State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Coach and Scout Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Coaches and Scouts is $47,320 a year, according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 6.4% through 2034, with about 41,800 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
SOC 27-2022Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and MediaLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $47,320
- Projected growth
- +6.4%
- Openings a year
- 41,800
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Baseball Coach, Basketball Coach, Coach, Cross Country Coach, Football Coach, Gymnastics Coach.
How much do Coaches and Scouts make?
10th percentile$28,790
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$35,330
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$47,320
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$64,710
Upper quartile
90th percentile$98,860
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $47,320 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | N/A |
| Mean annual wage | $60,160 |
| People employed | 248,950 |
Versus all US occupations
At $47,320, Coaches and Scouts earn 7% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $3,660 a year.
Versus arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
Inside the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media group, where the middle occupation pays $72,775, this is 35% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $98,860 or more while the bottom 10% earn $28,790, a gap of 3.4×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 22% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New Jersey pays the most at $76,700, and still leads at $70,493 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Coaches and Scouts the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $76,700 | $70,493 | 5,670 |
| District of Columbia | $65,360 | $59,472 | 630 |
| Louisiana | $60,960 | $69,110 | 2,550 |
| Vermont | $59,990 | $61,241 | 630 |
| New York | $59,920 | $55,522 | 11,220 |
| Hawaii | $55,860 | $50,804 | 760 |
| Massachusetts | $55,130 | $52,129 | 6,310 |
| Connecticut | $54,790 | $52,881 | 4,070 |
| Rhode Island | $53,630 | $52,434 | 1,170 |
| Arizona | $53,130 | $52,773 | 4,120 |
Is Coach and Scout a growing career?
Coaches and Scouts6.4%
All US occupations3.1%
+6.4% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Coaches and Scouts to change 6.4% over 2024–2034, roughly 2.1× the 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 19,500 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 41,800 openings are projected each year, 13.6% of the 306,500 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
The growing interest in college sports, professional sports, and sports recreation instruction is projected to increase demand for coaches and scouts. To remain competitive, colleges often seek the best athletes for their sports teams. Successful teams help colleges enhance their reputation, recruit future students, and raise donations from alumni. Therefore, colleges will rely on scouts to recruit the best high school athletes.
Growth in the demand for sports instruction is expected to rise, as concerns about lack of physical activity continue to be a focus for the public.
How to become a Coach and Scout
Coaching a school team is far more regulated than almost anyone expects, and the requirements apply to volunteers and outside hires, not just to teachers. Public high school coaches may need to be certified or complete mandatory education courses, certification often requires being at least 18 and trained in CPR and first aid, and coaches who are also teachers must meet state licensing requirements including a background check. Several states go further and issue an actual coaching permit with a fixed term and a list of mandated trainings. Scouting is different: it is largely unregulated, and employers hire on judgment and network rather than credentials.
The credential path, step by step
- Work out whether your state issues a coaching permit
Ohio is the clearest documented example. Its pupil-activity permit is required for individuals who will direct, supervise or coach a student activity program involving athletics, routine or regular physical activity, or activities with health and safety considerations. Ohio Revised Code section 3319.303 requires the state board to adopt those standards for anyone who does not already hold an educator licence, and to adopt parallel, no more stringent, standards for those who do.
- Get the school or district to sponsor your application
You generally cannot apply on your own. In Ohio the applicant must first complete the school or district's own process for serving as a coach, notify them that the online application is coming, and have the superintendent or a designee electronically sign it. Districts, not the state, verify all of the training.
- Clear the background check
All Ohio pupil-activity permit applicants must have current background checks on file with the State Board of Education, and renewing applicants can check the date of their last one from their licensure dashboard.
- Complete every required training, not just concussion
Ohio requires six categories: Fundamentals of Coaching (a one-time requirement, satisfied through providers such as NFHS Learn), CPR, First Aid for Coaches, concussion training through an Ohio Department of Health approved provider, sudden cardiac arrest training approved by the Department of Health under Lindsay's Law, and, since 3 October 2023, a student mental health training course approved by the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health. Several of these expire on their own schedules, so permit holders are told to track their own expiry dates.
