Career guide

How to become an athletic trainer

Education, licensing, training, and outlook from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 projections), with BLS May 2025 pay.

Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Athletic Trainers, read October 23, 2026. Publisher page

Quick answer

Typical entry-level education: master's degree. Nearly all states require athletic trainers to be licensed or certified; requirements vary by state. For specific requirements, contact the particular state’s licensing board. BLS median pay: $62,520 a year (May 2025).

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Quick facts

2025 Median Pay: $62,520 per year
Typical Entry-Level Education: Master's degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation: None
On-the-job Training: None
Number of Jobs, 2025: 35,200
Job Outlook, 2025 to 2035: 13% (Much faster than average)
Employment Change, 2025 to 2035: 4,400

Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, read October 23, 2026. Publisher page

Steps to become an athletic trainer (BLS)

Athletic trainers typically need a master’s degree to enter the occupation. Nearly all states require athletic trainers to have a license or certification; requirements vary by state.

Education

To enter the occupation, athletic trainers typically need a master’s degree from an accredited program.

Admission into athletic trainer master’s programs generally requires a bachelor's degree with completion of coursework in science and health. Master's degree programs have classroom and clinical components and include instruction in areas such as injury prevention, therapeutic modalities, and nutrition.

High school students interested in postsecondary athletic training programs should take courses in anatomy, physiology, and physics.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Nearly all states require athletic trainers to be licensed or certified; requirements vary by state. For specific requirements, contact the particular state’s licensing board.

Certification typically requires graduating from an accredited program and passing a qualifying exam. To maintain certification, athletic trainers must take continuing education courses. Information on certifications is available from CareerOneStop.

Advancement

Assistant athletic trainers may become head athletic trainers, athletic directors, or physician, hospital, or clinic practice administrators. In any of these positions, they will assume a management role. Athletic trainers working in colleges and universities may pursue an advanced degree to increase their advancement opportunities.

Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One, read October 23, 2026. Publisher page

Job outlook, 2025 to 2035

Employment of athletic trainers is projected to grow 13 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 2,400 openings for athletic trainers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

BLS employment projections
Occupation	SOC	Employment	Projected	Change %	Change
Athletic trainers	29-9091	35,200	39,600	13%	4,400

Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Job Outlook, read October 23, 2026. Publisher page

Pay

Median pay, BLS May 2025
Role	Median annual	Median hourly
Athletic Trainer	$62,520	Not published

Highest-paying states: California ($78,490), Hawaii ($76,320), New Jersey ($76,210), District of Columbia ($74,450), New Mexico ($72,440).

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

Questions

What degree do you need to be an Athletic Trainer?

BLS lists "Master's degree" as the typical entry-level education.

Do athletic trainers need a license?