Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between athletic directors and athletic trainers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an athletic director, becoming an athletic trainer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an athletic director has an average salary of $71,311, which is higher than the $47,028 average annual salary of an athletic trainer.
The top three skills for an athletic director include student athletes, NCAA and physical education. The most important skills for an athletic trainer are patients, rehabilitation, and CPR.
| Athletic Director | Athletic Trainer | |
| Yearly salary | $71,311 | $47,028 |
| Hourly rate | $34.28 | $22.61 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 11,759 | 56,812 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 47 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
An athletics director is an administrative professional who is responsible for managing all activities related to the athletic program of a school, university, or college. The director must ensure that the school follows athletic rules and regulations as well as provide direction and guidance for its athletic program. This director must work with coaches to file reports on the progress of each of the athletic teams. The director must also assist in hiring coaches and athletic staff and should mediate disputes between coaches and athletes.
An athletic trainer is a healthcare professional who works with physicians to improve a patient's quality of life. Their profession encompasses the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of chronic medical conditions involving disabilities, functional limitations, and impairments. As an athletic trainer, you will typically do various tasks, including recognizing and evaluating injuries, providing emergency care or first aid, and developing and implementing rehabilitation programs. You are also responsible for planning and implementing programs to help prevent sports injuries among athletes.
Athletic directors and athletic trainers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Athletic Director | Athletic Trainer | |
| Average salary | $71,311 | $47,028 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $126,000 | Between $35,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | Alameda, CA | Greenwich, CT |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Kern Community College District | Ethical Culture Fieldston School |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | - |
There are a few differences between an athletic director and an athletic trainer in terms of educational background:
| Athletic Director | Athletic Trainer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Kinesiology | Athletic Training |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between athletic directors' and athletic trainers' demographics:
| Athletic Director | Athletic Trainer | |
| Average age | 47 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.2% Female, 21.8% | Male, 53.1% Female, 46.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 4.3% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 8.3% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 10% |