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.
Sports Medicine Physician Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Sports Medicine Physicians is $265,930 a year ($127.85/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 2.5% through 2034, with about 9,600 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.
SOC 29-1229Healthcare Practitioners and TechnicalLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $265,930
- Projected growth
- +2.5%
- Openings a year
- 9,600
- Typical education
- Doctorate
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Athletic Team Physician, Nonsurgical Primary Care Sports Medicine Physician, Orthopedic Team Physician, Physician, Sports Medicine Physician, Team Physician.
How much do Sports Medicine Physicians make?
10th percentile$69,170
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$102,930
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$265,930
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$378,770
Upper quartile
90th percentile$452,360
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $265,930 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $127.85/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $262,040 |
| People employed | 342,720 |
Versus all US occupations
At $265,930, Sports Medicine Physicians earn 422% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $214,950 a year.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Inside the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $97,870, this is 172% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $452,360 or more while the bottom 10% earn $69,170, a gap of 6.5×. 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 98% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
North Dakota pays the most at $454,550, and still leads at $510,966 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Sports Medicine Physicians the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | $454,550 | $510,966 | 740 |
| Montana | $438,850 | $463,680 | 580 |
| Maine | $419,410 | $432,159 | 1,340 |
| Wisconsin | $391,740 | $416,324 | 6,350 |
| Minnesota | $367,320 | $372,456 | 5,350 |
| Indiana | $366,190 | $392,365 | 6,760 |
| New Hampshire | $361,300 | $346,854 | 1,000 |
| Alaska | $355,100 | $346,916 | 270 |
| Louisiana | $350,920 | $397,837 | 4,740 |
| Oregon | $347,180 | $335,891 | 4,130 |
Is Sports Medicine Physician a growing career?
Sports Medicine Physicians2.5%
All US occupations3.1%
+2.5% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Sports Medicine Physicians to change 2.5% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 8,600 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 9,600 openings are projected each year, 2.8% of the 340,700 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of physicians and surgeons is projected to grow 3 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
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.
Projected employment of physicians and surgeons varies by occupation (see table). An increasing number of older adults, who are more likely than younger people to experience health problems and to need complex care, is expected to drive overall employment growth for physicians and surgeons.
In addition, increasing rates of chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, will result in continued reliance on physicians and surgeons by large numbers of people seeking medical care.
How to become a Sports Medicine Physician
Sports medicine is a subspecialty rather than a primary specialty, and two quite different paths share the name. The non-operative path is a 12-month ACGME-accredited sports medicine fellowship taken after a residency in family medicine, emergency medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics or physical medicine and rehabilitation, leading to a subspecialty certificate from one of those five ABMS boards. The operative path is a 60-month orthopaedic surgery residency plus a 12-month fellowship, leading to the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery's separate certificate in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. The two are four years apart and are not interchangeable.
The credential path, step by step
- Complete medical school4 years
An MD from a programme accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, or a DO from a college accredited by the AOA Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. Those are the two accreditors recognised for US medical education.
- Pass the licensing examination sequence
For MDs, USMLE Step 1, Step 2 CK and Step 3. Step 1 has been reported pass or fail for exams taken on or after 26 January 2022, while Step 2 CK is still numerically scored with a minimum passing score of 218 and Step 3 with 200. Step 2 CS was discontinued in January 2021 and has not returned. For DOs, COMLEX-USA Levels 1, 2 and 3, with Level 1 reported pass or fail for exams taken on or after 10 May 2022 and Level 2-PE formally discontinued in June 2022.
- Decide operative or non-operative, because the residency choice is the fork3 to 4 years for a primary residency, 5 years for orthopaedic surgery
The non-operative route runs through a residency in emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, osteopathic neuromusculoskeletal medicine, pediatrics or physical medicine and rehabilitation. The operative route requires an orthopaedic surgery residency, which the ACGME sets at 60 months. Almost all non-operative capacity sits in family medicine: of the 225 accredited non-operative sports medicine programmes in academic year 2024 to 2025, 173 were sponsored by family medicine, 24 by physical medicine and rehabilitation, 17 by pediatrics and 11 by emergency medicine.
- Get a state medical licence
Medicine is licensed state by state, and all state medical boards require at least one year of postgraduate training for a full and unrestricted licence, with some requiring two or three. The licence is for the general, undifferentiated practice of medicine: physicians in the United States are not licensed by specialty or practice focus.
