Athletes and Sports Competitors Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for athletes and sports competitorss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Missouri$472,090
- Texas$310,180
- California$294,080
- Georgia$263,870
- New Jersey$241,760
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Oklahoma$42,260
- South Carolina$53,180
- Kansas$61,650
- Virginia$63,130
- Ohio$64,160
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Missouri | $472,090 | $172,700 | $227 | +129% | 670 |
| 2 | Texas | $310,180 | $80,510 | $149 | +50.4% | 1,840 |
| 3 | California | $294,080 | $79,040 | $141 | +42.6% | 830 |
| 4 | Georgia | $263,870 | $77,530 | $127 | +28% | 840 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $241,760 | $253,870 | $116 | +17.3% | 390 |
| 6 | Utah | $229,290 | $122,800 | $110 | +11.2% | 340 |
| 7 | Nevada | $101,880 | $119,780 | $49 | -50.6% | 160 |
| 8 | Florida | $93,280 | $78,610 | $45 | -54.8% | 1,360 |
| 9 | Arizona | $93,140 | $50,090 | $45 | -54.8% | 940 |
| 10 | Kentucky | $74,190 | $63,020 | $36 | -64% | — |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $73,210 | $57,100 | $35 | -64.5% | 250 |
| 12 | Maryland | $67,290 | $48,200 | $32 | -67.4% | — |
| 13 | Louisiana | $65,070 | $55,890 | $31 | -68.4% | 440 |
| 14 | Ohio | $64,160 | $39,040 | $31 | -68.9% | 590 |
| 15 | Virginia | $63,130 | $61,500 | $30 | -69.4% | — |
| 16 | Kansas | $61,650 | $63,630 | $30 | -70.1% | 170 |
| 17 | South Carolina | $53,180 | $45,720 | $26 | -74.2% | 280 |
| 18 | Oklahoma | $42,260 | $44,110 | $20 | -79.5% | — |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 36 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $203,390 | $435,350 | 320 |
| 2 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $124,130 | $103,750 | 140 |
| 3 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $123,140 | $246,090 | 240 |
| 4 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $107,590 | $100,460 | — |
| 5 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $106,060 | $94,160 | — |
| 6 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $100,130 | $162,980 | 560 |
| 7 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $94,530 | $309,080 | — |
| 8 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $84,810 | $177,510 | 30 |
| 9 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $78,790 | $467,430 | 330 |
| 10 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $76,860 | $90,060 | 350 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing athletes and sports competitorss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spectator Sports | $72,040 | $222,730 | 13,390 |
| 2 | Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | $71,780 | $219,720 | 13,730 |
| 3 | Sector 71 - Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $67,020 | $208,920 | 14,750 |
| 4 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $66,710 | $206,180 | 15,070 |
| 5 | Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers | $66,360 | $79,930 | — |
| 6 | Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $64,480 | $76,200 | — |
| 7 | Sector 81 - Other Services (except Public Administration) | $64,480 | $76,200 | — |
| 8 | Educational Services | $64,010 | $83,730 | 180 |
| 9 | Educational Services, State Government Owned | $64,010 | $86,720 | 160 |
| 10 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $64,010 | $83,740 | 180 |
| 11 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, State Government Owned | $64,010 | $86,720 | 160 |
| 12 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $64,010 | $85,900 | 170 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do athletes and sports competitors make in the U.S.?
The median athletes and sports competitors salary in the United States is $66,710 per year (mean $206,180), and about 80% earn between $26,500 and $742,310.
How much do athletes and sports competitors make per hour?
Roughly $99 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $206,180 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays athletes and sports competitors the most?
Missouri has the highest average pay for athletes and sports competitors at $472,090 per year (median $172,700).
What is the job outlook for athletes and sports competitors?
Employment is projected to change +5.5% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 2,100 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.