Coaches and Scouts
Median $47,320
Occupation · SOC 27-2021
Athletes and Sports Competitors: pay and where the jobs are
What athletes and sports competitors earn in the U.S., how pay varies across workers and states, and tools to plan around it.
National pay, May 2025
$66,710 median annual wage
- Mean (average) annual wage
- $206,180
- Hourly wages
- BLS publishes annual wages only
- Employment
- 15,070
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 27-2021.
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How much do athletes and sports competitors make?
The median annual wage for athletes and sports competitors was $66,710 in May 2025, so half of workers earned more and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $26,500 and the highest-paid 10% more than $742,310. About 15,070 people work in this occupation nationwide. The highest state medians are in New Jersey ($253,870), Missouri ($172,700) and Utah ($122,800). New Jersey also comes out on top after taxes and local prices.
Pay ladder
What each step of the pay range for athletes and sports competitors looks like per month. Take-home here includes federal tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer; add your state in the paycheck calculator.
| Step | Annual | Hourly | Monthly gross | Monthly after federal tax & FICA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $26,500 | — | $2,208 | $1,953 |
| 25th percentile | $36,790 | — | $3,066 | $2,645 |
| Median | $66,710 | — | $5,559 | $4,647 |
| 75th percentile | $109,880 | — | $9,157 | $7,178 |
| 90th percentile | $742,310 | — | $61,859 | $38,406 |
Athletes and Sports Competitors: pay by state
18 states and territories have a published median, sorted from highest to lowest. The last two columns are our estimates: the median after 2026 federal and state taxes, and that take-home restated in national-average prices.
1
$153,500 take-home in national prices
2
$134,476 take-home in national prices
3
$93,115 take-home in national prices
Where a median athletes and sports competitor paycheck goes furthest after 2026 taxes and BEA price levels.
| State | Employment | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Median after tax* | In national prices† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 390 | $253,870 | $46,300 | $324,310 | $167,016 | $153,500 |
| Missouri | 670 | $172,700 | $44,340 | At or above BLS top range | $122,127 | $134,476 |
| Utah | 340 | $122,800 | $30,450 | $708,320 | $89,735 | $90,766 |
| Nevada | 160 | $119,780 | $40,940 | $149,590 | $93,095 | $93,115 |
| Texas | 1,840 | $80,510 | $25,340 | $878,190 | $65,469 | $67,454 |
| California | 830 | $79,040 | $40,120 | At or above BLS top range | $60,301 | $54,463 |
| Florida | 1,360 | $78,610 | $59,910 | $109,910 | $64,132 | $62,015 |
| Georgia | 840 | $77,530 | $21,920 | $766,920 | $60,252 | $62,572 |
| Kansas | 170 | $63,630 | $30,180 | $94,160 | $50,556 | $56,131 |
| Kentucky | Not published | $63,020 | $39,290 | $137,370 | $50,728 | $56,266 |
| Virginia | Not published | $61,500 | $56,130 | $67,140 | $48,873 | $48,339 |
| Pennsylvania | 250 | $57,100 | $23,220 | $165,890 | $46,267 | $47,418 |
| Louisiana | 440 | $55,890 | $23,920 | $128,320 | $45,797 | $51,920 |
| Arizona | 940 | $50,090 | $31,290 | $286,690 | $41,569 | $41,289 |
| Maryland | Not published | $48,200 | $40,460 | $130,910 | $38,985 | $37,143 |
| South Carolina | 280 | $45,720 | $18,950 | $70,910 | $38,200 | $40,747 |
| Oklahoma | Not published | $44,110 | $28,920 | $44,420 | $36,183 | $41,190 |
| Ohio | 590 | $39,040 | $24,160 | $132,660 | $32,925 | $35,490 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 27-2021. *Our estimate for a single filer paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions or local tax, 2026 federal and state rules. †Take-home ÷ BEA Regional Price Parity × 100 (2024 price levels).
Sources
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25nat.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25st.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.