- Complete a 12-month fellowship, and only 12 months12 months
The ACGME sets the sports medicine educational programme at 12 months and states in its own FAQ that it accredits only 12 months; time beyond that is considered unaccredited. The non-operative curriculum is written as non-operative: fellows must demonstrate competence in the diagnosis and non-operative management of illnesses and injuries related to sports and exercise, and in timely referral for operative treatment, while assisting with or observing operative musculoskeletal procedures rather than performing them. Orthopaedic sports medicine is also a 12-month fellowship, entered only after an orthopaedic surgery residency.
- Sit the subspecialty certification examination for your board
Five ABMS boards issue the Sports Medicine subspecialty certificate: emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics and physical medicine and rehabilitation. The American Board of Family Medicine is responsible for developing, administering and scoring the examination that all of them use, and ABIM diplomates apply through the American Board of Emergency Medicine. Every board requires you to hold, and keep holding, your primary certification: the American Board of Pediatrics states that a candidate must have achieved and must continue to maintain general pediatrics certification, with no exceptions granted.
- On the operative side, log the cases
The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery requires a one-year case list of at least 115 operative cases and 10 non-operative cases, of which 75 of the 115 operative cases must involve arthroscopy as a component of the procedure. The examination is 175 multiple-choice questions over four hours at Pearson VUE. This case requirement is the clearest evidence of how different the two sports medicine credentials are.
Exams you have to pass
Sports Medicine subspecialty certification examination
The single subspecialty examination behind the Sports Medicine certificate issued by ABFM, ABEM, ABIM, ABP and ABPMR. ABFM is responsible for examination development, administration, scoring and analysis. Initial certification always requires the traditional examination; the longitudinal Sports-LA option, 17 timed questions each quarter for 204 questions over three to four years, is only available for maintaining certification.
Administered by Developed and administered by the American Board of Family Medicine on behalf of the five co-sponsoring boards.
Orthopaedic Sports Medicine subspecialty certificate examination
175 multiple-choice questions over four hours at Pearson VUE, taken after a one-year ACGME-accredited orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship and submission of a one-year case list of at least 115 operative and 10 non-operative cases, with at least 75 of the operative cases involving arthroscopy.
Administered by American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.
- Program accreditation
ACGME · ACGME program requirements for sports medicine
The educational programme in sports medicine must be 12 months in length. The ACGME accredits only those 12 months, and time in a sports medicine programme beyond them is considered unaccredited. Entry requires a residency in emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, osteopathic neuromusculoskeletal medicine, pediatrics or physical medicine and rehabilitation, while the sponsoring institution must also sponsor a residency in emergency medicine, family medicine, pediatrics or physical medicine and rehabilitation, which is why internal medicine trained fellows train in programmes sponsored by other specialties.
- How long the training takes
12 months of fellowship after residency
The non-operative path is a 3-year residency in emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine or pediatrics, or a 4-year residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation, followed by a 12-month fellowship. The operative path is a 60-month orthopaedic surgery residency followed by a 12-month orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship. BLS puts the general physician timeline at a bachelor's degree, 4 years of medical school, 3 to 9 years of internship and residency, and a fellowship of 1 to 3 years for subspecialisation.
- Continuing education
Required to stay credentialed
Continuing certification requirements come from the board that issued your certificate rather than from a national standard. ABFM is moving Sports Medicine certificate holders onto a five-year cycle, beginning in the year the ten-year examination requirement falls due, and holders certified in 2027 or later start the five-year cycle the year after initial certification. Non-ABFM diplomates must continuously meet the requirements of their own co-sponsoring board. On the operative side, the ABOS subspecialty certificate carries no independent clock: it is valid through the expiration of the diplomate's general certificate, which runs on a 10-year continuing certification cycle requiring 240 Category 1 CME credits including a minimum of 40 credits of self-assessment examinations.
