Professional Athletes, Individual Sports

Overview

Professional Athletes, Individual Sports

Introduction

In contrast with amateur athletes who play or compete in amateur circles for titles or trophies only, professional athletes participate in individual sports such as tennis, figure skating, golf, running, or boxing, competing against others to win prizes and money.

Quick Facts


Median Salary

$70,280

Employment Prospects

Poor

Minimum Education Level

High School Diploma


Experience

Extensive amateur experience required


Skills

Coaching/Physical Training|Interpersonal


Personality Traits

Athletic|Conventional|Hands On

Earnings

The U.S. Department of Labor reports that athletes and sports competitors had mean annual earnings of $70,280 in May 2023. The lowest 10 percent earned $27,730 or less, while the highest 10 percent earned more than $239,200.

Salaries, prize monies, and commercial endorsements will vary from sport to sport; a lot depends on the popularity of the sport and its ability to attract spectators...

Work Environment

Depending on the setting of the sport (indoors or outdoors) and the rules, athletes compete in many different conditions. Outdoor track-and-field athletes often compete in hot or rainy conditions, but organizing officials can call off the meet at any point, or postpone competition until better weather. Indoor events are less subject to cancellation; however, since it is in the best interests of...

Outlook

The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that employment for professional athletes will grow much faster than the average for all careers through 2033. However, it is extremely difficult to advance to the top levels of sports competition, and many athletes careers are cut short due to injuries.

The outlook for professional athletes will vary depending on the sport, its popularity, and the n...