What are the highest paying sports jobs? What are the best sports jobs? Read on.
Many people get involved in sports for its many advantages such as health and wellness benefits, fitness, recreation, metal effects and financial benefits. Sports is one of the most lucrative businesses ever known to man in the 21st century. From athletes that earn thousands of dollars weekly, to a whole lot of people gaining employment in the sporting industry as non-athletes, sports is serious business.
If it is the stuff of dream for you to have a career in sports without getting involved as a professional athlete, you are in the right place. SportyTell presents the top-20 best highest paying sports jobs that you can quickly get in 2020.
SEE ALSO: Top-10 Highest-Paid Sports In The World 2020
Table of Contents
The Best Highest Paying Sports Jobs Right Now
20. Recreation Worker
Recreation workers effectively manage parks, recreation centres and arenas where small scale sporting activities are performed. They create a pleasant sporting atmosphere, maintain, implement and are also at the frontline of the activities. Recreation workers may also function as guides or manage camping and hiking events. Usually, people who work in this field require a degree to serve effectively, but alternatively, part-time recreation workers may be experienced guides who can lead and communicate effectively. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2019, recreational workers may earn around $30,000 within a year.
19. Sports Vendor
Sports vendors may work with sports promotions, or freelance during a sporting event. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2019 wage data, sports vendors earned as much as $35,450 in annual mean wage.
18. Fitness Instructors
Fitness directors are in charge of wellness programs and schedules to help rehabilitate the physical health of athletes and non-athletes in sports. They may also serve as trainers or organizers for fitness-related programs or exercises. Fitness Directors may earn as much $45,000 per annum.
17. Sporting Event Planner/Coordinator
When sporting events are hosted by a particular city, state or country, event planners must also be involved. While these people are usually involved in organizing non-sporting events like parties or conferences, they also function in the sporting space. While a degree in event planning or related courses is acceptable, an associate course in a sports-related field will be more desirable. In the year 2021, the amount of employment opportunities in this field is tipped to increase by 50%. Sports event planners earn according to the size of the event planned, but employees under a firm earn an average of $50,000 per annum.
16. Scoreboard Operator
Scoreboard operators are needed in every sport to reflect the numbers deciding a particular game. Those in this field must be seasoned with using the technology gadgets used in the game and be fast enough to reveal the figures after a point, goal or referee decision. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2019 wage data, the average salary for a scoreboard operator is $56,900 per annum.
15. Referee/Umpire
Referees are arguably one of the most influential figures in any sport. From boxing or football to basketball or baseball, referees must be present to officiate every game. Referees must be upright and adept with making the right decisions in split seconds when they are needed and must be as good as being everywhere during a game. The importance of refereeing in sports continues to grow, and its demand in the sports labour market may not decline in years to come. The annual mean wage for a referee, umpire and other sports officials is estimated at $57,000.
14. Sports Analyst
Sports Analysts are those people who get involved with the numbers of sports. An analyst does the recording of goals, passes, touchdowns, points, rebounds, sacks and many other aspects of any game. The demand for sports analysts is on the rise and will continue to be in the future. Numerous sports teams are being created, athletes keep joining, and records keep being broken. Worthy of note is the reality that an inefficient analysis may reduce the interests of many in sports. According to ZipRecruiter, as of June 2020, the average salary for a sports analyst is $59,545 per year.
13. Photojournalist/Sports Photographer
Pictures preserve a sports memory for years, and photographers are responsible for these memories. These photographers capture events, athletes, venues and things used in sports. They may function as photojournalists or freelance as sports photographers or be employed in a media firm. Photographers may earn as much as possible as freelancers, but an amateur sports photographer that works with a firm may receive about $60,000 in a year.
12. Athletic Trainer
Trainers offer therapeutic services to athletes that may have issues with their muscular or skeletal system. They work with the medical teams of a sports team in hospitals. Athletic trainers may earn as much as $65,000 yearly or more and must possess a bachelor’s degree in the field as a prerequisite.
11. Sports Nutritionist
Athletes are always in constant lookout for means to remain healthy and continue functioning in full capacity for a long time. They may employ several services from medical-related practitioners which include sports nutritionists. Sports dieticians and nutritionists recommend diets or create a dieting schedule and ensure the athletes follow it strictly to achieve maximum results. They may be consultants or work with a medical firm. A bachelor’s degree or diploma is required, but a master’s or PhD is better to boss the labour market. The average pay for professionals in this field as of 2019 is $68,970 per annum.
