Athlete demographics and statistics in the US
Athlete demographics research summary. Zippia estimates athlete demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our athlete estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about athletes after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 5,498 athletes currently employed in the United States.
- 38.4% of all athletes are women, while 61.6% are men.
- The average athlete age is 36 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of athletes is White (72.8%), followed by Black or African American (8.9%), Hispanic or Latino (7.5%) and Unknown (6.8%).
- Athletes are most in-demand in Memphis, TN.
- Oakland, CA pays an annual average wage of $68,794, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women athletes earned 95% of what men earned.
- New Jersey is the best state for athletes to live.
- Athletes are 69% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Athlete demographics by:
Athlete gender statistics
38.4% of athletes are women and 61.6% of athletes are men.
- Male, 61.6%
- Female, 38.4%
Athlete gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 61.6% |
| Female | 38.4% |
Athlete gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$50,157
Female income
$47,890
Athlete gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in athlete positions over time. Currently, 38.4% of athletes are female.
Athlete gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 27.54% | 72.46% |
| 2011 | 25.45% | 74.55% |
| 2012 | 26.93% | 73.07% |
| 2013 | 24.50% | 75.50% |
| 2014 | 24.63% | 75.37% |
| 2015 | 25.07% | 74.93% |
| 2016 | 23.13% | 76.87% |
| 2017 | 23.67% | 76.33% |
| 2018 | 57.33% | 42.67% |
| 2019 | 62.94% | 37.06% |
| 2020 | 62.45% | 37.55% |
| 2021 | 61.57% | 38.43% |
Athlete related jobs gender ratio
We compared athletes with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, 19d cavalry scout and baseball player have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Harpist | 8% | 92% |
| Actress | 8% | 92% |
| Modern Dancer | 8% | 92% |
| Athlete | 62% | 38% |
| Assistant Varsity Football Coach | 98% | 2% |
| Baseball Player | 98% | 2% |
| 19D Cavalry Scout | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Athlete demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among athletes is White, which makes up 72.8% of all athletes. Comparatively, 8.9% of athletes are Black or African American and 7.5% of athletes are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 72.8%
- Black or African American, 8.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.5%
- Unknown, 6.8%
- Asian, 3.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Athlete race
| Athlete race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 72.8% |
| Black or African American | 8.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.5% |
| Unknown | 6.8% |
| Asian | 3.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Athlete race and ethnicity over time
See how athlete racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Athlete race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 80.64% | 6.39% | 3.67% | 6.58% |
| 2011 | 79.62% | 6.91% | 3.79% | 6.52% |
| 2012 | 80.05% | 5.32% | 4.41% | 6.71% |
| 2013 | 77.41% | 6.27% | 3.84% | 8.32% |
| 2014 | 78.39% | 6.67% | 3.59% | 7.89% |
| 2015 | 79.26% | 5.55% | 3.97% | 8.32% |
| 2016 | 75.87% | 7.34% | 4.47% | 8.50% |
| 2017 | 77.01% | 6.59% | 3.84% | 8.29% |
| 2018 | 80.88% | 6.74% | 2.17% | 8.91% |
| 2019 | 78.07% | 6.76% | 3.93% | 7.20% |
| 2020 | 76.90% | 5.84% | 3.05% | 9.64% |
| 2021 | 72.83% | 8.90% | 3.75% | 7.49% |
Athlete wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown athletes have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino athletes have the lowest average salary at $49,090.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $52,070 |
| White | $49,346 |
| Black or African American | $49,392 |
| Asian | $50,954 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $49,090 |
Athlete age breakdown
The average age of athletes is 20-30 years years old, representing 36% of the athlete population.
Athlete age breakdown
| Athlete Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 30% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 36% |
Athlete educational attainment
The most common degree for athletes is bachelor's degree, with 73% of athletes earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 11% and high school diploma degree at 10%.
- Bachelor's, 73%
- High School Diploma, 11%
- Associate, 10%
- Master's, 4%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Athletes by degree level
| Athlete degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 73% |
| High School Diploma | 11% |
| Associate | 10% |
| Master's | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Athlete jobs you might like
Athlete wage gap by degree level
According to the data, athletes with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $58,976 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, athletes earn a median annual income of $58,684 compared to $48,930 for athletes with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $58,976 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $46,401 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $58,684 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $48,930 |
Athlete employment statistics
Most athletes work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where athletes work
Below, you can see the size of companies where athletes work.
Athlete jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 17% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 34% |
| > 10,000 employees | 12% |
Athlete jobs by company type
Employees with the athlete job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most athletes prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Athlete jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 69% |
| Public | 4% |
| Private | 25% |
| Government | 2% |
Athlete jobs by industry
The most common industries for athletes are education, hospitality and retail.
Athlete industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 61% |
| Hospitality | 13% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Government | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Professional | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
Athlete turnover and employment statistics
Athlete unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for athletes between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Athlete unemployment rate by year
| Year | Athlete unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 10.64% |
| 2011 | 10.09% |
| 2012 | 9.54% |
| 2013 | 7.83% |
| 2014 | 6.50% |
| 2015 | 6.51% |
| 2016 | 6.01% |
| 2017 | 6.48% |
| 2018 | 3.72% |
| 2019 | 5.77% |
| 2020 | 8.88% |
| 2021 | 9.09% |
Average athlete tenure
The average athlete stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 10,677 athletes resumes in Zippia's database.
Athlete tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 21% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 26% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 4% |
Athlete LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of athletes that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Major League Baseball Umpire | 5.42% | 1,163 |
| Athlete | 6.54% | - |
| Strength And Conditioning Coach | 7.62% | 14,934 |
| Double Bass Player | 8.54% | 254 |
| Prompter | 13.74% | 246 |
| Entrepreneurship Program Director | 14.31% | 65,164 |
| Assistant Music Director | 30.45% | 7,409 |
Similar athlete jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Major League Baseball Umpire | 5.42% | 1,163 |
| Strength And Conditioning Coach | 7.62% | 14,934 |
| Double Bass Player | 8.54% | 254 |
| Prompter | 13.74% | 246 |
| Entrepreneurship Program Director | 14.31% | 65,164 |
| Assistant Music Director | 30.45% | 7,409 |
Foreign languages spoken by athletes
The most common foreign language among athletes is Spanish at 63.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 12.9% and German is the third-most popular at 3.2%.
- Spanish, 63.4%
- French, 12.9%
- German, 3.2%
- Portuguese, 2.9%
- Italian, 2.4%
- Other, 15.2%
Athlete languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 63.4% |
| French | 12.9% |
| German | 3.2% |
| Portuguese | 2.9% |
| Italian | 2.4% |
| Other | 15.2% |
