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The differences between sports medicine specialists and athletic trainers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 8-10 years to become a sports medicine specialist, becoming an athletic trainer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a sports medicine specialist has an average salary of $76,238, which is higher than the $47,028 average annual salary of an athletic trainer.
The top three skills for a sports medicine specialist include patients, patient care and role model. The most important skills for an athletic trainer are patients, rehabilitation, and CPR.
| Sports Medicine Specialist | Athletic Trainer | |
| Yearly salary | $76,238 | $47,028 |
| Hourly rate | $36.65 | $22.61 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 50,403 | 56,812 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 48 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 4 |
A sports medicine specialist is a health care expert who specializes in diagnosing and treating injuries of athletes. Their responsibilities typically revolve around providing check-ups and consultations, conducting assessments and examinations, developing care and treatment plans, and providing insights to coaches when developing athletic training programs. They may also assist patients by answering inquiries and sharing care advice. A sports medicine specialist typically works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.
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.
Sports medicine specialists and athletic trainers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sports Medicine Specialist | Athletic Trainer | |
| Average salary | $76,238 | $47,028 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $199,000 | Between $35,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | Evanston, IL | Greenwich, CT |
| Highest paying state | Illinois | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | UnityPoint Health | Ethical Culture Fieldston School |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a sports medicine specialist and an athletic trainer in terms of educational background:
| Sports Medicine Specialist | Athletic Trainer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | 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 sports medicine specialists' and athletic trainers' demographics:
| Sports Medicine Specialist | Athletic Trainer | |
| Average age | 48 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.5% Female, 40.5% | Male, 53.1% Female, 46.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 18.6% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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% |