The 15 Best Jobs For People Who Love Sports

Whether it’s basketball, hockey, or classic Sunday night football, you just can’t get enough of sports. Odds are, you’ve probably spent a grade or two on a sports team or played sports in college.

Of course, that passion never goes away, even if you decide not to go professional. You’d still love to get a job that relates to sports in some way.

The only problem is, it’s not always easy to find that job.

But that’s okay. Fortunately, there are plenty of other careers that revolve around sports. From radio jobs to teaching your passion to others, many of these careers also offer benefits, high salaries, and other great perks.

So, let’s dive in and discover the top 15 best jobs for people who love sports.

Detailed List of the Top 15 Best Jobs for People Who Love Sports

Sports Medicine Physician

Average Salary: $193,947 per year
Jobs Available: 87,510
Job Growth Rate: 7%

Who said you need to be a professional athlete to make a fortune? In actuality, if you love sports, you can make a substantial income working as a sports medicine physician.

These healthcare professionals help rehabilitate athletes who have musculoskeletal injuries. This includes diagnosing, treating, and providing insight into preventing injuries during sporting events or athletic training.

As a sports medicine physician, you’ll spend your time helping and being able to talk with a whole plethora of professional athletes. Talk about a sports-lover’s dream. Plus, you can take comfort in knowing that these professionals rely on you to stay in the game.

Of course, earning an average of $93.24 per hour comes with costs. Most sports medicine physicians need to attend medical school to start working, with 34.3% of those currently working in the field entering with a doctorate. However, another 34% were also able to start working with a bachelor’s degree.

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Sports Psychologist

Average Salary: $72,365 per year
Jobs Available: 6,513
Job Growth Rate: 14%

Given all the performance pressure they’re dealing with, it can be hard for athletes to stay sane. Luckily, sports psychologists serve the role of helping athletes to improve their mental and physical health. They can also help boost performance through goal setting, imagery, focus, and relaxation strategies.

Similar to the previous role, these professionals get to spend their time surrounded by and actively supporting professional athletes. As a sports lover, you’ll be happy to learn that you might have the opportunity to interact with players you love.

Plus, the average employee in this field makes a considerable $34.79 per hour. However, keep in mind that education is vital for this field, as 64.4% of those currently working needed a bachelor’s degree to land a job, while 20% needed a master’s.

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Physical Therapist

Average Salary: $69,890 per year
Jobs Available: 74,304
Job Growth Rate: 22%

Physical therapists (PTs) spend their days helping patients improve movement and manage pain, which means they spend a lot of time on their feet. Whether you’re working in an office, hospital, or someone’s home, you can expect to be up and about for your entire day.

The physical activity this job provides makes it a stellar option for anyone who loves sports. Plus, due to the nature of physical therapy, you’ll probably be working with tons of athletes.

Of course, making an average of $33.60 per hour does come with some educational burden. After all, when a patient’s physical health is on the line, it’s crucial to have the proper training.

In general, PTs need to participate in accredited programs that last 3-7 years to achieve a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. Every state also requires PTs to have a license to practice.

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Sports Broadcaster

Average Salary: $69,878 per year
Jobs Available: 1,451
Job Growth Rate: -5%

If you’re not into medical school but you like the idea of a solid income, you might want to consider a career as a sports broadcaster. Sports broadcasters procure, write, and present footage of current sports news for radio or television broadcasts. You’ve likely seen or heard one on your favorite sports channel.

If you love talking about sports and keeping up with all of the latest games, this job would be perfect for you. You get paid to be an avid sports fan.

And paid you get, as sports broadcasters earn an average of $33.60 per hour. The only downside is that you’ll need a solid education to start working as one, as 82.5% of those currently working in the field have at least a bachelor’s degree.

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Kinesiologist

Average Salary: $61,581 per year
Jobs Available: 45,433
Job Growth Rate: 22%

Every sports enthusiast knows that exercise is vital for your body’s health, and kinesiologists take that knowledge to the next level. These professionals study the body’s biomechanical processes and often work with clients through well-studied exercise practices. Think of them as body movement doctors.

This job is great for any sports lover who wants to get into healthcare practices without going full pharmacist. Plus, you’ll get to prescribe exercise as medicine, which can be fun and exciting in its own right.

For their efforts, kinesiologists earn an average of $29.61 per hour. The only catch is that you’ll usually need a three-to-four-year degree at minimum to start working, as 78.9% currently in the field needed at least a bachelor’s to start working.

