Athletic Trainer Hourly Pay (2026): How Much Do ATCs Make Per Hour?
The median athletic trainer hourly pay is $31.45 per hour in 2026, equivalent to $65,415 annually. ATC hourly rates range from high school contract up to $46.14 in Sunnyvale, CA — driven by Power 5 college athletics, pro sports contracts, industrial occupational AT premium, and clinical AT physician extender roles.
2019 BLS
$23.29/hr
2025 BLS
$30.06/hr
2026 Current Est.
$31.45/hr
2019–2027 Growth
+41.3%
National Athletic Trainer Hourly Rate Trend
2019–2025: BLS OEWS actual data. 2026+: CAGR 4.63% projection.
| Year | Median Hourly Rate | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $23.29/hr | Actual |
| 2020 | $23.97/hr | Actual |
| 2021 | $23.28/hr | Actual |
| 2022 | $25.88/hr | Actual |
| 2023 | $27.85/hr | Actual |
| 2024 | $28.97/hr | Actual |
| 2025 | $30.06/hr | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $31.45/hr | Estimated |
| 2027 | $32.91/hr | Projected |
The national median hourly rate for athletic trainers has grown steadily over the past 7 years of BLS data, reflecting strong demand for athletic training services. At the current 4.63% CAGR, hourly rates are projected to continue rising through 2027.
Note: BLS actual data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Estimated and projected values are calculated using a 4.63% historical CAGR. Actual compensation may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.
Athletic Trainer Salary Per Hour by State
Hourly rates for athletic trainers vary widely by state. Western and Northeastern states consistently top the rankings, while Southeastern states tend to fall below the national median of $31.45/hour.
| # | State | Avg Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $39.36 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $38.18 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $37.93 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $36.25 |
| 5 | New York | $35.46 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $34.67 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $34.48 |
| 8 | Washington | $33.54 |
| 9 | Texas | $33.31 |
| 10 | Maryland | $32.78 |
| 11 | Colorado | $32.52 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $31.99 |
| 13 | New Mexico | $31.98 |
| 14 | Maine | $31.78 |
| 15 | Vermont | $31.70 |
| 16 | Illinois | $31.56 |
| 17 | Virginia | $31.56 |
| 18 | Georgia | $31.50 |
| 19 | Indiana | $31.49 |
| 20 | Utah | $31.40 |
| 21 | Oregon | $31.34 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $31.20 |
| 23 | Arizona | $31.09 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $31.03 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $30.93 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $30.79 |
| 27 | Ohio | $30.77 |
| 28 | Florida | $30.63 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $30.58 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $30.36 |
| 31 | Missouri | $30.23 |
| 32 | Idaho | $30.16 |
| 33 | Nevada | $30.08 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $30.00 |
| 35 | Michigan | $29.80 |
| 36 | Alaska | $29.68 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $29.66 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $29.65 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $29.61 |
| 40 | West Virginia | $29.56 |
| 41 | Kansas | $28.97 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $28.77 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $28.75 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $28.58 |
| 45 | Delaware | $28.48 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $28.35 |
| 47 | Iowa | $26.84 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $24.75 |
| 49 | Montana | $24.61 |
| 50 | Alabama | $24.33 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $22.20 |
How Much Do Athletic Trainers Make Per Hour? Top 20 Cities
These 20 metro areas offer the highest hourly rates for athletic trainers in the United States. Rates reflect the median hourly wage reported by BLS, or estimated from annual salary data.
| # | City | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale, CA | $46.14 |
| 2 | Santa Clara, CA | $45.84 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $45.09 |
| 4 | Mission, TX | $41.86 |
| 5 | Bakersfield, CA | $41.79 |
| 6 | McAllen, TX | $41.49 |
| 7 | Santa Ana, CA | $41.35 |
| 8 | Ontario, CA | $40.76 |
| 9 | Fontana, CA | $40.59 |
| 10 | Irvine, CA | $40.53 |
| 11 | Edinburg, TX | $40.49 |
| 12 | Princeton, NJ | $40.48 |
| 13 | Pomona, CA | $40.35 |
| 14 | Simi Valley, CA | $40.31 |
| 15 | Escondido, CA | $40.31 |
| 16 | San Bernardino, CA | $40.27 |
| 17 | Fairfield, CA | $40.24 |
| 18 | Riverside, CA | $40.22 |
| 19 | Stockton, CA | $40.16 |
| 20 | Fullerton, CA | $40.08 |
Athletic Trainer Hourly Rate: College, Pro Sports, Industrial, Clinical, and High School AT Pay
Athletic trainer compensation varies enormously by setting — Power 5 college athletics and pro sports are the top tier, industrial occupational AT is rapidly growing premium, clinical / physician-extender AT pays solid hourly, and high school AT contracts are the base. The same BOC-credentialed ATC can earn very different annualized pay across these structures.