Licensing and state variation
Licensed state by state
The licence is issued by a state medical board and is for the general, undifferentiated practice of medicine: US physicians are not licensed by specialty, so no state issues a sports medicine licence. What varies by state is the amount of postgraduate training required before a full unrestricted licence, which is one year in most jurisdictions and two or three in some. The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact offers a voluntary expedited pathway rather than a single multistate licence, and as of 31 July 2026 covered 44 member states and 2 US territories across 59 licensing boards, with several states having enacted it but not yet implemented it. Board certification is not required for a state licence, though FSMB notes that practical considerations such as obtaining hospital privileges lead most physicians to obtain it; federal rules at 42 CFR 482.12(a)(7) bar a Medicare-participating hospital from granting or denying privileges solely on the basis of board certification, while still allowing a hospital to require it in its bylaws alongside other criteria.
Who governs the credential
- American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) — Publishes the master list of specialty and subspecialty certificates. Sports Medicine appears only in the subspecialty column, under emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics and physical medicine and rehabilitation, and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine appears separately under orthopaedic surgery.
- American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) — Develops, administers and scores the Sports Medicine subspecialty examination used by all five co-sponsoring boards, and issues the certificate to its own diplomates.
- American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) — Issues the separate Orthopaedic Sports Medicine subspecialty certificate, with its own fellowship, case-list and examination requirements.
- Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) — Accredits the 12-month sports medicine fellowships and the orthopaedic sports medicine fellowships, and publishes the annual programme and fellow counts.
Credential detail for sports medicine physicians 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.
- ABMS: Specialty and subspecialty certificates · checked August 23, 2026
- ABFM: Certificate of Added Qualifications in Sports Medicine · checked August 23, 2026
- ABPMR: Sports medicine subspecialty (ABFM responsible for the examination) · checked August 23, 2026
- ABIM: Sports medicine certification through other ABMS boards · checked August 23, 2026
- ABEM: Sports medicine subspecialty certification · checked August 23, 2026
- American Board of Pediatrics: Sports medicine certification · checked August 23, 2026
- ACGME program requirements for graduate medical education in sports medicine (2025) · checked August 23, 2026
- ACGME sports medicine FAQs (only 12 months accredited) · checked August 23, 2026
- ACGME program requirements for orthopaedic surgery (60 months) · checked August 23, 2026
- ACGME program requirements for orthopaedic sports medicine (12 months) · checked August 23, 2026
- ACGME Data Resource Book, academic year 2024 to 2025 (programme and fellow counts) · checked August 23, 2026
- ABOS: Orthopaedic Sports Medicine subspecialty certificate · checked August 23, 2026
- ABOS: Continuing certification · checked August 23, 2026
- USMLE: Examination results and scoring · checked August 23, 2026
- FSMB: About physician licensure · checked August 23, 2026
- eCFR: 42 CFR 482.12, Condition of participation: Governing body · checked August 23, 2026
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Physicians and Surgeons · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
Physicians and surgeons typically need a bachelor’s degree as well as a degree from a medical school, which takes an additional 4 years to complete. Depending on their specialty, they also need 3 to 9 years in internship and residency programs. Subspecialization includes additional training in a fellowship of 1 to 3 years.
| Typical entry-level education | Doctoral or professional degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Considerable preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Internship/residency |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as sports medicine physicians.
- Doctoral Degree51.0%
- Post-Doctoral Training49.1%
What does a Sports Medicine Physician do?
Diagnose, treat, and help prevent injuries that occur during sporting events, athletic training, and physical activities.
Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses and address health maintenance. Physicians examine patients; take medical histories; prescribe medications; and order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests. They often counsel patients on diet, hygiene, and preventive healthcare. Surgeons operate on patients to treat injuries, such as broken bones; diseases, such as cancerous tumors; and deformities, such as cleft palates.
There are two types of physicians, with similar degrees: M.D. (Medical Doctor) and D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine). Both use the same methods of treatment, including drugs and surgery, but D.O.s place additional emphasis on the body's musculoskeletal system, preventive medicine, and holistic (whole-person) patient care. D.O.s are most likely to be primary care physicians, although they work in all specialties.
Day-to-day tasks
- Diagnose or treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
- Order and interpret the results of laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging procedures.
- Advise against injured athletes returning to games or competition if resuming activity could lead to further injury.
- Participate in continuing education activities to improve and maintain knowledge and skills.
- Inform coaches, trainers, or other interested parties regarding the medical conditions of athletes.
- Prescribe orthotics, prosthetics, and adaptive equipment.
- Advise athletes, trainers, or coaches to alter or cease sports practices that are potentially harmful.
