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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

27-2021 Athletes and Sports Competitors

Compete in athletic events.


National estimates for Athletes and Sports Competitors
Industry profile for Athletes and Sports Competitors
Geographic profile for Athletes and Sports Competitors

National estimates for Athletes and Sports Competitors:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Athletes and Sports Competitors:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Mean wage
RSE (3)
11,930 8.7 % (4) $ 358,080 11.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Athletes and Sports Competitors:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Annual Wage (2) $ 28,510 $ 44,690 $ 94,270 $ 215,530 (5)
  (4)

Industry profile for Athletes and Sports Competitors:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Athletes and Sports Competitors are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Athletes and Sports Competitors, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Athletes and Sports Competitors:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Spectator Sports 9,160 6.89 (8) (8)
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 1,640 0.13 (4) $ 63,020
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 440 0.32 (8) (8)
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 100 0.00 (4) $ 111,990
Civic and Social Organizations 60 0.02 (8) (8)

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Athletes and Sports Competitors:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Spectator Sports 9,160 6.89 (8) (8)
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 440 0.32 (8) (8)
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 1,640 0.13 (4) $ 63,020
Civic and Social Organizations 60 0.02 (8) (8)
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 100 0.00 (4) $ 111,990

Top paying industries for Athletes and Sports Competitors:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 100 (7) (4) $ 111,990
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 1,640 0.13 (4) $ 63,020


Geographic profile for Athletes and Sports Competitors:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Athletes and Sports Competitors are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Athletes and Sports Competitors, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of athletes and sports competitors by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Athletes and Sports Competitors:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Florida 1,650 0.18 2.23 (8) (8)
Texas 1,110 0.09 1.06 (4) $ 189,800
North Carolina 740 0.16 1.97 (8) (8)
Tennessee 710 0.23 2.81 (8) (8)
Arizona 670 0.22 2.73 (4) $ 48,370


Map of location quotient of athletes and sports competitors by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Athletes and Sports Competitors:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Arkansas 320 0.26 3.19 (4) $ 72,220
Tennessee 710 0.23 2.81 (8) (8)
Arizona 670 0.22 2.73 (4) $ 48,370
Utah 350 0.21 2.67 (4) $ 136,070
Florida 1,650 0.18 2.23 (8) (8)


Map of annual mean wages of athletes and sports competitors by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Athletes and Sports Competitors:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Indiana 310 0.10 1.24 (4) $ 702,270
Ohio 530 0.10 1.23 (4) $ 648,120
Colorado 360 0.13 1.63 (4) $ 213,540
Texas 1,110 0.09 1.06 (4) $ 189,800
New Jersey 380 0.09 1.16 (4) $ 184,060



Map of employment of athletes and sports competitors by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Athletes and Sports Competitors:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 640 0.29 3.58 (4) $ 48,290
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 470 0.18 2.20 (8) (8)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 460 0.05 0.61 (4) $ 211,640
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 370 0.29 3.63 (8) (8)
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 310 0.24 2.91 (8) (8)
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 280 0.27 3.31 (8) (8)
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 260 0.17 2.11 (4) $ 227,360
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN 240 0.23 2.87 (8) (8)
Salt Lake City, UT 220 0.28 3.48 (4) $ 154,760
Columbus, OH 220 0.20 2.54 (8) (8)


Map of location quotient of athletes and sports competitors by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Athletes and Sports Competitors:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 170 0.60 7.46 (8) (8)
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 170 0.33 4.15 (8) (8)
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 370 0.29 3.63 (8) (8)
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 640 0.29 3.58 (4) $ 48,290
Birmingham-Hoover, AL 140 0.28 3.50 (4) $ 32,630
Salt Lake City, UT 220 0.28 3.48 (4) $ 154,760
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 280 0.27 3.31 (8) (8)
Memphis, TN-MS-AR 150 0.25 3.08 (8) (8)
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 310 0.24 2.91 (8) (8)
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN 240 0.23 2.87 (8) (8)


Map of annual mean wages of athletes and sports competitors by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Athletes and Sports Competitors:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 260 0.17 2.11 (4) $ 227,360
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 460 0.05 0.61 (4) $ 211,640
Kansas City, MO-KS 170 0.16 2.01 (4) $ 169,600
Salt Lake City, UT 220 0.28 3.48 (4) $ 154,760
Cedar Rapids, IA (8) (8) (8) (4) $ 115,500
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 190 0.07 0.84 (4) $ 112,890
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 40 0.01 0.17 (4) $ 106,120
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 130 0.23 2.83 (4) $ 101,790
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 50 0.12 1.54 (4) $ 101,750
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 30 0.03 0.33 (4) $ 72,190


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(4) Wages for some occupations that do not generally work year-round, full time, are reported either as hourly wages or annual salaries depending on how they are typically paid.

(5) This wage is equal to or greater than $115.00 per hour or $239,200 per year.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023