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 15, 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
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.
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.