Athletic trainers
SOC Code: 29-9091
Athletic trainers carries a 26% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $60,250 and +11.1% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 33,900 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 26% AI exposure, Athletic trainers sits 11 points below the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 17% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
76/100
Athletic trainers, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage C- $60,250
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth A+ +11.1%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) A- 26% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Athletic trainers in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Graduate credential among the thinner entry shelves
Athletic trainers is in the Graduate band (113 of 832) with BLS pace Fast growth (67/832). Graduate entry is a minority shelf - pairing it with fast growth growth is the standing that separates this SOC from bachelor-dominated neighbors.
Where Athletic trainers sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Athletic trainers sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
26% Among the lowest lower than 83% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Athletic trainers vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Athletic trainers is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Athletic trainers's Medium automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 29-9091) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Athletic trainers be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Athletic trainers. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Conduct an initial assessment of an athlete's injury or illness to provide emergency or continued care and to determine whether they should be referred to physicians for definitive diagnosis and treatment.
- 2. Assess and report the progress of recovering athletes to coaches or physicians.
- 3. Care for athletic injuries, using physical therapy equipment, techniques, or medication.
- 4. Evaluate athletes' readiness to play and provide participation clearances when necessary and warranted.
- 5. Perform general administrative tasks, such as keeping records or writing reports.
- 6. Clean and sanitize athletic training rooms.
- 7. Instruct coaches, athletes, parents, medical personnel, or community members in the care and prevention of athletic injuries.
- 8. Apply protective or injury preventive devices, such as tape, bandages, or braces, to body parts, such as ankles, fingers, or wrists.
- 9. Collaborate with physicians to develop and implement comprehensive rehabilitation programs for athletic injuries.
- 10. Travel with athletic teams to be available at sporting events.
Key Skills Required
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
- Social Perceptiveness
- Instructing
- Service Orientation
Knowledge Areas
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Customer and Personal Service
- Psychology
- Therapy and Counseling
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Public Safety and Security
- Administrative
- Biology
- Administration and Management
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Athletic trainers?
Athletic trainers has an AI exposure score of 26%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Athletic trainers?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Athletic trainers is projected to grow by 11.1% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 33,900 workers.
What skills are needed for Athletic trainers?
Key skills for Athletic trainers include Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, and others. Typical entry-level education is Master's degree.
How much do Athletic trainers earn?
The median annual wage for Athletic trainers is $60,250, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Athletic trainers?
The typical entry-level education for Athletic trainers is Master's degree. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves None. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Athletic trainers?
Athletic trainers roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Athletic trainers: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (26% here).
- Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary · AI exposure 26%
- Architectural and engineering managers · AI exposure 26%
- Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary · AI exposure 26%
- Child, family, and school social workers · AI exposure 26%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+11.1% here).
- Taxi drivers · growth +11.1%
- Clinical and counseling psychologists · growth +11.2%
- Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians · growth +11.0%
- Industrial engineers · growth +11.0%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 45 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Athletic trainers' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Athletic trainers side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).