Keeping athletes healthy and getting them back in the game, from sideline care to surgery and rehab.
Top pay: highest pay, longest training
Sports Medicine Physician: A doctor who diagnoses and treats sports injuries and helps athletes stay healthy, often serving as a team doctor. Typical pay $260k.
Orthopedic Surgeon: Surgically repairs bones, joints, and ligaments, such as torn ACLs and shoulder injuries. Typical pay $450k.
Orthopedic Physician Assistant: A licensed medical provider who examines, diagnoses, and treats injuries alongside orthopedic surgeons. Typical pay $133k.
Sports Podiatrist: A doctor of podiatric medicine who treats foot and ankle injuries in athletes and runners. Typical pay $155k.
Sports Neuropsychologist: Tests and tracks athletes' brain function to diagnose concussions and decide when it's safe to play again. Typical pay $125k.
Sports Dentist: Treats athletes' dental injuries and makes mouthguards. Typical pay $170k.
Sports Cardiologist: Screens athletes' hearts with EKGs and scans to decide who is safe to play, and treats athletes with heart conditions at hospitals and for teams. Typical pay $450k.
Mid pay: solid pay, degree or apprenticeship
Athletic Trainer: A healthcare professional who prevents, evaluates, and treats injuries for athletes and active people. Typical pay $60k.
Head Athletic Trainer (Pro Team): Leads the medical staff of a pro or major college team, coordinating doctors, therapists, and athletic trainers. Typical pay $100k.
Sports Physical Therapist: Helps athletes recover from injuries and surgery through exercise, manual therapy, and movement training. Typical pay $101k.
Physical Therapist Assistant: Helps physical therapists treat patients by guiding exercises and treatments. Typical pay $65k.
Sports Chiropractor: Treats athletes' back, neck, and joint problems using spinal adjustments and soft-tissue therapy. Typical pay $79k.
Sports Dietitian: Plans what athletes eat to boost performance, recovery, and health. Typical pay $73k.
Sports Massage Therapist: Uses massage to help athletes recover, prevent injuries, and stay loose. Typical pay $57k.
Sports Prosthetist and Orthotist: Designs and fits artificial limbs and braces, including running blades for athletes. Typical pay $80k.
Performing Arts Athletic Trainer: Prevents and treats injuries in dancers, circus performers and stage actors, working backstage for dance companies, Broadway shows and touring productions. Typical pay $62k.
Industrial Athletic Trainer: Works on site at factories, warehouses and military bases to prevent and treat workers' strains and injuries and teach safer ways to move and lift. Typical pay $65k.
Starter: fastest way in
Physical Therapy Aide: Helps keep a physical therapy clinic running by setting up equipment and helping patients. Typical pay $35k.
Orthopedic Technologist: Applies casts, splints, and braces and assists orthopedic surgeons in clinic. Typical pay $46k.
Sports Medicine Medical Assistant: Assists doctors in a sports medicine or orthopedic clinic with patient intake and procedures. Typical pay $44k.
Event EMT: Provides emergency medical care at sporting events, concerts, and races. Typical pay $41k.
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.