When you know you want to work in sports but aren’t sure what path to take, you have to consider a number of aspects.
You want a career that aligns with your personality. Your employer should share your values. And you should only relocate to an area you love. But you should also feel valued, and that’s where the money comes in.
Compensation isn’t the only thing that should influence your career decision, but financial security can be comforting and motivating.
Let’s take a look at what you can earn, what education you need, and the job outlooks for the various areas where you can find work in sports:
Writer
The content age continues to grow, and more employers are looking for skilled writers every day. You could write ad copy, marketing content, television scriptwriters, or articles for a newspaper.
Because many people are interested in finding work in sports writing, this field is highly competitive.
You need to stand out to land one of these roles:
Writers and Authors
- Median Wage: $61,240 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Job Outlook: 8% (As fast as average)
Editors
- Median Wage: $57,210 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Job Outlook: 0% (Little or no change)
Law
Sports law is perfect if you have legal training and great analytical skills. There are several positions within sports law, including compliance officers, labor negotiators for a league or players’ union, contract administrators, player representatives, legal advisors, and team lawyers.
You can also work in lower levels as a paralegal or assistant to earn experience before considering law school.
Here are two of the most common professions:
Lawyers
- Median Wage: $118,160 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Doctoral or professional degree
- Job Outlook: 9% (As fast as average)
Paralegals and Legal Assistants
- Median Wage: $49,500 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Associate’s degree
- Job Outlook: 15% (Much faster than average)
Management
When you work in sports at a management level, you have a lot of different opportunities to consider. You might manage a department for a sporting goods manufacturer, act as a brand manager for a professional sports league, or plan and manage events at a sports entertainment company.
No matter what path you take, keep in mind you’ll need several years of experience before you climb the ladder to management.
There are several departments that you can manage and earn six figures in, such as:
Administrative Services Managers
- Median Wage: $90,050 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Job Outlook: 10% (Faster than average)
Financial Managers
- Median Wage: $121,750 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Job Outlook: 19% (Much faster than average)
Human Resources Managers
- Median Wage: $106,910 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Job Outlook: 9% (As fast as average)
Public Relations and Fundraising Managers
- Median Wage: $107,320 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Job Outlook: 10% (Faster than average)
Marketing
Every team, apparel company, league, and any other sports brand needs a stellar team of marketing professionals.
When you work in sports marketing, you can find yourself in several job titles, like marketing assistant, marketing coordinator, content marketing manager, social media marketing coordinator, and director of brand marketing.
While each level varies in earning potential, you can find a path that fits your skills and work your way up to the management level.
There are several positions that you can earn great money in:
Market Research Analysts
- Median Wage: $62,560 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Job Outlook: 23% (Much faster than average)
Public Relations Specialists
- Median Wage: $58,020 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Job Outlook: 9% (As fast as average)
Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers
- Median Wage: $127,560 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Job Outlook: 9% (As fast as average)
Fitness
The popularity of fitness and health clubs continues to soar. Awesome companies like Orangetheory Fitness and 4U Fitness are changing the way consumers work toward their fitness goals.
Within fitness, you can work in roles like athletic trainer, fitness instructor, or health club manager.
Pursue your passion for fitness in these common jobs:
Fitness Trainers and Instructors
- Median Wage: $38,160 per year
- Entry-Level Education: High school diploma
- Job Outlook: 10% (Faster than average)
Athletic Trainers
- Median Wage: $45,630 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Job Outlook: 22% (Much faster than average)
Coaching
If you’re passionate about taking athletes to the next level, coaching is perfect for you. Coaches thrive when they specialize in a skill specific to a sport, like a hitting coach in baseball or a shooting coach in basketball.
You can also be a scout, where you help professional teams research active players and report on strategies.
Coaches and Scouts
- Median Wage: $31,460 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Job Outlook: 13% (Faster than average)
Sales
The sports sales world is big, which means it’s full of awesome opportunities. With the right set of skills, you can build a successful career and even work your way up to sales management.
Here are some sports sales positions you can find in the sports world:
Retail Sales Workers
- Median Wage: $22,900 per year
- Entry-Level Education: No formal education credential
- Job Outlook: 2% (Slower than average)
Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Representatives
- Median Wage: $60,530 per year
- Entry-Level Education: High school diploma
- Job Outlook: 6% (As fast as average)
Sales Managers
- Median Wage: $117,960 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Job Outlook: 7% (As fast as average)
Agent
As a sports agent, you play a crucial role in negotiating contracts and other business matters for sports professionals. You can find opportunities with firms of all sizes and even start your own small firm if you want.
Depending on your clients, you can earn a great living as an agent:
Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes
- Median Wage: $86,560 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Job Outlook: Last reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 2014: 3% (Slower than average).
Media
Work in sports media can mean a lot of different career choices. Your role might be in radio and TV broadcasting, media relations, digital media, social media, videography, and more.
Here are some common sports media jobs:
Announcers
- Median Wage: $30,830 per year
- Entry-Level Education: High school diploma
- Job Outlook: -8% (Decline)
Broadcast and Sound Engineering Technicians
- Median Wage: $42,550 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Relevant certificate, high school diploma
- Job Outlook: 8% (As fast as average)
Film and Video Editors and Camera Operators
- Median Wage: $59,040 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Job Outlook: 12% (Faster than average)
Multimedia Artists and Animators
- Median Wage: $65,300 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Job Outlook: 10% (Faster than average)
Photographers
- Median Wage: $34,070 per year
- Entry-Level Education: High school diploma
- Job Outlook: -8% (Decline)
Reporters, Correspondents, and Broadcast News Analysts
- Median Wage: $38,870 per year
- Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Job Outlook: -10% (Decline)
Now that you know your earning potential, what the job growth looks like, and the level of education you need, find the right position that speaks to you.
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