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Sports Photographer

Average Salary: $49,482 per year
Jobs Available: 10,248
Job Growth Rate: -6%

Sports photographers specialize in capturing images from sports news outlets to advertisements and Instagram pages. The job typically entails attending sports events and having the right camera to land that perfect high-shutter speed shot.

This job is great for sports lovers because it allows you to get right up into the action. Capturing amazing sports photography is on another level compared to just watching the game normally. Further, you’ll also have more opportunities to travel, as you’ll need to be at all of the upcoming games.

You also might be surprised to know that the average photographer makes over $23 per hour, which is far from the “starving artist” cliche you might imagine.

And, you don’t even necessarily need to have anything more than a high school diploma to become successful. A whopping 39% of Photographers are successful with only a high school degree and some college.

The only major downside to pursuing photography is the learning curve, as you’ll need to study techniques before you become a professional. This, combined with the cost of a quality sports photography camera, can make it difficult to compete with other photographers.

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Sports Editor

Average Salary: $48,200 per year
Jobs Available: 12,077
Job Growth Rate: -3%

If you’ve ever wondered who has a hand in reporting the top sports news stories, look no further. Sports editors are expert writers, researchers, and communicators who gather information to assign stories to reporters. They also have a hand in editing sports stories and ensuring the news is covered accurately.

This field is great for anyone who loves sports, as you’ll constantly be keeping up-to-date on all the latest games and athletes.

Overall, the average sports editor makes around $23.17 per hour. Bachelor’s degrees are the most common degree needed to start working, with 84.9% of those in the field having one as their highest level of education.

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Coach

Average Salary: $47,565 per year
Jobs Available: 17,769
Job Growth Rate: 11%

If you love sports and find joy in teaching others, becoming a coach might be a great career path for you. These knowledgeable sports enthusiasts spend their days teaching, supporting, encouraging, and motivating their players. You can coach almost any sport, from basketball to tennis.

This job involves plenty of physical activity and mental engagement, making it a great choice for any sports lover. After all, why wouldn’t you want to watch the sports team you trained compete?

Plus, this fun and engaging role will have you earning an average of $22.87 per hour. That said, you’ll likely need to spend three to four years in college, as 62.1% of those currently working in the field have a bachelor’s degree as their highest level of education.

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Referee

Average Salary: $43,540 per year
Jobs Available: 7,039
Job Growth Rate: 6%

Referees take watching sports to another level, as it’s their job to officiate sports games. This involves running around and keeping an eye on athletes to maintain the fairness and standards of an event or competition.

To do so properly, referees are also expected to inspect sporting equipment, settle claims for infarction, enforce rules of the games and assess penalties.

If you enjoy watching sports and being able to get some physical activity in, this might just be the perfect job for you. Just don’t take it personally when the losing team blames you!

Overall, the average referee makes $20.93 per hour, with moderate education requirements. 67.1% of referees needed a bachelor’s degree to start working, while 12.3% needed an associate’s degree, and 14% only needed a high school diploma.

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Athletic Trainer

Average Salary: $42,310 per year
Jobs Available: 64,228
Job Growth Rate: 19%

Combining the fun of training with the essential healthcare, athletic trainers work together with doctors and other healthcare professionals to prepare athletes for sports games. That can include bracing and taping them, providing first aid treatment during a game, and creating rehabilitation plans in the case of injury.

While less medically intensive than some other healthcare-related positions on this list, an athletic trainer’s job is just as important. Working as one, you’ll provide athletes with the crucial care they need to succeed.

Overall, the average athletic trainer makes around $20.34 per hour. Education plays a crucial role in landing a job, though, with 72.9% of employees in this field needing a bachelor’s degree to start working and 16.8% needing a master’s degree.

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Sports Statistician

Average Salary: $41,089 per year
Jobs Available: 1,918
Job Growth Rate: 6%

While you might think that sports and math don’t necessarily mix, that’s not the case for sports statisticians. These professionals gather real-time information on sports performances, which can then be used to create sports statistics.

To do this, they have to use their computer and math skills to create formulas and useful pieces of data. Ultimately, their objective is to use the statistics they create to provide insight into the performance of athletes and teams.

If you liked trading basketball cards as a kid, think of it as a more mathematically advanced version of that. As a Sports Statistician, it’s your job to determine how players and teams perform in the big picture.

