Physical trainer vs athletic trainer

The differences between physical trainers and athletic trainers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a physical trainer, becoming an athletic trainer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an athletic trainer has an average salary of $47,028, which is higher than the $25,278 average annual salary of a physical trainer.

The top three skills for a physical trainer include physical therapy, strength training and soccer. The most important skills for an athletic trainer are patients, rehabilitation, and CPR.

Physical trainer vs athletic trainer overview

	Physical Trainer	Athletic Trainer
Yearly salary	$25,278	$47,028
Hourly rate	$12.15	$22.61
Growth rate	19%	17%
Number of jobs	72,865	56,812
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age	37	40
Years of experience	12	4

Physical trainer vs athletic trainer salary

Physical trainers and athletic trainers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Physical Trainer	Athletic Trainer
Average salary	$25,278	$47,028
Salary range	Between $17,000 And $35,000	Between $35,000 And $61,000
Highest paying City	-	Greenwich, CT
Highest paying state	-	Connecticut
Best paying company	-	Ethical Culture Fieldston School
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between physical trainer and athletic trainer education

There are a few differences between a physical trainer and an athletic trainer in terms of educational background:

	Physical Trainer	Athletic Trainer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common major	Kinesiology	Athletic Training
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Physical trainer vs athletic trainer demographics

Here are the differences between physical trainers' and athletic trainers' demographics:

	Physical Trainer	Athletic Trainer
Average age	37	40
Gender ratio	Male, 67.2% Female, 32.8%	Male, 53.1% Female, 46.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 5.1% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	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	13%	10%

Differences between physical trainer and athletic trainer duties and responsibilities

Physical trainer example responsibilities.

Manage various football, basketball, and speed camps while conveying the importance of self-motivation.
Receive NASM certification for personal training service.
Create feedback and progress reports regarding development for on boarding new associates and provide official information on a SharePoint database.
Create original TRX classes and encourage inactive members to participate consistently.

Athletic trainer example responsibilities.

Administer rehabilitation procedures and the safety of athletes at practices and games including ultrasound and electrical stimulation.
Evaluate and create a rehabilitation program for ankle sprains, fibula fractures, and shin splints.
Administer multiple therapeutic techniques for student athletes including electrical stimulation and ultrasound
Assist physical therapist in generating rehabilitation protocols for patients, progress exercises, order supplies for clinic and oversee aide scheduling.
Assist with OSHA record keeping.
Maintain cleanliness of gym and stations.

Physical trainer vs athletic trainer skills

Common physical trainer skills

Physical Therapy, 45%
Strength Training, 12%
Soccer, 12%
Weight Loss, 8%
Training Sessions, 8%
Front Desk, 8%

Common athletic trainer skills

Patients, 20%
Rehabilitation, 19%
CPR, 12%
Patient Care, 8%
Student Athletes, 5%
Athletic Injuries, 4%