Staff ATC hourly rate — the W-2 baseline. At $31.45/hour median nationally (annualized from $65,415), staff ATCs receive standard benefits.
Power 5 / D-I college athletics ATC — Big Ten, SEC, Big 12, ACC programs. Head ATs at Power 5 programs reach $90,000–$160,000+ annually. Strong demand at Texas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, Indiana, Tennessee, Oklahoma, North Carolina.
Pro sports ATC (MLB / NFL / NBA / NHL / MLS) — head ATs at pro sports franchises reach top of distribution. Strong markets: California, NY, TX, FL, IL, PA, MA, GA, AZ, CO, WA.
Industrial occupational ATC (rapidly growing) — onsite industrial AT at manufacturers (Toyota, Boeing, Caterpillar, Tesla, Amazon, GE, John Deere, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen). Major contractors: ATI Industrial Solutions, BMI Athletic Training Services, OneRehab, Premise Health. Industrial AT pay frequently matches mid-career college pay with stronger benefits and structured 9-to-5 schedule.
Clinical / physician-extender AT — orthopedic group practices and surgical hospitals. Cluster at ortho-strong markets: Texas Orthopedic Hospital, Indiana OrthoIndy, Alabama Andrews Sports Medicine, New York HSS.
High school AT contract — district direct-hire vs hospital-affiliated clinic contract. Hospital-affiliated high school AT contracts (HCA Healthcare ATC Network, Select Medical, Andrews Sports Medicine, Steadman) often pay above district direct-hire.
Military / Special Operations Forces AT — DoD and USSOCOM hire ATs. Cluster at Texas, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Washington, Colorado, Georgia.
Federal VA / civilian AT — VA medical center AT with federal pension and PSLF.
Performing arts AT — Broadway (NY), Las Vegas (Cirque du Soleil), major dance companies. Niche.
| Schedule | Weekly | Monthly | Annual (50 wks) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days/week (24 hrs) | $755 | $3,268 | $37,739 |
| 4 days/week (32 hrs) | $1,006 | $4,358 | $50,319 |
| Full-time (40 hrs) | $1,258 | $5,447 | $62,899 |
* Based on the national median hourly rate of $31.45. Actual earnings vary by location.
Athletic Trainer Pay Per Hour vs Similar Healthcare Roles
How does athletic trainer hourly pay compare to similar allied health professions? Here's a side-by-side comparison using BLS 2025 national median data:
| Occupation | Hourly |
|---|---|
| Athletic Trainer ★ | $31.45 |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | $31.26 |
| Exercise Physiologist | $26.75 |
| Physical Therapist | $48.65 |
| Recreational Therapist | $27.50 |
★ = Athletic Trainer (2026 projected). Other roles: BLS OEWS 2025 national median wages.
Factors That Drive Athletic Trainer Hourly Pay Differences
Athletic trainer hourly pay varies dramatically by setting — Power 5 college, pro sports, industrial occupational, clinical, high school, military, performing arts. The national median sits at $31.45/hour, but ATC hourly rates reach $46.14 in top markets like Sunnyvale, CA and exceed $45/hour at industrial AT and clinical physician-extender roles.
This guide breaks down the five biggest drivers of ATC hourly pay differences. Whether you're a CAATE-accredited master's graduate, a working ATC considering industrial vs college switch, or an athletic department head benchmarking competitive wages, the framework below is the central reference.
1. Setting: College / Pro / Industrial / Clinical / High School
- Power 5 D-I college athletics (top tier) — head ATs $90,000–$160,000+. Texas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Michigan, Penn, California, Indiana, Tennessee, Oklahoma, NC.