- Examine, evaluate and treat athletes who have been injured or who have medical problems such as exercise-induced asthma.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most physicians and surgeons work full time. Some work more than 40 hours per week. Many physicians and surgeons work long shifts, which may include irregular and overnight hours or being on call. Physicians and surgeons may travel between their offices and the hospital to care for patients. While on call, a physician may need to address a patient’s concerns over the phone or make an emergency visit to another location, such as a nursing home.
Where the work happens
- Indoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day
Physical demands
- On their feet more than half the working day
Working with people
- Constant contact with other people
- Face-to-face discussions every day
- Dealing with customers or the public is very important
Pressure and stakes
- Handling conflict situations at least monthly
- Mistakes carry very serious consequences
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.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension4.5/5
- Active Listening4.4/5
- Critical Thinking4.3/5
- Monitoring4.1/5
- Speaking4.0/5
- Active Learning3.9/5
- Writing3.8/5
- Learning Strategies3.6/5
Transferable skills
- Judgment and Decision Making4.1/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.9/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9/5
- Instructing3.8/5
- Service Orientation3.8/5
- Time Management3.8/5
- Coordination3.6/5
- Systems Evaluation3.6/5
Tools and software
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Electronic mail software
- Internet browser 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 Sports Medicine Physician?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary5.2
Investigativeprimary5.4
Artistic1.2
Socialprimary5.3
Enterprising3.3
Conventional3.5
Day to day this is work built around investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data, combined with teaching, helping and working directly with other people.
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.
Sports Medicine Physician: frequently asked questions
How much do Sports Medicine Physicians make?
Sports Medicine Physicians earn a median of $265,930 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 422% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $127.85/hr. The middle half earn between $102,930 and $378,770. The top 10% earn $452,360 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Sports Medicine Physician?
Yes, and beyond a bachelor's: BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry requirement for Sports Medicine Physicians. BLS also lists internship/residency as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 51.0% hold doctoral degree.
Is Sports Medicine Physician a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 2.5% over 2024–2034, about the same as the 3.1% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 9,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Sports Medicine Physician do?
Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses and address health maintenance. A core O*NET task: diagnose or treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Employers most often ask for Medical software, Office suite software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Sports Medicine Physicians the most?
The highest state medians for Sports Medicine Physicians are North Dakota ($454,550), Montana ($438,850), Maine ($419,410) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Sports Medicine Physician?
O*NET scores Sports Medicine Physicians highest on the Investigative, Social and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data with teaching, helping and working directly with other people. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ISFJ, ESTJ. 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 Sports Medicine Physician?
12 months of fellowship after residency. The non-operative path is a 3-year residency in emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine or pediatrics, or a 4-year residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation, followed by a 12-month fellowship. The operative path is a 60-month orthopaedic surgery residency followed by a 12-month orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship. BLS puts the general physician timeline at a bachelor's degree, 4 years of medical school, 3 to 9 years of internship and residency, and a fellowship of 1 to 3 years for subspecialisation.
Do you need a license to work as a Sports Medicine Physician?
Yes, and it is issued by the state you work in, not nationally. The licence is issued by a state medical board and is for the general, undifferentiated practice of medicine: US physicians are not licensed by specialty, so no state issues a sports medicine licence. What varies by state is the amount of postgraduate training required before a full unrestricted licence, which is one year in most jurisdictions and two or three in some. The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact offers a voluntary expedited pathway rather than a single multistate licence, and as of 31 July 2026 covered 44 member states and 2 US territories across 59 licensing boards, with several states having enacted it but not yet implemented it. Board certification is not required for a state licence, though FSMB notes that practical considerations such as obtaining hospital privileges lead most physicians to obtain it; federal rules at 42 CFR 482.12(a)(7) bar a Medicare-participating hospital from granting or denying privileges solely on the basis of board certification, while still allowing a hospital to require it in its bylaws alongside other criteria.
What exams do you have to pass to become a Sports Medicine Physician?
The Sports Medicine subspecialty certification examination and the Orthopaedic Sports Medicine subspecialty certificate examination. The single subspecialty examination behind the Sports Medicine certificate issued by ABFM, ABEM, ABIM, ABP and ABPMR. ABFM is responsible for examination development, administration, scoring and analysis. Initial certification always requires the traditional examination; the longitudinal Sports-LA option, 17 timed questions each quarter for 204 questions over three to four years, is only available for maintaining certification.