- Renew on the cycle your credential sets, and re-prove the trainings
Ohio issues a 3-year permit to applicants holding no other educator credential, a 4-year permit to holders of a 4-year Resident Educator or Alternative Resident Educator licence, and a 5-year permit to holders of a 5-year Professional, Senior Professional or Lead Professional licence or a permanent teaching certificate. At renewal the statute requires evidence that both concussion and sudden cardiac arrest training were completed within the duration of the previous permit, and the mental health training certificate must be submitted every single time you renew.
- For college and professional levels, expect association rules instead
College and university coaches may need to meet certification or training requirements set by college athletic associations, and organisations specific to a sport such as golf or tennis may offer their own coaching certification. Check the sport's national governing body for approved programs.
- How long the training takes
There is no programme as such. What takes time is assembling and maintaining the required certificates: a one-time coaching fundamentals course plus CPR, first aid, concussion, cardiac arrest and (in Ohio) mental health training, each with its own expiry, refreshed across a permit term of three to five years.
- Continuing education
Required to stay credentialed
Where a state permit exists, the trainings behind it lapse and must be retaken. Ohio requires evidence at each renewal that the concussion training and the Department of Health approved sudden cardiac arrest course were completed within the previous permit term, and requires the approved student mental health training certificate to be submitted with every renewal application, including from applicants moving to a different multi-year permit.
Licensing and state variation
Licensed state by state
This varies more than almost any occupation of its size, and BLS simply directs candidates to their state's high school athletic association. Where a state permit exists it is genuinely a credential: Ohio's pupil-activity permit has a statutory basis, a term tied to whatever educator credential you hold, a background check, six mandated training categories and renewal conditions written into the Revised Code. Ohio also grants permits to applicants licensed in another state, or with satisfactory work experience or a government or private certification as a coach in a state that does not issue such a permit. Note the carve-out that catches people out in the other direction: an Ohio teacher or principal with a valid licence does not need a pupil-activity permit to supervise an activity that does not involve athletics, physical activity or health and safety considerations, but does need one the moment it does.
Who governs the credential
- Ohio State Board of Education, Office of Educator Licensure and Effectiveness — Issues Ohio's pupil-activity (coaching) permits, sets the six training categories, holds the background checks and verifies the mental health training certificate. School districts determine which of their staff need a permit and verify the remaining training.
Credential detail for coach and scouts is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Coaches and Scouts, How to Become One · checked August 23, 2026
- Ohio State Board of Education — Pupil-Activity (Coaching) Permits · checked August 23, 2026
- Ohio Revised Code section 3319.303, Standards and requirements for obtaining pupil-activity program permit · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
Coaches and scouts typically need a bachelor’s degree. However, educational requirements for coaches and scouts may vary from no formal educational credential to a bachelor’s or higher degree. These workers also need extensive knowledge of the sport. Coaches typically gain this knowledge through their own experiences playing the sport at some level. Although previous playing experience may be beneficial, it is not required for most scouting jobs.
| Typical entry-level education | Bachelor's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Medium preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as coaches and scouts.
- Bachelor's Degree48.9%
- Master's Degree19.4%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)17.4%
- High School Diploma8.9%
- Less than a High School Diploma3.7%
What does a Coach and Scout do?
Instruct or coach groups or individuals in the fundamentals of sports for the primary purpose of competition. Demonstrate techniques and methods of participation. May evaluate athletes' strengths and weaknesses as possible recruits or to improve the athletes' technique to prepare them for competition. Those required to hold teaching certifications should be reported in the appropriate teaching category.
Coaches teach amateur and professional athletes the skills they need to succeed at their sport. Scouts look for new players, evaluating their skills and likelihood for success at the amateur, college, or professional level. Many coaches also are involved in scouting potential athletes for their team.
