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The differences between athletes and athletics assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an athlete and an athletics assistant. Additionally, an athlete has an average salary of $51,729, which is higher than the $43,476 average annual salary of an athletics assistant.
The top three skills for an athlete include team-oriented environment, math and apparel. The most important skills for an athletics assistant are CPR, NCAA, and athletic events.
An athlete specializes and competes in a particular sport as an individual or part of a team. Mentored by a coach or instructor, an athlete undergoes rigorous training and practices, even as professionals in the league, to develop and maintain skills. One must assess every competition or performance to learn areas that need improvement, maintain a healthy physique, and even serve as an advocate. Furthermore, it is vital to abide by the sport's rules and regulations and uphold healthy sportsmanship.
An athletic assistant provides administrative support to the athletic director and coaching staff. Athletic assistants function as a liaison to the faculty, support staff, students, parents, members of the athletic department, and alumni. They help in communicating with faculty, support staff, students, and parents, complete documents, and uphold confidential information especially student grades and health concerns. It is part of their job to make record-keeping for future use. In addition, they must be able to handle multiple projects and shifting priorities during stressful circumstances without losing focus.
Athletes and athletics assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Athlete | Athletics Assistant | |
| Average salary | $51,729 | $43,476 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $108,000 | Between $25,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New York |
| Best paying company | Erlanger Health System | Utica College |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between an athlete and an athletics assistant in terms of educational background:
| Athlete | Athletics Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Kinesiology |
| Most common college | - | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between athletes' and athletics assistants' demographics:
| Athlete | Athletics Assistant | |
| Average age | 36 | 36 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.6% Female, 38.4% | Male, 55.6% Female, 44.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian, 3.7% White, 72.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 5.5% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 8% |