Measures and analyzes how athletes move, using motion capture and force data to improve technique and reduce injury risk. BLS does not publish separate figures for exercise physiologists; it counts them within exercise physiologist (SOC 29-1128), whose median pay is $59,460 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.
- SOC 29-1128
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Sports Biomechanist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $59,460a year, or $28.59/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $43KTop 10% $81K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +12.8%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+12.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +12.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,40021,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202521.2K
- Projected 203523.9K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 21.2K Projected 2035 23.9K - Typical education
- Master'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Biomechanist, Applied Sports Scientist, Biomechanics Analyst, Sports Scientist, Pitching Biomechanist.
Pay
How much do Exercise Physiologists make?
Every sports biomechanist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$59,460
Middle half earn $49,620 to $67,230
- 10th
- $42,760
- 25th
- $49,620
- 75th
- $67,230
- 90th
- $80,560
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $42,760 |
| 25th | $49,620 |
| Median | $59,460 |
| 75th | $67,230 |
| 90th | $80,560 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $59,460
- Median hourly wage
- $28.59/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $60,940
- People employed
- 8,560
Versus all US occupations
At $59,460, Exercise Physiologists earn 17% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $8,480 a year.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Inside the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $102,760, this is 42% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $80,560 or more while the bottom 10% earn $42,760, a gap of 1.9×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 32% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Washington pays the most at $81,310, and still leads at $75,981 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Exercise Physiologists the most?
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.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Washington | $81,310 | $75,981 | 160 |
| 2Oregon | $71,630 | $69,301 | 80 |
| 3Minnesota | $67,230 | $68,170 | 250 |
| 4Massachusetts | $65,950 | $62,360 | 180 |
| 5New Jersey | $64,680 | $59,446 | 130 |
| 6Colorado | $63,800 | $61,910 | 370 |
| 7New Hampshire | $63,590 | $61,047 | 50 |
| 8Wisconsin | $63,210 | $67,177 | 340 |
| 9Connecticut | $62,510 | $60,332 | 100 |
| 10California | $62,440 | $56,395 | 640 |
Job outlook
Is Sports Biomechanist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +12.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Exercise Physiologists | +12.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Exercise Physiologists to change 12.8% over 2025–2035, roughly 3.7× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 2,700 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,400 openings are projected each year, 6.6% of the 21,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Sports Biomechanist
Most sports biomechanists hold a master's or doctoral degree in biomechanics, kinesiology, or biomedical engineering, often after an undergraduate degree in exercise science, physics, or engineering. Skills in programming, signal processing, and motion capture systems are expected.
The International Society of Biomechanics in Sports (ISBS) and the American Society of Biomechanics (ASB) host conferences and student programs where many people find lab positions and jobs. Graduate research assistantships and internships with team performance departments or private labs are the usual way in.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Master's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does a Sports Biomechanist do?
Sports biomechanists study the mechanics of human movement in sport. They use motion capture cameras, force plates, high-speed video, and wearable sensors to measure how a pitcher throws, how a sprinter accelerates, or how an athlete lands from a jump. They turn that data into specific feedback that coaches and athletes can use.
The work appears in professional baseball and basketball organizations, Olympic training programs, university labs, private biomechanics labs, and sporting goods companies that test shoes and equipment. Biomechanists also help sports medicine staff evaluate athletes returning from injuries such as ACL reconstruction or elbow surgery.
Day-to-day tasks
- Collect motion capture, force plate, and high-speed video data from athletes
- Process and analyze movement data with custom software
- Explain technique findings to coaches and athletes in practical terms
- Assess athletes returning from injury with sports medicine staff
- Calibrate and maintain lab equipment and sensors
- Design studies that test equipment, footwear, or training methods
- Write reports and present research at conferences
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Biomechanists work in laboratories, training facilities, and on fields and courts where they collect data. Lab work is indoors and computer heavy, while field testing may mean travel to training sites and competitions. Team roles follow the season and spring training or preseason calendars.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Writing3.9
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Monitoring3.9
- Active Learning3.4
- Learning Strategies3.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Writing | 3.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.9 |
| Active Learning | 3.4 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Instructing4.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.9
- Service Orientation3.9
- Complex Problem Solving3.9
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Coordination3.0
- Persuasion3.0
- Negotiation3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Instructing | 4.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.9 |
| Service Orientation | 3.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Persuasion | 3.0 |
| Negotiation | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Internet browser software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Sports Biomechanist?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code IRS) built on O*NET's Exercise Physiologist profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Sports Biomechanist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 5 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Realistic5.3
- Investigative5.2
- Social4.8
- Conventional3.8
- Enterprising3.0
- Artistic1.5
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.
Explore further
Careers related to Sports Biomechanist
O*NET related occupations
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- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
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Most earn $69K to $452K
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- Healthcare Support
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Exercise Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor
$47,160median a year
Most earn $29K to $83K
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More healthcare practitioners and technical careers
Median annual pay, with exercise physiologists highlighted
- Anesthesiologist$391,490
- Physician Assistant$135,880
- Nurse Practitioner$132,300
- Physical Therapist$102,760
- Dental Hygienist$98,100
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer$96,590
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician$80,110
- Surgical Technologist$64,650
- Sports Biomechanist$59,460
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Anesthesiologist | $391,490 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 |
| Radiologic Technologist and Technician | $80,110 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 |
| Sports Biomechanist | $59,460 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Sports Biomechanist appears on
Questions
Sports Biomechanist: frequently asked questions
How much do Exercise Physiologists make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for exercise physiologists. It counts them within exercise physiologist, whose median pay is $59,460 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $49,620 and $67,230, and the top 10% earn $80,560 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Sports Biomechanist?
Yes. BLS reports a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for Exercise Physiologists, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation.
Is Sports Biomechanist a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 12.8% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,400 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Sports Biomechanist do?
Sports biomechanists study the mechanics of human movement in sport. A typical task: collect motion capture, force plate, and high-speed video data from athletes. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Medical software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Exercise Physiologists the most?
The highest state medians for Exercise Physiologists are Washington ($81,310), Oregon ($71,630), Minnesota ($67,230) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Sports Biomechanist?
O*NET scores Exercise Physiologists highest on the Realistic, Investigative and Social interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ISFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.