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Graduate assistant athletic trainer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a graduate assistant athletic trainer. Graduate assistant athletic trainers usually study athletic training, kinesiology, or health education. 83% of graduate assistant athletic trainers hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,119 real graduate assistant athletic trainer resumes to see exactly what graduate assistant athletic trainer education sections show.

The most common colleges for graduate assistant athletic trainers are the Pennsylvania State University and the Pennsylvania State University.

There are also many online graduate assistant athletic trainer courses to help get the education required to be a graduate assistant athletic trainer.

There are certain graduate assistant athletic trainer certifications that you should consider. These graduate assistant athletic trainer certifications include Athletic Trainer Certification (ATC) and Certified Athletic Trainer (CAT).

What education do you need to become a graduate assistant athletic trainer?

What degree do you need to be a graduate assistant athletic trainer?

The most common degree for graduate assistant athletic trainers is bachelor's degree, with 83% of graduate assistant athletic trainers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 15% and master's degree degree at 1%.
  • Bachelor's, 83%
  • Master's, 15%
  • Associate, 1%
  • Doctorate, 0%
  • Other Degrees, 1%

What should I major in to become a graduate assistant athletic trainer?

You should major in athletic training to become a graduate assistant athletic trainer. 72% of graduate assistant athletic trainers major in athletic training. Other common majors for a graduate assistant athletic trainer include kinesiology and health education.

Most common colleges for graduate assistant athletic trainers

Graduate assistant athletic trainers often get their degrees at Pennsylvania State University, California University of Pennsylvania, and West Virginia University. Here are the most common colleges for graduate assistant athletic trainers in the US based on their resumes.
Graduate assistant athletic trainer common collegePercentages
Pennsylvania State University8.67%
California University of Pennsylvania7.14%
West Virginia University7.14%
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point6.12%
James Madison University6.12%

Best majors for graduate assistant athletic trainers

RankMajorPercentages
1Athletic Training71.8%
2Kinesiology13.2%
3Health Education3.2%
4Medicine2.0%
5Education1.7%

Best colleges for graduate assistant athletic trainers

The best colleges for graduate assistant athletic trainers are Northwestern University, University of Tulsa, and Northeastern University.

A graduate assistant athletic trainer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for graduate assistant athletic trainers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become graduate assistant athletic trainers.

1. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

5. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

6. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

7. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

9. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,306

Enrollment

6,975

10. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

20 best online courses for graduate assistant athletic trainers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for graduate assistant athletic trainers

The most affordable schools for graduate assistant athletic trainers are Brigham Young University, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for graduate assistant athletic trainers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for graduate assistant athletic trainers.

1. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

7. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

8. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

9. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

10. California State University - Northridge

Northridge, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,893

Cost of attendance

18,870

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for graduate assistant athletic trainers

The hardest universities for graduate assistant athletic trainers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Tulsa, and Northeastern University.

Some great schools for graduate assistant athletic trainers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for graduate assistant athletic trainers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

3. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

4. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

5. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,449

6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,434

7. Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,304

8. Baylor University

Waco, TX • Private

Admissions rate

39%

SAT average

1,307

9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,398

10. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for graduate assistant athletic trainers

The easiest schools for graduate assistant athletic trainers to get into are Barry University, life university, and kean university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a graduate assistant athletic trainer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for graduate assistant athletic trainers.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

3. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

4. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

5. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

6. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

7. Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,099

8. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

9. William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

994

10. Clarke University

Dubuque, IA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

1,058

Average graduate assistant athletic trainer salary by education level

According to our data, graduate assistant athletic trainers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $51,938 annually. Graduate assistant athletic trainers with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $48,696.
Graduate assistant athletic trainer education levelGraduate assistant athletic trainer salary
Master's Degree$51,938
Bachelor's Degree$48,696
Some College/ Associate Degree$46,023

Graduate assistant athletic trainer education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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