Athlete earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level athlete earnings begin at:

$36.85 per hour

$76,650 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level athlete earnings begin at:

$27.77 per hour

$57,770 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level athlete earnings begin at:

$15.17 per hour

$31,560 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level athlete earnings begin at:

$8.74 per hour

$18,180 per year

10th percentile

Starting level athlete earnings begin at:

$7.86 per hour

$16,340 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 13% less than similar careers in Kentucky. On average, they make less than physical education teachers but more than sports scouts.

Career Median Salary
Physical education teacher salary $67K
Sports referee salary $47K
Athletic trainer salary $46K
Exercise physiologist salary $43K
Fitness trainer salary $36K
Athlete salary $32K
Sports writer salary $38K
Sports scout salary $28K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)