollment through year 20.
Cumulative net earnings (USD)
The full chart keeps 20-year context. The detail chart below zooms in on early pathway years.
Sources: BLS, Accreditor, BLSSee Sources and methods.
Early-years detail
Years 0-9
Years 0-9. Scaled to early-year values. Black markers show key checkpoints.
Quick answers
- Is becoming a Athletic Trainer financially worth it?Typical 20-year net estimate: $622k (pre-tax, living expenses excluded).
- How much does training cost for a Athletic Trainer?Estimated required education and licensing cost to become a Athletic Trainer: $201k (range used: $135k-$267k). Breakdown: Bachelor's Degree: $120k; Master's Degree in Athletic Training: $81k; BOC Certification Exam: $400; State Licensure: $200.
- How long does it take to become a Athletic Trainer?Typical time to first paycheck is about 6.3 years. Typical time to enter the target Athletic Trainer role is about 6.3 years.
- How do you become a Athletic Trainer?See How to Become for pathway steps, timing, and credential requirements.
Detailed math
How 20-year net is built from each training and career phase.
| Phase | Time window | Gross earnings | Education/training cost | Net contribution | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bachelor's Degree Education | Years 0-3 (m0-m47) | $0 | -$120,000 | -$120,000 | |
Master's Degree in Athletic Training Education | Years 4-5 (m48-m71) | $0 | -$80,500 | -$80,500 | |
BOC Certification Exam Training/Licensing | Year 6 (m75-m75) | $0 | -$400 | -$400 | |
State Licensure Training/Licensing | Year 6 (m76-m76) | $0 | -$200 | -$200 | |
Entry-Level Athletic Trainer Career | Years 6-19 (m76-m239) | $823,444 | $0 | $823,444 | |
Model reconciliation Reconciliation | Years 0-20 (m0-m239) | -$27 | $0 | -$27 | None |
| 20-year totals | $823,417 | -$201,100 | $622,317 | Matches 20-year ROI formula | |
Sources and methods
Sources
Assumptions
- Pathway sequence and timing follow the cited training and licensing pathway for this role.BLSBLS
- Earnings benchmarks come from cited occupation wage references.BLSBLS
- Education and training cost uses College Scorecard tuition and cited pathway fees when needed.Source unavailable
- Cost allocation follows a model rule: short completed steps post in completion year; longer tuition steps are spread across phase years.Model ruleBLSBLS
- Taxes and living expenses are excluded from this estimate.Model rule
Athletic training ranks near the bottom for ROI among health care careers. EKG technicians and ultrasound technicians both offer better financial returns due to lower training costs, while diagnostic medical sonographers provide similar ROI with comparable earnings.
Future-Proofing
Athletic Trainer Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Demand is growing 17.3% through 2033 because of increased awareness of sports-related injuries, especially concussions, and expanding roles in workplace injury prevention. More employers are hiring athletic trainers for occupational settings beyond traditional sports.
10-Year Growth
17.3%
Much faster than average
Current Employment
28,950
jobs nationwide
HealthJob Analysis
Will AI Replace Athletic Trainer?
Athletic training has very low AI impact because the core work requires hands-on physical assessment and treatment. You cannot evaluate a sprained ankle or apply therapeutic tape through a computer screen. AI tools exist for analyzing movement patterns and tracking recovery data, but these support rather than replace your clinical judgment and manual skills.
Injury evaluation, taping, and rehabilitation are entirely hands-on; AI limited to wearable data dashboards.
NATA: Technology in Athletic Training · BLS: Athletic Trainers +14% (2023-2033)
Based on evidence-based AI impact methodology
Explore
Careers Similar to Athletic Trainer
These careers offer alternative paths into health care diagnostics and patient care with shorter training periods and lower education costs.
| Occupation | Median Salary | Training Time |
|---|---|---|
| EKG/ECG Technician | $67k/yr | 4 mo |
| Ultrasound Technician | $89k/yr | 2.3 yr |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $89k/yr | 2.3 yr |
Learn More
Related Guides
Sources & Data
These references are used to build salary, training-path, and job-outlook estimates shown on this page.
- •Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook
- •O*NET OnLine
- •BOC
- •BOC State Regulation Map
- •HealthJob AI Impact Analysis
- •BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook - Athletic Trainers
- •Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education
Data last refreshed: April 2026