Athletes and Sports Competitors pay in the U.S.
$206,180avg. a year
Annual salary · 15,070 employed
Athletes and Sports Competitors in the U.S. earn an average of $206,180 a year and a median of $66,710. Pay is highest in Missouri ($472,090) and lowest in Oklahoma ($42,260).
$66,710Median pay
$206,180Average yearly
+118%Avg. pay since 2020
15,070Jobs in the U.S.
Top-paying states for athletes and sports competitors
Average pay by state. Swipe to see the top 10.
1670 jobs
Missouri
$472,090
a year
21,840 jobs
Texas
$310,180
a year
3830 jobs
California
$294,080
a year
4840 jobs
Georgia
$263,870
a year
5390 jobs
New Jersey
$241,760
a year
6340 jobs
Utah
$229,290
a year
7160 jobs
Nevada
$101,880
a year
81,360 jobs
Florida
$93,280
a year
9940 jobs
Arizona
$93,140
a year
10
Kentucky
$74,190
a year
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Athletes and Sports Competitors pay, charted
Pay over time
United States, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where the jobs are
Employment by state, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · tap a state
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Under $64k$64k–$93k$93k–$242k$242k+
Top-paying metro areas
Average pay, May 2025 (areas with 100+ jobs)
| Metro area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $467,430 | – |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $435,350 | – |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $246,090 | – |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $243,930 | – |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $162,980 | – |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $103,750 | – |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $92,550 | – |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $90,060 | – |
Related jobs
- Coaches and Scouts$60,160
- Producers and Directors$113,300
- Actors$58.29/hr
- Musicians and Singers$60.46/hr
- Entertainers and Performers, Sports and Related Workers, All Other$30.70/hr
- Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials$53,010
Average U.S. pay, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Athletes and Sports Competitors pay in every state
States without a figure had too few jobs or too little survey data for BLS to publish.
| State | Avg. pay | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $93,140 | $50,090 | 940 |
| California | $294,080 | $79,040 | 830 |
| Florida | $93,280 | $78,610 | 1,360 |
| Georgia | $263,870 | $77,530 | 840 |
| Kansas | $61,650 | $63,630 | 170 |
| Kentucky | $74,190 | $63,020 | – |
| Louisiana | $65,070 | $55,890 | 440 |
| Maryland | $67,290 | $48,200 | – |
| Missouri | $472,090 | $172,700 | 670 |
| Nevada | $101,880 | $119,780 | 160 |
| New Jersey | $241,760 | $253,870 | 390 |
| Ohio | $64,160 | $39,040 | 590 |
| Oklahoma | $42,260 | $44,110 | – |
| Pennsylvania | $73,210 | $57,100 | 250 |
| South Carolina | $53,180 | $45,720 | 280 |
| Texas | $310,180 | $80,510 | 1,840 |
| Utah | $229,290 | $122,800 | 340 |
| Virginia | $63,130 | $61,500 | – |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
$92,550
870 jobsNew York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
$162,980
560 jobsHouston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
$243,930
510 jobsTampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
$90,060
350 jobsKansas City, MO-KS
$467,430
330 jobsSt. Louis, MO-IL
$435,350
320 jobsSalt Lake City-Murray, UT
$246,090
240 jobsLas Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV
$103,750
140 jobsQuestions and answers
How much do athletes and sports competitors make?
The average is $206,180 a year across the U.S. Half earn more than $66,710 and half earn less (the median).
Which state pays athletes and sports competitors the most?
Missouri, with an average of $472,090 a year. The best-paying metro area is Kansas City, MO-KS at $467,430.
What is the pay range?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $26,500 a year, and the top 10% earn over $742,310.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 27-2021. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.