Athletes and sports competitors

Detailed Occupation

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2024 Workforce

35.4k

Average Age

Estimated Job Growth

5.76%

10-year projection

Average Salary

$97,469

Average Male Salary

$96,820

Average Female Salary

$101,437

About

Athletes and sports competitors are most often employed by the Amusement & Recreation industry. The average yearly wage for Athletes and sports competitors was $97,469 in 2024.

The locations that employ the most Athletes and sports competitors are Palm Beach County (Northeast)--Palm Beach Gardens & Riviera Beach Cities PUMA, FL, Maricopa County--Scottsdale City (Southwest) & Paradise Valley Town PUMA, AZ, and Miami-Dade (South/Outside Urban Development Boundary) & Monroe Counties PUMA, FL. The locations with a relatively high concentration of Athletes and sports competitors are Palm Beach County (Northeast)--Palm Beach Gardens & Riviera Beach Cities PUMA, FL, Miami-Dade (South/Outside Urban Development Boundary) & Monroe Counties PUMA, FL, and South Region--Harrison County--Biloxi City PUMA, MS.

Management, business, science, & arts occupations Education, legal, community service, arts, & media occupations Arts, design, entertainment, sports, & media occupations

Employment

Employment and salary information for the Athletes and sports competitors workforce. Athletes and sports competitors workforce in 2024 was 35,352 people, of which 14.1% were women and 85.9% were men.

Athletes and sports competitors are paid most in Leon County (Central)--Tallahassee City (Central) PUMA, FL but are relatively concentrated in Palm Beach County (Northeast)--Palm Beach Gardens & Riviera Beach Cities PUMA, FL.

Employment Over Time

Metric

Grouping

30,382

Male Workforce

± 4.28k

4,970

Female Workforce

± 1.73k

The Athletes and sports competitors workforce in 2024 was 35,352 people (14.1% women and 85.9% men). This implies an average annual growth of 12.2% between 2018 (31,514) and 2024 (35,352).

Employment by Location

Level

Metric

This map shows the states in the United States shaded by average wage for Athletes and sports competitors.

During 2024, the states that concentrated the best average annual wage were Arizona ($205,962), Idaho ($204,749), and Colorado ($157,883).

Yearly Wage Ranking

$97,469

AVERAGE WAGE

#249 in the ranking (2018)

$69,878

NATIONAL AVERAGE WAGE

For all occupations across the US

In 2024, Athletes and sports competitors earned an average of $97,469, $27,592 more than the average national salary of $69,878

The graph shows the ranking of Athletes and sports competitors in relation to all Detailed Occupation in 2018.

In 2024, Athletes and sports competitors had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.585, which is higher than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly for Athletes and sports competitors (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

The graphic shows the distribution of average salaries by buckets for Athletes and sports competitors compared to the entire workforce in the country.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Athletes and sports competitors and on wages for those in the field. Amusement & Recreation is the industry that employs the most Athletes and sports competitors, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Athletes and sports competitors, by average wage, is Spectator sports ($148,856).

Occupations by Industries

Metric

Value

35.4k

2024 Workforce

± 4,616

0.395%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 18.4%

This graphic shows the share of Athletes and sports competitors employed by various industries. Amusement & Recreation employs the largest share of Athletes and sports competitors at 64.3%, followed by Spectator sports with 33.1% and Other schools & instruction and educational support services with 1.53%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Athletes and sports competitors in the US. The workforce of Athletes and sports competitors in 2024 was 35,352 people, with 14.1% woman, and 85.9% men. The average age of male Athletes and sports competitors in the workforce is 37.5 and of female Athletes and sports competitors is 34.1, and the most common race/ethnicity for Athletes and sports competitors is White.

Gender and Age

Metric

The workforce of Athletes and sports competitors in 2024 was 35,352 people, with 14.1% woman, and 85.9% men.

The age ranges that concentrated the largest workforce were 25 to 29 years (7,347 people), 20 to 24 years (6,203 people), and 30 to 34 years (4,962 people). Among them they concentrated 52.8% of the total workforce.

Ethnicity

Gender

In 2024, 10.7% of Athletes and sports competitors workers were Hispanic and 89.3% non-Hispanic.

The treemap shows the distribution of Hispanic workers according to their origin, highlighting Mexican (63%), Puerto Rican (16.8)%, and All Other Spanish/Hispanic/Latino (11.5)%

You can review this information by gender using the selectors above.

Races

In 2024, 74.2% of the Athletes and sports competitors workforce were White, of which 13.1% were women and 86.9% men. Other races that concentrated a significant number of workers were Two or More Races (10.8%) and Black (9.33%).

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices for Athletes and sports competitors from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Athletes and sports competitors is Business but the most specialized major according to RCA in 2024 were Parks, Recreation, & Leisure.

Majors

ACS PUMS data only shows the major for bachelor's degrees. However, we can filter the data based on highest degree obtained.

Type of Majors

Degree

The most common majors achieved by Athletes and sports competitors in 2024 (counting all academic degrees) were Business (5,871 people), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (2,289 people), and Social Sciences (1,550 people).

You can review this information for different academic grades by modifying the option selected in the selector above.

Education Levels

Metric

The main educational levels achieved by the Athletes and sports competitors workers were Bachelors Degree (16,062 people), Some college (7,555 people), and High School or Equivalent (4,448 people).

The graphic shows the Athletes and sports competitors workforce by gender and educational level.

Projections

Projections on job growth for Athletes and Sports Competitors from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 10-year national workforce is projected to grow 3.07%, but Athletes and Sports Competitors are expected to see a growth of 5.76% over the same period. This occupation is expected to grow more than the national average.

Job Growth

5.76%

Estimated Job Growth

10-year Projection

3.07%

National Growth

10-year Projection

This line chart shows the projected 10-year growth in the number of jobs for Athletes and sports competitors. This profession is expected to grow more than than 3.07%, the average rate of national job growth.