Dosimetrist Career Guide: Role, Salary, Education, and How to Get Started
11 Apr, 2026
If you're exploring a career in sports medicine or rehabilitation, one of the first questions you probably have is: what is a athletic trainer salary in today's job market? It's a fair question — and one I hear constantly from candidates on our platform. Whether you're a student weighing your options, a certified athletic trainer considering a career move, or simply curious about compensation in allied health fields, understanding salary data is essential for making informed decisions. In this comprehensive guide, I'll break down athletic trainer salaries by experience, location, and setting, and I'll also explore related creative healthcare careers like medical illustration and art therapy that might surprise you.
Athletic trainers are licensed healthcare professionals who specialize in preventing, diagnosing, and treating muscle and bone injuries and illnesses. They work with athletes at every level — from high school sports programs to professional teams — as well as in clinical rehabilitation settings, hospitals, and the military.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov), the median annual wage for athletic trainers was approximately $53,840 as of their most recent Occupational Outlook Handbook data. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $37,710, while the highest 10 percent earned more than $76,180. These figures represent a strong, livable wage, especially when you factor in the rewarding nature of the work and the growing demand for qualified professionals.
I've seen firsthand through our job listings at healthcareers.app that athletic trainer salaries can vary significantly based on several key factors, which I'll explore in depth below.
Experience is one of the most significant drivers of compensation in this field. Here's a general breakdown of what you can expect at different career stages:
Where you work matters enormously. Athletic trainers in metropolitan areas and states with higher costs of living generally earn more. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, some of the highest-paying states for athletic trainers include:
On our platform, we consistently see that candidates willing to relocate can often negotiate significantly better compensation packages. Rural areas may offer lower base salaries but frequently include benefits like housing stipends, signing bonuses, and lower cost of living that effectively increase your take-home value.
The setting in which you practice has a major impact on your earnings. Here's how different environments compare:
This is one of the most common employment settings for athletic trainers. Salaries typically range from $40,000 to $52,000 per year. Many of these positions are employed through the school district or contracted through a healthcare system, which can affect benefits and salary structure.
NCAA Division I programs tend to offer the highest salaries in the educational setting, with head athletic trainers earning $60,000 to $90,000 or more at major programs. Assistant athletic trainers at smaller institutions may start closer to $42,000 to $50,000.
Working with professional sports teams is the dream for many athletic trainers. Salaries in these roles can range from $55,000 to well over $100,000, depending on the sport, team, and your level of experience. However, these positions are highly competitive and often require years of networking and experience.
Hospital-based athletic trainers often benefit from institutional salary scales, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for overtime. Salaries in clinical settings typically range from $50,000 to $65,000, with potential for growth into management roles.
A growing niche for athletic trainers is workplace wellness and injury prevention programs in manufacturing, logistics, and corporate environments. These roles often pay $55,000 to $70,000 and offer traditional business-hours schedules, which is a major perk compared to the unpredictable hours of game-day coverage.
The future looks bright for this profession. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of athletic trainers to grow 14 percent from 2022 to 2032, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. This growth is driven by increased awareness of sports-related injuries, especially concussions, and the expanding role of athletic trainers in non-traditional settings like occupational health and the performing arts.
At healthcareers.app, we've noticed a significant uptick in athletic training job postings over the past two years, particularly from hospital systems looking to embed athletic trainers into orthopedic clinics and urgent care facilities. This diversification of employment settings is excellent news for job seekers.
One thing I love about the healthcare industry is its incredible diversity. If you're drawn to healthcare but also have creative instincts, there are fascinating career paths that blend artistry with clinical expertise. Two that I frequently recommend exploring are medical illustration and art therapy.
Medical illustrators create visual content — anatomical drawings, surgical illustrations, 3D animations, and educational materials — that helps communicate complex medical information. It's a highly specialized field that requires both artistic talent and deep knowledge of human anatomy and physiology.
