The average salary for an athlete in the United States is around $49,143 per year.
Avg Salary
Athletes earn an average yearly salary of $49,143.
Wages typically start from $18,444 and go up to $130,938.
0% below national average Updated in 2019
Athlete earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level athlete earnings begin at:
$62.95 per hour
$130,938 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level athlete earnings begin at:
$39.57 per hour
$82,311 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level athlete earnings begin at:
$23.63 per hour
$49,143 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level athlete earnings begin at:
$14.11 per hour
$29,340 per year
10th percentile
Starting level athlete earnings begin at:
$8.87 per hour
$18,444 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Athlete salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $89,050 |
| Texas | $80,200 |
| Nevada | $70,810 |
| Connecticut | $67,800 |
| New York | $66,710 |
| Kansas | $64,890 |
| New Jersey | $60,060 |
| Washington | $57,060 |
| Rhode Island | $56,870 |
| Ohio | $49,610 |
| Utah | $48,690 |
| Massachusetts | $48,030 |
| Virginia | $47,780 |
| Florida | $47,580 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,050 |
| Missouri | $44,430 |
| Nebraska | $43,490 |
| Wisconsin | $39,100 |
| Michigan | $38,880 |
| Minnesota | $38,620 |
| Maryland | $38,000 |
| Mississippi | $36,970 |
| Kentucky | $31,560 |
| Georgia | $30,760 |
| South Carolina | $30,470 |
| Colorado | $192,940 |
How do athlete salaries compare to similar careers?
Athletes earn 20% more than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than physical education teachers but more than sports scouts.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Physical education teacher salary | $63K |
| Athlete salary | $49K |
| Athletic trainer salary | $49K |
| Exercise physiologist salary | $49K |
| Fitness trainer salary | $40K |
| Sports scout salary | $35K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)