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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
Here's what the national average hides about Athletic Trainer pay: The national median salary for Athletic Trainers in 2026 is $61,686, with entry-level positions averaging $44,414 and senior roles reaching $87,594. But those numbers flatten a reality with enormous geographic variation — Sunnyvale pays a median of $112,360, while other markets fall well below the national average. We tracked 288 cities to build the complete picture.
Positioned in Healthcare within the broader Healthcare industry, Athletic Trainers typically hold Bachelor's or master's. The employment landscape is shaped by growing, and the day-to-day is athletic facility. Those factors — education investment, demand trajectory, and work structure — all feed into the salary numbers below.
$68,370 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Athletic Trainer in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $112,360 — $68,370 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($43,990). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. For early-career professionals, the geographic pay premium is worth the math.
The three-tier salary picture for Athletic Trainers in 2026: $44,414 at entry (P10), $61,686 at midpoint, and $87,594 at the senior end (P90). Entry-level numbers tell a different story: The $43,180 range from bottom to top isn't just experience — it's geography, specialization, and industry mixed together. The median itself lands $18,681 below the national median household income of $80,367.
Entry-level numbers tell a different story: The top 3 paying cities (Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Irvine) average $104,940 — while the bottom 3 (Toledo, Detroit, Akron) average $44,343. That $60,597 gap means choosing the right city could be the equivalent of a major promotion. For early-career professionals, the geographic pay premium is worth the math.
A Athletic Trainer in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $112,360 — $68,370 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($43,990). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
The national average entry-level (P10) salary for Athletic Trainer is $44,414, while senior-level (P90) earners average $87,594. That $43,180 trajectory represents the earning growth a career in this field can deliver.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $44,414 | $61,686 | $87,594 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £23,080 | £32,056 | £45,520 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$35,739 | CA$49,637 | CA$70,485 |
| Australia | 13 | A$41,318 | A$57,386 | A$81,488 |
| Sweden | 24 | 243,912 kr | 338,767 kr | 481,049 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 61 | $53,605 | $74,452 | $105,722 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $51,802 | $71,948 | $102,166 |
| Hawaii | 1 | $51,516 | $71,550 | $101,601 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $47,700 | $66,250 | $94,075 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $47,128 | $65,455 | $92,946 |
| Washington | 8 | $46,221 | $64,196 | $91,159 |
| New York | 5 | $43,503 | $60,420 | $85,797 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $43,502 | $60,420 | $85,796 |
| Florida | 22 | $43,173 | $59,962 | $85,146 |
| Colorado | 11 | $42,427 | $58,926 | $83,675 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $42,358 | $58,830 | $83,539 |
| Nevada | 5 | $42,281 | $58,724 | $83,388 |
| Arizona | 12 | $42,071 | $58,433 | $82,974 |
| Oregon | 5 | $41,976 | $58,300 | $82,786 |
| Idaho | 3 | $41,849 | $58,123 | $82,535 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $41,518 | $57,664 | $81,883 |
| Utah | 4 | $41,404 | $57,505 | $81,657 |
| Virginia | 7 | $40,722 | $56,559 | $80,313 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $40,195 | $55,827 | $79,274 |
| Alaska | 1 | $40,068 | $55,650 | $79,023 |
| Illinois | 5 | $39,610 | $55,014 | $78,120 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $38,626 | $53,648 | $76,180 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $38,160 | $53,000 | $75,260 |
| Montana | 1 | $38,160 | $53,000 | $75,260 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $38,033 | $52,823 | $75,009 |
| Texas | 40 | $37,845 | $52,563 | $74,639 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $37,779 | $52,470 | $74,508 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $37,588 | $52,205 | $74,131 |
| Georgia | 6 | $37,460 | $52,028 | $73,880 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $37,397 | $51,940 | $73,755 |
| Kansas | 4 | $37,206 | $51,675 | $73,379 |
| Michigan | 6 | $37,079 | $51,498 | $73,128 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $36,634 | $50,880 | $72,250 |
| Maryland | 1 | $36,634 | $50,880 | $72,250 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $36,252 | $50,350 | $71,497 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $36,252 | $50,350 | $71,497 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $35,298 | $49,025 | $69,615 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $35,107 | $48,760 | $69,239 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $34,630 | $48,098 | $68,299 |
| Missouri | 4 | $34,630 | $48,098 | $68,298 |
| Alabama | 5 | $34,496 | $47,912 | $68,035 |
| Indiana | 3 | $33,962 | $47,170 | $66,981 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $33,962 | $47,170 | $66,981 |
| Iowa | 2 | $33,581 | $46,640 | $66,229 |
| Ohio | 6 | $33,517 | $46,552 | $66,103 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $32,054 | $44,520 | $63,218 |
At the state level, California leads with an average Athletic Trainer median of $74,452 across 61 cities, followed by Massachusetts ($71,948) and Hawaii ($71,550). The state breakdown adds another layer. The lowest-paying states — Mississippi, Ohio, Iowa — offer medians between $44,520 and $46,640. But state averages mask city-level variation that's often just as large.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Sunnyvale ($112,360 nominal, 212 cost index) delivers $53,000 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale California | $112,360 | 212 | $53,000 | $68,812 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $104,940 | 198 | $53,000 | $64,727 |
| 3 | Irvine California | $97,520 | 184 | $53,000 | $60,582 |
| 4 | San Francisco California | $95,930 | 181 | $53,000 | $59,675 |
| 5 | Carlsbad California | $94,340 | 178 | $53,000 | $58,768 |
| 6 | San Jose California | $93,810 | 177 | $53,000 | $58,466 |
| 7 | Fremont California | $93,810 | 177 | $53,000 | $58,466 |
| 8 | Berkeley California | $91,690 | 173 | $53,000 | $57,256 |
| 9 | Costa Mesa California | $91,690 | 173 | $53,000 | $57,256 |
| 10 | Huntington Beach California | $89,570 | 169 | $53,000 | $56,047 |
Career economics for Athletic Trainers: entry level averages $44,414, mid-career hits $61,686, and experienced professionals reach $87,594. That's a 2.0× multiplier from start to peak. The path typically requires Bachelor's or master's, and the work is athletic facility. The outlook: growing. Cost-adjusted, this occupation outearns its reputation.
The weighted national median salary for Athletic Trainers is $61,686 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $44,414, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $87,594.
The highest-paying city for Athletic Trainers is Sunnyvale, California with a median salary of $112,360. The top 3 cities are Sunnyvale ($112,360), Santa Clara ($104,940), Irvine ($97,520). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Athletic Trainer salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $43,990. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Athletic Trainers (10th percentile) average $44,414 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $80,899. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Athletic Trainers average $87,594 nationally — $43,180 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Athletic Trainers can earn up to $159,551.
The top-paying states for Athletic Trainers are California ($74,452 median), Massachusetts ($71,948 median), Hawaii ($71,550 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Athletic Trainer involves Bachelor's or master's. The field is in the Healthcare sector (Healthcare), and the career outlook is growing. Work style is typically athletic facility.
With a national median of $61,686 and representation across 288 metro areas, Athletic Trainer offers a foundation that can be strengthened by strategic location choices. The $43,180 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: growing.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.