Also called: Director of Scouting
Leads a pro or college team's scouting department, ranking draft prospects and advising the general manager on trades and free agents.
A director of player personnel leads scouts, ranks prospects for the draft, and advises the general manager on trades and free agents. Draft season means long days in the war room.
Approximate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. A bachelor's degree, then about eight years as a scout or in a team's personnel office, often after starting as an intern or assistant.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Sports Management.
Growing faster than average (about 5% over 10 years). Similar to coaches and scouts.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Analytics and AI video ranking speed scouting; evaluating people and running the draft room stay human.
Classes: AP Statistics, Physical education, Psychology.
Official data: O*NET occupation 27-2022.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.