Athletes and sports competitors
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Median Salary
$62,360
~$30/hr · ~$5,197/mo
US Jobs
19K
Faster than average
AI & Automation Risk
1/10
Very Safe
AI & Automation Risk
Very Safe 1/10
The core of this occupation is physical performance, manual dexterity, and real-time human presence in the physical world, which AI cannot replicate. While AI is used as a peripheral tool for performance analytics, strategy optimization, and diet planning, it does not replace the athlete's physical labor or the entertainment value of human competition.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, INBEST VALUE | $210,860 | Below avg (94.7) | $222,779 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $213,470 | Average (98.3) | $217,215 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $197,140 | Average (97.1) | $202,934 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $214,630 | Above avg (112.6) | $190,537 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $166,250 | Below avg (95.7) | $173,646 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $94,660 | Average (102.5) | $92,360 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $84,460 | Above avg (103.3) | $81,767 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $74,960 | Below avg (95.0) | $78,928 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $76,070 | Average (99.7) | $76,273 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $73,800 | Average (102.4) | $72,096 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $72,240 | Average (100.5) | $71,894 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $60,400 | Below avg (91.2) | $66,204 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $59,220 | Below avg (93.2) | $63,546 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $63,720 | Average (101.6) | $62,723 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $58,330 | Below avg (93.2) | $62,584 |
Cost of Living Index: 100 = US national average. Below 100 = cheaper. Above 100 = more expensive.
Education & Requirements
Education Required
No formal educational credential
10-Year Growth
+5% (Faster than average)
Hourly Rate
~$30/hr
Monthly Income
~$5,197/mo
Related Careers
Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics OOH (2024)