How to become an athletic trainer

1. 1Earn a bachelor's degree with science prerequisites

   Time: 3-4 yearsCost: Varies by schoolSources 1, 8

   Athletic training master's programs admit students with a bachelor's in almost any field, but they expect science and health coursework; anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry, physics and psychology are common prerequisites, and each program sets its own list. Exercise science and kinesiology are common majors because they cover most of these. Some universities offer combined 3+2 programs that move you into the master's after your third undergraduate year. Volunteering or shadowing a certified athletic trainer helps your application and shows you what the work is really like.

2. 2Complete a CAATE-accredited master's in athletic training

   Time: About 2 yearsCost: Varies; see typical costSources 3, 6

   Bachelor's-level professional programs stopped enrolling students after the fall 2022 term, and CAATE's current standards require professional programs to grant a master's degree in athletic training. Coursework covers injury evaluation, emergency care, therapeutic interventions, pharmacology and nutrition. Clinical education is a large part of the program, including at least one immersive placement where you take on the full daily role of an athletic trainer under a preceptor. Check accreditation in CAATE's program directory before you apply.

3. 3Pass the BOC certification exam

   Time: 1-3 monthsCost: $450-$475Sources 2

   Your program director must confirm your eligibility before you can sit for the exam. The BOC exam has 175 items, including unscored experimental ones, and you have four hours. Scores run from 200 to 800 and 500 passes. The application fee is $75 for NATA members or $100 for others, plus $375 to test in the US or Canada. The BOC runs six two-week testing windows a year at Meazure Learning test centers, so plan around your graduation date.

4. 4Get licensed in your state

   Time: A few weeksCost: Set by each stateSources 2, 5, 7

   Forty-nine states and DC regulate athletic training, and all of them accept the BOC exam to meet their exam requirement. Depending on the state, the credential is a license, certification or registration, and each board sets its own application steps and fee. You ask the BOC to send official verification of your certification to the state board. Look up your state's board through the CareerOneStop License Finder before you accept a job offer.

5. 5Keep your certification current

   Time: Every 2 yearsCost: CE course costs varySources 2

   After the first reporting period, BOC-certified athletic trainers complete 50 continuing education units every two years and keep an emergency cardiac care credential current. Newly certified ATs have a shorter first period: those certified in 2026 or later need 20 CEUs by January 31, 2028. State boards often add their own renewal fee and rules, so track both the BOC deadline and your state license deadline.

Programs, tuition and graduates’ earnings

U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15). Scorecard groups programs by 4-digit field, so a row can include related programs. Tuition is the median published undergraduate tuition and fees of the colleges offering the program (shown only for undergraduate credentials); debt is the median of programs’ median federal loan debt at completion; earnings are the national median for the field and credential four years after completion.

Requirements differ by state. Check your state’s rules in the CareerOneStop License Finder (U.S. Department of Labor) before you enroll.

Clinical judgment under pressure

You often decide in seconds, on a field, whether a player has a neck injury, a concussion or a minor bruise.

Hands-on technical skill

Taping, splinting, spine boarding and manual therapy have to be done right every time, often while athletes wait to compete.

Clear communication

You explain injuries and return-to-play limits to physicians, coaches who want players back and worried parents.

Careful record keeping

Injury notes, concussion protocols and rehab progress are medical records that physicians, schools and insurers rely on.

Stamina and flexibility

Seasons bring long days, evening and weekend events, outdoor heat and cold, and travel with teams.

O*NET 31.0 rates these skills as most important for the occupation: active listening, speaking, critical thinking, monitoring, reading comprehension.

Training cost

$124K–$125K

Before financial aid

Time

6 years

Typical path

Median pay

$62,520

All US jobs: $50,980

Payback once qualified

10.8–10.8 yrs

Pay above the all-jobs median vs. cost

Scorecard does not report tuition for the master's programs, so we use the median federal loan debt of $124,028 for master's graduates in the allied health diagnostic, intervention and treatment family as a stand-in for degree costs. That family also includes pricier programs such as physical therapy, so many athletic training master's degrees cost less. Add the BOC application fee ($75 for NATA members, $100 for non-members) and the $375 exam fee for testing in the US or Canada. Not included: undergraduate costs, state license fees, housing and books.

Rough guide only: ignores taxes, aid, interest and earnings given up during training. How we calculate it.

• Physical therapist$102,760 median

  Some athletic trainers return for a three-year Doctor of Physical Therapy degree; much of their anatomy and rehab coursework carries over as prerequisites.

• Physical therapist assistant$68,380 median

  A separate associate degree and the PTA licensing exam are required; this suits ATs who want clinic hours without sports travel.

• Occupational therapist$100,330 median

  Requires a master's or doctorate in occupational therapy and the national OT exam; prior clinical experience strengthens an application.

• Chiropractor$79,200 median

  Requires a four-year Doctor of Chiropractic program and national board exams; athletic training experience fits sports chiropractic.

• Head athletic trainer or athletic director

  Comes with experience, supervising other ATs and sometimes an additional degree in administration or education.