Day-to-day tasks
- Provide training direction, encouragement, motivation, and nutritional advice to prepare athletes for games, competitive events, or tours.
- Keep abreast of changing rules, techniques, technologies, and philosophies relevant to their sport.
- Adjust coaching techniques, based on the strengths and weaknesses of athletes.
- Instruct individuals or groups in sports rules, game strategies, and performance principles, such as specific ways of moving the body, hands, or feet, to achieve desired results.
- Plan strategies and choose team members for individual games or sports seasons.
- Plan, organize, and conduct practice sessions.
- Arrange and conduct sports-related activities, such as training camps, skill-improvement courses, clinics, and pre-season try-outs.
- Explain and enforce safety rules and regulations.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Part-time work is common for coaches and scouts. Their work schedules vary and may involve irregular hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays. Full-time coaches may work more than 40 hours a week for several months during the sports season. High school coaches may work part time and have other jobs aside from coaching.
Working with people
- Constant contact with other people
Pressure and stakes
- Handling conflict situations at least monthly
Autonomy
- A lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey, showing only the signals people in the job report decisively one way or the other.
Where coaches and scouts work
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 64% |
|---|---|
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 22% |
| Self-employed workers | 10% |
| Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations | 2% |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 1% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Speaking4.4/5
- Learning Strategies4.1/5
- Monitoring4.1/5
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Critical Thinking4.0/5
- Active Learning3.9/5
- Writing3.6/5
Transferable skills
- Instructing4.8/5
- Social Perceptiveness4.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Making4.0/5
- Coordination3.9/5
- Persuasion3.9/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9/5
- Systems Analysis3.9/5
- Time Management3.9/5
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software
- Computer based training software
- Data base user interface and query software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Coach and Scout?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary4.3
Investigative2.1
Artistic2.4
Socialprimary5.3
Enterprisingprimary5.2
Conventional3.5
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Coach and Scout: frequently asked questions
How much do Coaches and Scouts make?
Coaches and Scouts earn a median of $47,320 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 7% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. The middle half earn between $35,330 and $64,710. The top 10% earn $98,860 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Coach and Scout?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Coaches and Scouts, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 48.9% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Coach and Scout a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 6.4% over 2024–2034, more than double the 3.1% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 41,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Coach and Scout do?
Coaches teach amateur and professional athletes the skills they need to succeed at their sport. A core O*NET task: provide training direction, encouragement, motivation, and nutritional advice to prepare athletes for games, competitive events, or tours. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Object or component oriented development software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Coaches and Scouts the most?
The highest state medians for Coaches and Scouts are New Jersey ($76,700), District of Columbia ($65,360), Louisiana ($60,960) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Coach and Scout?
O*NET scores Coaches and Scouts highest on the Social, Enterprising and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ESFJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.
How long does it take to become a Coach and Scout?
There is no programme as such. What takes time is assembling and maintaining the required certificates: a one-time coaching fundamentals course plus CPR, first aid, concussion, cardiac arrest and (in Ohio) mental health training, each with its own expiry, refreshed across a permit term of three to five years.
Do you need a license to work as a Coach and Scout?
Yes, and it is issued by the state you work in, not nationally. This varies more than almost any occupation of its size, and BLS simply directs candidates to their state's high school athletic association. Where a state permit exists it is genuinely a credential: Ohio's pupil-activity permit has a statutory basis, a term tied to whatever educator credential you hold, a background check, six mandated training categories and renewal conditions written into the Revised Code. Ohio also grants permits to applicants licensed in another state, or with satisfactory work experience or a government or private certification as a coach in a state that does not issue such a permit. Note the carve-out that catches people out in the other direction: an Ohio teacher or principal with a valid licence does not need a pupil-activity permit to supervise an activity that does not involve athletics, physical activity or health and safety considerations, but does need one the moment it does.