Athlete Demographics and Statistics In The US
Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for athletes in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- 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 age of an employed athlete 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 2021, women 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.
Athlete Statistics By Gender
38.4% of athletes are women and 61.6% of athletes are men.
- Male, 61.6%
- Female, 38.4%
Athletes By Gender
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 61.6% |
| Female | 38.4% |
Gender Pay Gap For Athlete
Women Earn 95ยข For Every $1 Earned By Men
Athlete Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the athlete position over time.
Athlete Gender 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 Male to Female Ratio
We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, 19d cavalry scout and baseball player have the biggest difference in gender.
| 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% |
Athlete Statistics By Race
The most common ethnicity among athletes is White, which makes up 72.8% of all athletes. Comparatively, there are 8.9% of the Black or African American ethnicity and 7.5% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity.
- 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
Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among athletes.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Athlete Race 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
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $52,070 |
| White | $49,346 |
| Black or African American | $49,392 |
| Asian | $50,954 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $49,090 |
Athlete JOBS
Athlete Age Breakdown
This chart breaks down the ages of athlete employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of athletes is 20-30 years old, which represents 36% of the population.
Athlete Age
| Athlete Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 30% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 36% |
Types of Athlete Degree Levels
The most common degree for athletes is bachelor's degree 73% of athletes earn that degree. A close second is high school diploma with 11% and rounding it off is associate degree with 10%.
- Bachelors, 73%
- High School Diploma, 11%
- Associate, 10%
- Masters, 4%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Athletes By Education
| Athlete Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelors | 73% |
| High School Diploma | 11% |
| Associate | 10% |
| Masters | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Athlete Jobs You Might Like
Athlete Wage Gap By Education
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $46,401 |
| Master's Degree | $58,976 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $58,684 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $48,930 |
Athlete Employment Statistics
This section highlights information about where athletes work. We found most athletes work for a education company. In addition, the industry that employs the most athletes is the education industry.
Company Size
We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire athletes.
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% |
The Types Of Companies Athlete Work In
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% |
Top Industries Hiring Athletes
Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ athletes. Those industries include 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 Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of athletes changed.
- Unemployment rate
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% |
The Average Number of Years That Athlete Stay in a Job
By looking over 10,677 athletes resumes, we figured out that the average athlete enjoys staying at their job for 1-2 years for a percentage of 30%.
Athlete Tenure
| Number or 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% |
Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Athletes with Other Job Titles
After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to athletes.
| 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 |
Athlete 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% |
Athlete Jobs
Recently Added Athlete Jobs
Athlete Heatmaps
Where Do Athletes Earn The Most?
Athletes earn the most in Alaska, where the average athlete salary is $89,689. The map here shows where athletes earn the highest salaries in the U.S. The darker areas across the 50 states highlight the highest salaries.
Which State Has The Most Athletes?
By looking through more than 10,677 resumes, we found that the most popular places for athletes are New York, NY and Orlando, FL.
Number Of Athlete Jobs By State
| Rank | State | Number of Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 230 | $67,129 |
| 2 | Texas | 202 | $53,692 |
| 3 | Arizona | 193 | $56,616 |
| 4 | New York | 125 | $63,493 |
| 5 | Florida | 114 | $47,150 |
| 6 | Minnesota | 112 | $37,752 |
| 7 | Louisiana | 110 | $49,736 |
| 8 | New Jersey | 99 | $73,376 |
| 9 | Michigan | 91 | $59,065 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | 82 | $65,516 |
| 11 | Illinois | 81 | $50,535 |
| 12 | North Carolina | 80 | $51,729 |
| 13 | Colorado | 79 | $35,761 |
| 14 | Kansas | 74 | $47,648 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | 70 | $66,109 |
| 16 | Indiana | 70 | $35,077 |
| 17 | Georgia | 68 | $42,347 |
| 18 | Missouri | 63 | $38,063 |
| 19 | Virginia | 58 | $60,160 |
| 20 | Iowa | 56 | $50,968 |
| 21 | Washington | 54 | $29,144 |
| 22 | Oregon | 51 | $44,540 |
| 23 | Alabama | 48 | $34,243 |
| 24 | Kentucky | 45 | $41,726 |
| 25 | Maryland | 44 | $64,135 |
| 26 | South Carolina | 44 | $47,408 |
| 27 | Utah | 42 | $50,936 |
| 28 | Ohio | 42 | $48,357 |
| 29 | Tennessee | 41 | $42,501 |
| 30 | Connecticut | 39 | $67,580 |
| 31 | Montana | 36 | $41,464 |
| 32 | Wyoming | 33 | $40,593 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | 30 | $63,357 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | 28 | $43,863 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | 27 | $44,648 |
| 36 | Mississippi | 26 | $39,237 |
| 37 | Delaware | 24 | $66,076 |
| 38 | Nebraska | 20 | $36,950 |
| 39 | New Hampshire | 19 | $63,437 |
| 40 | New Mexico | 19 | $51,811 |
| 41 | Hawaii | 17 | $49,469 |
| 42 | Nevada | 15 | $56,390 |
| 43 | Idaho | 14 | $28,081 |
| 44 | South Dakota | 13 | $44,334 |
| 45 | Rhode Island | 8 | $66,875 |
| 46 | Maine | 8 | $39,461 |
| 47 | Alaska | 7 | $89,689 |
| 48 | North Dakota | 5 | $56,193 |
| 49 | Vermont | 4 | $59,767 |
| 50 | Arkansas | 4 | $44,632 |
| 51 | West Virginia | 3 | $48,169 |