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The differences between sports medicine specialists and exercise physiologists 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 exercise physiologist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a sports medicine specialist has an average salary of $76,238, which is higher than the $49,399 average annual salary of an exercise physiologist.
The top three skills for a sports medicine specialist include patients, patient care and role model. The most important skills for an exercise physiologist are patients, rehabilitation, and cardiac rehabilitation.
| Sports Medicine Specialist | Exercise Physiologist | |
| Yearly salary | $76,238 | $49,399 |
| Hourly rate | $36.65 | $23.75 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 50,403 | 38,633 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 48 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 2 |
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 exercise physiologist is a health professional who analyzes the fitness of patients to help them improve their health or maintain good health. Exercise physiologists are required to help patients with heart diseases and other chronic conditions such as diabetes or pulmonary disease to regain their health. Certified exercise physiologists must administer exercise stress tests in health and unhealthy populations. They also assist both amateur and professional athletes in helping them boost their performance in sports.
Sports medicine specialists and exercise physiologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sports Medicine Specialist | Exercise Physiologist | |
| Average salary | $76,238 | $49,399 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $199,000 | Between $29,000 And $82,000 |
| Highest paying City | Evanston, IL | Fairfield, CA |
| Highest paying state | Illinois | Alaska |
| Best paying company | UnityPoint Health | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a sports medicine specialist and an exercise physiologist in terms of educational background:
| Sports Medicine Specialist | Exercise Physiologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Kinesiology | Kinesiology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between sports medicine specialists' and exercise physiologists' demographics:
| Sports Medicine Specialist | Exercise Physiologist | |
| Average age | 48 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.5% Female, 40.5% | Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5% |
| 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, 11.9% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 5.3% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 13% |