Sports and fitness is a growing field that encompasses a variety of careers. Depending on the degrees you get, you can manage professional sports teams, run local gyms, or work in rehabilitation centers.
There are many online courses you can take that can help you earn any necessary degrees or certificates. The degree you pursue — whether certificate, associate, bachelor's, or master's — depends on the career path you'd like to take. Following is a variety of careers in sports and fitness requiring different degrees.
PERSONAL TRAINER
As a personal trainer, you’ll become accustomed to using both free weights and treadmills, along with all the other equipment and machines found in gyms and fitness centers.
Clients will come to you at various fitness levels, each with very different goals. You’ll assess their needs and lifestyles and work up a plan that will help them achieve success.
As the expert, you’ll provide instruction, direction, and advice to your clients during their workout sessions. You might create nutrition plans for them, as well.
How to Become a Personal Trainer
If you are considering becoming a personal trainer, there are some steps you must take.
- You must be at least 18 years old.
- Have a high school diploma or GED.
- Choose which certification program best suits you:
- Choose your specialty: certified personal trainer or certified group trainer.
- Enroll in the certification program. These can be costly but some gyms will sponsor you to cover the cost.
- Study for, take, and pass the certification exam, which will allow you to work as a personal trainer.
- Train with a more experienced certified personal trainer.
- Find a job, and begin taking on clients of your own!
While not required, a degree in kinesiology, exercise physiology, or another exercise-related field can improve job opportunities.
Finally, keep in mind that besides all your fitness knowledge, you need to have good communication skills in order to be a great personal trainer. You’ll need to fully understand clients’ goals and be comfortable explaining proper techniques so they avoid any injuries.
Salary and Job Outlook
It is likely that you will work outside of standard 9 to 5 hours. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that personal trainers earned an average salary of $51,270 in 2023.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics also states that the demand for personal trainers is expected to increase 14 percent by 2032. This is faster than most other occupations — largely because more people are recognizing the health and wellness benefits of a proper exercise program and starting one themselves.
ATHLETIC TRAINER
Main article: Athletic Trainer
Find athletic trainer programs near you.
An athletic trainer is a health professional who works specifically with athletes to prevent and treat sports-related injuries. It’s your job to develop training programs to avoid further harm and recuperate the injury, and you help determine when an athlete can return to their usual activity.
Athletic trainers are not doctors or physical therapists. However, they are certified to provide basic medical care. You will need to assess injuries on site, and develop ways to prevent injuries from happening.
There are various types of athletic trainer careers you can specialize in, such as prevention, diagnosis, treatment, assessment, and rehabilitation.
How to Become an Athletic Trainer
To work as an athletic trainer, you’ll need to first follow these steps:
- Graduate high school
- Get a bachelor’s degree in athletic training from an accredited school
- To work for a university of professional athletic organization, you must get a master’s degree
- Licensing requirements vary by state, but a license is mandatory in all 50. To be eligible for licensing, you must graduate from a program accredited by the Commission of Accreditation of Athletic Education
- Pass the Board of Certification for Athletic Trainers (BOC)
- Take continuing education to keep your certification current
Salary and Job Outlook
Athletic trainers can advance in their careers by becoming head trainers/directors. There is also room for athletic trainers in the sales and marketing sector of sports equipment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the average salary for athletic trainers in 2023 was $61,540, with the top 10 percent earning $80,640 or more.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics also predicts an increased demand for athletic trainers of 14 percent by 2032. This growth is much faster than the national average for all occupations.
SPORTS MANAGEMENT
With a degree in sports management, quite a few different career paths on the business side of sports open up for you. You can become a sports agent, sports facility manager, or a public relations liaison. You can run a sports recreation facility or work with an athletic team; it depends on the degree you get, and your experience.
How to Get Into Sports Management
Associate degrees through doctorates are at your disposal when it comes to sports management college programs. Associate degrees will give you a foot in the door, while master’s degrees will give you a leg up on job market competition. There are various areas of management within sports administration, and you can choose to specialize in these areas:
- Sports development: You will work to increase the number of people participating in a sport, using different means of marketing and communication in order to boost numbers.
- Sports facility management: You will manage a sporting venue, ranging from recreation centers to swimming facilities.
- Sports marketing: If you specialize in sports marketing, you will promote a particular event or sport through imaging, fundraising, social media, and other outlets.
Sports Management Degree Programs
Associate: An associate degree should only take two years if you commit to it full time. That’s between 12-15 credit hours per semester. In the sports management industry, an associate degree is a stepping stone — you will likely need a to get your bachelor's degree. You may take classes involving macro- and micro-economics, business law, sociology or psychology, and intro to business and sports management, plus any core classes or electives.
Careers with an Associate Degree: An associate degree in sports management can get you entry-level positions. You will be qualified for office work under a more experienced professional. Sports agencies, colleges and universities, and related associations will be where you find those entry-level positions.
Careers with a Bachelor’s degree: Getting a bachelor’s degree is considered to be the best way to start strong in sports management. This four-year program will open up opportunities in public relations, marketing, sales, or finance, depending what segment of the major you choose to focus in. Just a note: Competition within this field is fierce, so you may want to consider continuing onto a master’s degree.
Classes you take may involve courses like public relations practice and promotional writing, operations management, quantitative techniques, sport marketing, sport law, and sport society and ethics, along with your typical core classes. With a bachelor’s degree in sports management, you can a find job as a sports agent, within ticket sales, as an athletic director, and in business operations, just to name a few from the multitude of options you’ll have.
Master’s degree: A master’s of science in sports management typically takes around 2 years and can work to your advantage during your job search. You can choose a full or part time track, and there are also online programs available. Classes you may have include global sports, sport analytics, legal aspects, digital sport and media marketing, and socio-cultural dimensions of sports. Typically, you will begin with an internship as well.
Careers with a Master's Degree: With a master’s of science in sports management, you can enter careers such as an athletic director, a marketing manager or director, a development director, or a team owner.
Sports Management Salaries
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the average wage for people in the sports management field in 2023 was $132,810. Salaries for people in sports management (otherwise listed as Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes at bls.gov) vary depending on what position they hold, location, and industry.
Highest Paying Positions for Sports Management in 2023
|
Position |
Salary | |
|
Legal Services |
$166,120 | |
Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures | $143,730 |
|
|
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events |
$109,880 | |
|
Sound Recording Industries |
$100,010 |
FITNESS AND SPORTS DEGREES ONLINE
Distance learning programs are a combination of self-study and instructor-led courses that allow you to complete the classes at your own pace and in the comfort of your own home. Within a virtual classroom, students complete reading assignments, view lectures, and participate in class discussions.
Online bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in sports and fitness areas are now offered by many four-year universities and colleges. Some programs are conducted entirely online, though others may have some onsite requirements. Depending on your degree program, practicum experience or internships may be required.