Athlete earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level athlete earnings begin at:

$30.30 per hour

$63,030 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level athlete earnings begin at:

$14.75 per hour

$30,670 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level athlete earnings begin at:

$12.60 per hour

$26,200 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level athlete earnings begin at:

$12.59 per hour

$26,190 per year

10th percentile

Starting level athlete earnings begin at:

$12.15 per hour

$25,270 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Athlete salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Indiana $99,100
Massachusetts $99,010
Virginia $98,380
Oregon $78,460
New York $77,030
Kansas $75,550
Iowa $62,400
Pennsylvania $60,870
North Carolina $60,820
California $59,520
Rhode Island $56,870
Louisiana $49,720
Ohio $49,610
New Mexico $49,460
Missouri $49,330
Kentucky $48,740
Maryland $46,220
Illinois $44,470
Nebraska $43,490
South Carolina $38,920
Michigan $38,880
Mississippi $37,600
Wisconsin $30,810
Oklahoma $30,670
Nevada $29,910
Arkansas $28,790
Arizona $26,200
Alabama $24,920
New Jersey $187,010
Texas $186,980
Minnesota $182,690
Colorado $174,810
Washington $163,060
Utah $150,830
Georgia $129,690
Florida $124,490
Connecticut $102,160

How do athlete salaries compare to similar careers?

Athletes earn 14% less than similar careers in Arizona. On average, they make less than talent agents but more than sports writers.

Career Median Salary
Talent agent salary $48K
Athletic trainer salary $56K
Sports scout salary $47K
Referee salary $38K
Fitness trainer salary $47K
Athlete salary $26K
Sports writer salary $30K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)