What it is
Athletic training prepares certified healthcare professionals who prevent, evaluate, and treat muscle and bone injuries and illnesses — working with athletes and physically active people in sports, clinics, schools, the military, and industry. Athletic trainers (ATs) work under physician direction as part of the healthcare team.
Key change: athletic training now requires a master's degree for entry (the profession moved from bachelor's to master's-level), plus passing the Board of Certification (BOC) exam and state licensure.
What you'll study
The path runs through a health/science bachelor's into an accredited master's:
- UndergraduateAnatomy, physiology, kinesiology (a pre-athletic-training or related major)
- Master's (professional)Injury evaluation, therapeutic interventions, rehabilitation, emergency care, and clinical practice
- ClinicalExtensive supervised clinical rotations
Concentrations & focus areas
- Sports / CollegiateTeams & athletics
- Clinical / HospitalRehabilitation settings
- Secondary SchoolsHigh-school athletics
- Industrial / OccupationalWorkplace injury
- Military / Public SafetyTactical settings
- Performing ArtsDancers & performers
Skills you'll build
- Injury evaluationAssessing musculoskeletal injury
- RehabilitationReturn-to-play/work
- Emergency careOn-site response
- PreventionReducing injury risk
- Clinical judgmentHealthcare decisions
Careers & job titles
- Athletic trainerSports, clinics, schools (~$60,250)
- Clinical athletic trainerHospitals & rehab
- Industrial / occupational ATWorkplace health
- Collegiate / professional sportsTeams
- AT + PT/OTWith further study
- Program / clinic leadershipWith experience
Job outlook & demand
The BLS projects athletic trainers to grow faster than average, driven by growing awareness of sports injuries (concussions), an aging active population, and expansion into industrial and clinical settings.
Pay: median, range & trajectory
Per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, athletic trainers had a median of $60,250. Collegiate/professional sports, clinical, and industrial roles vary; pay rises with setting and experience.
Degree levels it's offered at
Offered across these levels — click a level to learn about it:
Athletic training now requires an accredited master's degree plus the BOC certification and state licensure. (A related bachelor's — kinesiology, exercise science — is the usual undergraduate foundation.)
Is it right for you?
You might thrive here if you love sports and healthcare, want hands-on injury care, and are ready for a master's-level clinical path.
Plan the path: since athletic training is now master's-entry, use a kinesiology/exercise-science bachelor's to prepare, then complete an accredited AT master's and the BOC exam.
Explore further
Keep exploring:
Key facts
- FocusPreventing, evaluating & treating injuries
- Entry degreeMaster's (required) + BOC certification
- SettingsSports, clinics, schools, industry, military
- OutlookFaster than average (BLS)
- Pay$60,250 median (BLS)
Where to learn more
Authoritative sources for careers and pay: