Coaches and scouts
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Coaches and scouts in the United States earn a median salary of $47,320 per year — about $23 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 307K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +6%.
AI & Automation Risk
While AI is significantly impacting the analytical side of the job—such as processing player data, optimizing game strategy, and analyzing opponent film—the core of the occupation remains deeply physical and interpersonal. Coaches must provide real-time motivation, physical instruction, and human leadership on the field, which cannot be replicated by digital tools.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corvallis, ORBEST VALUE | $81,290 | Above avg (104.0) | $78,151 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $65,020 | Below avg (85.9) | $75,735 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $74,000 | Average (98.9) | $74,856 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $74,620 | Above avg (103.2) | $72,320 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $66,150 | Below avg (92.7) | $71,356 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $64,680 | Below avg (90.8) | $71,249 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $66,250 | Below avg (93.4) | $70,909 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $65,270 | Below avg (92.7) | $70,402 |
| Flint, MI | $64,450 | Below avg (93.0) | $69,276 |
| Lafayette, LA | $59,850 | Below avg (87.2) | $68,628 |
| Salisbury, MD | $65,610 | Below avg (95.6) | $68,618 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $60,180 | Below avg (88.3) | $68,136 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | $59,550 | Below avg (87.9) | $67,722 |
| Muncie, IN | $59,640 | Below avg (88.1) | $67,659 |
| Morgantown, WV | $62,570 | Below avg (93.3) | $67,047 |