So what does a medical illustrator salary look like? According to the Association of Medical Illustrators and data aggregated from salary surveys, certified medical illustrators earn a median salary of approximately $70,000 to $85,000 per year. Those working in pharmaceutical companies, medical device firms, or as freelance consultants with established client bases can earn well over $100,000 annually.
The National Institutes of Health (nih.gov) and major academic medical centers are among the notable employers of medical illustrators, using their skills for research publications, patient education, and grant applications. If you're an artistic person who's fascinated by medicine, this is a career path worth investigating. Most professionals in this field hold a master's degree from one of the four accredited graduate programs in North America.
Art therapy is another fascinating healthcare career that combines creative expression with therapeutic practice. If you're considering international opportunities or have a background in both art and psychology, art therapy courses UK programs offer world-class training.
The United Kingdom has a well-established art therapy profession, regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Leading programs include those offered at Goldsmiths, University of London; Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh; and the University of South Wales. These are typically two-year, full-time master's degree programs that include supervised clinical placements.
Art therapists in the UK work across the National Health Service (NHS), private practice, schools, prisons, and community mental health organizations. Salaries for qualified art therapists in the NHS typically fall within Band 6 or Band 7 of the Agenda for Change pay scales, equating to roughly £35,000 to £46,000 per year (approximately $44,000 to $58,000 USD).
For American healthcare professionals considering global career options, the UK's art therapy pathway offers a structured, well-respected route. I've spoken with several professionals on our platform who completed their training abroad and found it enriched both their clinical skills and their professional perspective.
Based on the trends I see in our hiring data at healthcareers.app, here are my top recommendations for athletic trainers looking to increase their earning potential:
As of 2023, a master's degree from a CAATE-accredited program is required to sit for the Board of Certification (BOC) exam. Previously, a bachelor's degree was sufficient, but the profession has transitioned to the master's level to reflect the advanced clinical skills required. Most programs take two to three years to complete and include extensive hands-on clinical rotations.
Absolutely. While athletic trainers may not earn as much as physicians or nurse practitioners, the median salary of approximately $53,840 provides a comfortable living in most parts of the country. When you factor in benefits, job satisfaction, and the faster-than-average job growth, athletic training is a solid career investment. Many athletic trainers supplement their income through per diem event coverage, personal training, or consulting work.
This is one of the most common misconceptions I encounter. Athletic trainers are licensed healthcare professionals with a minimum of a master's degree who diagnose and treat injuries. Personal trainers focus on fitness and exercise programming and typically hold a certification rather than a clinical degree. The scope of practice, education requirements, and legal responsibilities are vastly different.
Yes, and this is one of the fastest-growing employment settings for the profession. Athletic trainers in hospital systems work alongside orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, and sports medicine physicians. They may staff physician extender roles in orthopedic clinics, manage concussion programs, or oversee community outreach initiatives. Hospital-based roles often come with excellent benefits and opportunities for career advancement.
Medical illustrators generally earn higher salaries than athletic trainers, with median earnings in the $70,000 to $85,000 range compared to approximately $53,840 for athletic trainers. However, the career paths are very different. Medical illustration requires specialized graduate training in both art and science, and the field is much smaller with fewer job openings. Both are rewarding healthcare careers, but the right choice depends on your skills, interests, and career goals.
Understanding what is a athletic trainer salary is just one piece of the puzzle when evaluating this rewarding healthcare career. With a median salary of around $53,840, faster-than-average job growth projected through 2032, and an expanding range of work settings from professional sports to industrial wellness, athletic training offers a compelling career path for those passionate about movement, rehabilitation, and patient care. Whether you're drawn to the traditional sports medicine route or exploring creative healthcare alternatives like medical illustration or art therapy, the key is to invest in quality education, pursue meaningful certifications, and stay adaptable as the industry evolves. We built healthcareers.app to help you navigate these decisions with confidence — and I'm here to tell you that the opportunities in healthcare have never been more diverse or more accessible.
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