Luckily, for your efforts, you’ll earn an average of $19.75 per hour. Bachelor’s degrees are also the most common degree needed to start working, with 83.3% of those in the field having one as their highest level of education.

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Sports Reporter

Average Salary: $40,778 per year
Current Jobs Available: 11,754
Job Growth Rate: -10%

Always in the know, sports reporters gather relevant information and then report it on various media outlets (TV, online, magazines, etc.). Most importantly, they present the latest news about sports teams, sports events, athletes, coaches, and fans in an informative and interesting manner.

If you love keeping up with all of the latest sports news, this job would be perfect for you, as you’ll spend your time unearthing the most interesting new sports stories.

Overall, sports reporters earn an average of $19.60 per hour. Additionally, bachelor’s degrees are also the most common degree needed to start working, with 87.4% of those in the field having one as their highest level of education.

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Personal Trainer

Average Salary: $38,768 per year
Jobs Available: 27,747
Job Growth Rate: 13%

Why work out on your own when you can put your fitness skills and expertise to use helping others? Well, personal trainers do just that, as their job is to help clients get fit, gain muscle, or lose weight. Ultimately, they’ll work to increase their client’s willpower and physical stamina through physical activity.

While you might not always be training athletes, any sports enthusiast can appreciate the goal-orientated, active and rewarding lifestyle that comes with being a personal trainer.

Personal trainers earn a respectable average of $18.64 per hour for their efforts, with a three-to-four-year degree being the most common needed to start working. 66.7% of those currently working in the field got started with a bachelor’s as their highest level of education.

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Athletic Scout

Average Salary: $36,335 per year
Jobs Available: 7,951
Job Growth Rate: 11%

If you have an eye for athletic talent, you might just want to consider becoming an athletic scout. These experts identify talented athletes as potential players for their team or organization.

Of course, finding the right people requires research, and athletic scouts often use local newspapers or online videos of high school and college games to find skilled players.

If it wasn’t obvious, this job is great for anyone who likes sports because you’ll be responsible for finding the best of the best. Just imagine how proud you’d feel if one of the athletes you scouted started playing for the Denver Broncos or New England Patriots!

Overall, the average hourly rate for athletic scouts is $17.47. Education requirements are moderate, with 76.5% of those currently working in the field needing a bachelor’s degree to start their career, while 23.5% only needed an associate’s degree.

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Sports Nutritionist

Average Salary: $34,586 per year
Jobs Available: 1,851
Job Growth Rate: 11%

Last, but not least, of our sports-related healthcare positions, Sports nutritionists provide valuable dietary counseling so athletes can meet their goals and optimize their training regimen. While this job is mostly about giving advice, Sports nutritionists can also help build their clients through journaling, scheduling, and other useful activities.

If you are interested in nutrition and love seeing athletes succeed, this could be a great career path.

Plus, you’ll make an average of $16.63 per hour doing so. The only drawback is that you’ll likely need some form of relevant education, as 63.7% of sports nutritionists have a bachelor’s degree, and 16.3% have a master’s Degree.

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How We Decide Which Jobs Are the Best (and What to Look for Yourself)

It’s important to understand which factors make a job great for sports enthusiasts (besides the obvious fact that they should be related to sports). Some important factors include:

Outdoor Activities. Jobs that allow you to get outside and stretch your legs can be a huge plus for people who love sports. Even if you’re not playing the sport of your choice, no sports lover can deny the charm of getting outside.
Teaching. Teaching others will allow you to share your passion for and knowledge of sports. It’s the perfect setting to let loose all those interesting tips and tricks you’ve been dying to get out.
Reporting. In a similar vein, reporting jobs will allow you to stay in the loop on all things sports and even get paid to talk about them.
Health and Wellness. Athletes can’t perform at their best if they’re not physically and mentally healthy. Luckily, anyone who loves sports might enjoy providing that care.

Remember that one of these factors might be more important to you than another, but we will focus mainly on jobs that fit one or more of these criteria for this list. That way, you’ll have several different options across a wide range of industries/fields.

The Bottom Line

Whether you play an active role in sports or simply love enjoying them from the couch, you can take comfort in knowing that there’s a whole world of relevant jobs out there for you to explore. From helping athletes stay in shape to reporting the latest sports news, you can find a well-paying job that you’ll love.

Of course, while our top 15 list focuses on some of the best salaries you can earn in sports-related fields, there are many other jobs out there that allow you to stay physically active or interact with a variety of athletes. You just have to get out there and dive into the job market!

Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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