10. Scout
Scouts sort for young and promising talents, plus valuable additions to sports teams and may get to discuss with them to join a club. These scouts travel far and wide and may watch keenly many matches to sort for the best. But the success in finding a new star for an employer is quite joyful. Due to the travelling inconveniences, these scouts may be faced with; their pay must be pretty encouraging. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2019 wage data, the average salary for a scout is $68,860 per year.
9. Sports Information Director
As par sports teams, data are gathered, but the information needs to be gotten across to its fans. An information director may work in sport media firms, sports teams and must be adept with getting information to the public at the right time, in the proper manner and through the right channel. A sports Information Director may earn around $40,000–$70,000 per annum.
8. Statistician
Sport is a field that requires data. Data must be accurate, and statisticians boss the affair of recording and evaluation of data. The market request for statisticians is projected to increase by 20% in 2021. The Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2019 wage data shows the average mean salary of a sports statistician to be $75,470 per annum.
7. Sports Psychologist
Sports may be a game of physicality, but a dull mind would be of no use in any sport. Sports require as much mental strength as physical strength. Sports psychologists make sure athletes are in the right frame of mind to achieve the heights they desire. Fans, opponents and pressure may distract an athlete or decline their performance, and this is an occurrence usually recorded in sports. The employment opportunity in this field is expected to increase by 25% in 2021. Regular psychologist employed by a health firm or in a sports team may earn about $80,000 a year. Consultants are likely to make higher.
6. Coach
The managers or coaches of any successful team must be leaders, mentors, good communicators, motivators and tacticians. Besides that, coaches should be able to identify new talents, be economical and financially adept. The coach’s job depends on the requirements and the agreement between the coach and the employers. As of 2019, the average mean salary for a coach is estimated at around $86,000 in a year.
5. Physical Therapist
When an athlete has suffered from a long term injury or injury resulting in abnormality to movements for some time, it is usually recommended to go through rehabilitation by therapeutic services. The therapist helps athletic patients to recover to their normal state after an injury or ailment. A license is required to operate in this field legally, and one must have earned a degree or desirably, masters. Therapists may earn as much as $85,000–$100,000 per annum.
4. Business Administration in Sports
Sports firms or professional teams sort for ways to maximize profits through sponsorship deals, endorsements or trades; all of which are typical features of any business. Business administrators will function well in this regard. Although a bachelor’s degree at least is required, a master’s degree or PhD is most desirable. Associate courses related to sports will edge a candidate over others in the labour market. Business administrators averagely earn $95,000 per annum.
3. Sports Agent
Agents are most responsible for the commerce aspect of sports. When athletes are traded, teams are sold or bought, and investments are made, facilities are traded, rented or leased the agents are those involved in the deals. An agent’s pedigree is mostly measured by their involvement in significant sales and earnings depending on such transactions. The sports agent career is notably one of the best highest paying sports jobs in the world right now. Agents may decide to freelance or preferably work with an agency. As of 2019, sports agents earned an average of $95,260. According to Goal.com, a football agent can earn somewhere around £1,200 to £550,000 per Premier League client per year.
2. Facilities Manager
Professional sports teams usually purchase a lot of facilities to aid their performances season-in-season-out. Facility managers may have an idea in engineering, architecture, economics or interior design to function effectively. Usually, a bachelor’s degree is required to manage a facility. Each year, new facilities are needed to be built, and existing ones may need significant repairs or maintenance; therefore, more facility managers are required. As of 2019, the annual mean salary for a facilities manager is $102,250.
1. Sports Marketing Specialist/Manager
Brands, teams, promotion firms, agencies and professional sports teams usually require the services of sports marketers. Marketers promote the publicity of any franchise and help in its profit-making department. Sports marketing employment opportunities are expected to increase by 25% in 2021, and marketers may function on a contract basis or as full-time staff for a firm. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2019, Marketing research analysts and marketing specialists earned an annual mean wage of $54,880. On the other hand, Marketing and Sales managers earned $123,950 in mean salary per year.
Conclusion
We hope that this article would help you find a sports career that is right for you. What are your thoughts on these best highest paying sports jobs in the world? Please share in the comments section below.