- Pro sports (MLB/NFL/NBA/NHL/MLS) — top of distribution. California, NY, TX, FL, IL, PA, MA, GA, AZ, CO, WA.
- Industrial occupational AT (premium) — onsite at Toyota, Boeing, Caterpillar, Tesla, Amazon, GE, John Deere, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen. ATI Industrial Solutions, BMI, OneRehab, Premise Health.
- Clinical / physician-extender AT — orthopedic groups and surgical hospitals.
- Hospital-affiliated high school AT contract — HCA Healthcare ATC Network, Select Medical, Andrews Sports Medicine.
- High school district direct-hire — baseline. School district employment.
- Military / SOF — DoD, USSOCOM.
- Federal civilian (VA) — pension and PSLF.
- Performing arts — Broadway, Cirque du Soleil, dance companies.
2. State Athletics and Pro Sports Concentration
- Power 5 D-I athletics states — Texas (Big 12 + SEC), Alabama (SEC), Florida (SEC + ACC), Georgia (SEC + ACC), Ohio (Big Ten), Michigan (Big Ten), Pennsylvania (Big Ten + ACC), California (Pac-12 successor + non-P5), Indiana (Big Ten), Tennessee (SEC), Oklahoma (SEC + Big 12), North Carolina (ACC).
- Pro sports concentration states — California, NY, TX, FL, IL, PA, MA, GA, AZ, CO, WA.
- State AT license — nearly all U.S. states regulate AT through state licensure or registration on top of BOC ATC.
3. Industrial AT and Manufacturing Concentration
- Manufacturing-dense states — Texas (oil & gas, heavy manufacturing), Tennessee (Volkswagen, Nissan), Alabama (Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Toyota), South Carolina (BMW), Kentucky (Toyota), Michigan (auto OEMs), Ohio (auto + heavy), Indiana, Wisconsin.
- Major industrial AT contractors — ATI Industrial Solutions, BMI Athletic Training Services, OneRehab, Premise Health.
- Major industrial ATC employers — Toyota, Boeing, Caterpillar, Tesla, Amazon, GE Appliances, John Deere, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen.
- State workers' comp laws — states with broader workers' comp recognition of AT services support stronger industrial ATC pay.
4. State Cost of Living and Tax
- State cost of living — California, Texas, New Jersey, Connecticut, Washington lead nominal AT pay rankings.
- State income tax variation — ATs in Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Nevada, Washington, Wyoming, South Dakota, Alaska, and New Hampshire keep more of every dollar.
- State minimum-wage laws — high-minimum-wage states anchor entry-level ATC pay floors.
5. Experience, BOC Credentials, and APTA APP
- New BOC ATC ($22–$28/hour starting) — fresh CAATE-accredited master's graduates passing BOC.
- 2–5 year ATC ($26–$34/hour) — most reach state median.
- 5–10 year senior ATC ($30–$42/hour) — established with industrial or clinical specialty.
- 10+ year senior ($35–$50+/hour staff) — established with director-track roles.
- BOC credential — required nationally.
- OCS / SCS / specialty cross-training — APTA specialty cross-training for clinical AT pivot.
- NSCA CSCS — strength & conditioning crossover for performance AT.
2026 Athletic Trainer Hourly Pay Outlook
AT pay has grown at a compound annual rate of 4.63% nationally over the past five years — driven by master's-degree entry transition raising credential bar and supply, rapid industrial occupational AT expansion at major manufacturers, growing clinical-hospital and physician-extender AT employment, ongoing high school athletic-training mandate growth, and expanding military and performing arts AT segments. The BLS projects ATC employment growth at 14% through 2033 — much faster than average — keeping strong upward pay pressure across all settings.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Written by Jordan Lee, MS, ATC
Career Analyst
Jordan Lee has over 10 years of experience in athletic training. She specializes in injury prevention and rehabilitation. She has worked at several high schools and collegiate athletic programs.
Data Sources & Methodology
Source: BLS, OEWS , released .
Compiled and verified by Jordan Lee, MS, ATC, a licensed athletic trainer with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov
Methodology & Data Source
Salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. We applied a 4.63% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS trends, to estimate current 2026 compensation.