Coaches and Scouts
Coaches and Scouts (SOC 27-2022) earn a median $47,320 a year in the United States, with 248,950 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New Jersey.
What coaches and scouts do
Coaches and scouts teach or coach groups or individuals in the basics of a sport, mainly so they can compete, and demonstrate techniques and methods of taking part. Scouts may evaluate athletes' strengths and weaknesses as possible recruits. Coaches plan, organize, and run practice sessions, provide training direction, encouragement, motivation, and nutritional advice, adjust their techniques to athletes' strengths and weaknesses, and teach individuals or groups the rules, game strategies, and performance principles of a sport. They plan strategies, choose team members for games or seasons, and analyze opposing teams to develop game strategies. Those working with student athletes also monitor academic eligibility and counsel them on academic, athletic, and personal issues. Anyone required to hold a teaching certification is reported in the appropriate teaching category, and athletic trainers are excluded and counted separately. Related titles in O*NET include baseball coach, athletic scout, and basketball coach.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Athletic Coach, Athletic Instructor, Athletic Scout, Athletics Teacher, Baseball Club Manager.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 248,950 |
| Annual | $28,790 | $35,330 | $47,320 | $64,710 | $98,860 | $60,160 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where coaches and scouts earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 5,670 | 1.32 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $39,720 | $49,690 | $76,700 | $98,710 | $121,960 | $81,840 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 630 | 0.89 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $36,400 | $42,960 | $65,360 | $106,340 | $136,000 | $83,290 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,550 | 1.32 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $23,310 | $34,460 | $60,960 | $80,700 | $194,130 | $86,520 | ||||
| Vermont | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 630 | 2.07 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $37,240 | $46,930 | $59,990 | $79,040 | $102,800 | $65,930 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 11,220 | 1.16 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $34,890 | $45,310 | $59,920 | $79,050 | $104,000 | $69,580 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 31,150 | 1.71 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $35,920 | $38,260 | $47,660 | $64,220 | $92,150 | $62,020 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 18,120 | 1.83 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $29,830 | $31,860 | $39,370 | $61,730 | $90,000 | $53,780 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 15,300 | 1.09 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $22,340 | $28,840 | $36,510 | $52,050 | $78,720 | $52,350 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 13,150 | 2.37 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $28,280 | $31,200 | $46,530 | $60,940 | $81,760 | $57,470 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 11,790 | 3.32 | 2.07 |
| Annual | $37,180 | $40,160 | $48,030 | $62,350 | $85,590 | $58,690 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Corvallis, OR | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 120 | 3.17 | 1.98 |
| Annual | $37,250 | $51,070 | $81,290 | $175,420 | $728,420 | $193,180 | ||||
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 350 | 1.48 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $38,500 | $50,640 | $74,620 | $100,160 | $138,080 | $84,130 | ||||
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 90 | 0.52 | 0.33 |
| Annual | $40,390 | $51,340 | $74,000 | $90,900 | $100,120 | $74,130 | ||||
| Albany, OR | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 50 | 1.03 | 0.64 |
| Annual | $34,630 | $45,360 | $66,520 | $81,530 | $106,710 | $68,120 | ||||
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 150 | 1.44 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $32,580 | $41,530 | $66,250 | $138,750 | $653,490 | $160,700 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 10,930 | 1.15 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $38,830 | $49,140 | $66,110 | $93,620 | $115,450 | $77,790 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 10,850 | 1.73 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $36,160 | $37,180 | $47,450 | $63,620 | $86,070 | $60,370 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 6,780 | 1.50 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $32,310 | $36,230 | $50,350 | $88,560 | $122,720 | $70,020 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 5,630 | 2.70 | 1.69 |
| Annual | $37,640 | $43,990 | $49,640 | $62,400 | $85,810 | $60,490 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 5,380 | 2.27 | 1.42 |
| Annual | $39,270 | $43,950 | $54,770 | $73,270 | $102,150 | $73,890 | ||||
Top industries employing coaches and scouts
Other Schools and Instruction employ 24.5% of coaches and scouts nationally (61,090 jobs) at a median $38,360 a year, followed by Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (22.1%) and Elementary and Secondary Schools (20.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Schools and Instruction NAICS 611600 | 61,090 | 24.5% | $38,360 | * |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 55,010 | 22.1% | $52,470 | * |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools NAICS 611100 | 51,110 | 20.5% | $47,670 | * |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries NAICS 713900 | 46,660 | 18.7% | $46,900 | * |
| Spectator Sports NAICS 711200 | 15,930 | 6.4% | $62,570 | * |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (248,950). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $38,970 for coaches and scouts in May 2021 and $47,320 in May 2025, with employment of 193,740 and 248,950.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $38,970 | * | 193,740 |
| May 2022 | $44,890 | * | 218,970 |
| May 2023 | $45,910 | * | 238,980 |
| May 2024 | $45,920 | * | 250,940 |
| May 2025 | $47,320 | * | 248,950 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey profile | * | $76,700 | $39,720 | $121,960 | 5,670 | 1.32 | 0.83 |
| 2 | District of Columbia profile | * | $65,360 | $36,400 | $136,000 | 630 | 0.89 | 0.56 |
| 3 | Louisiana profile | * | $60,960 | $23,310 | $194,130 | 2,550 | 1.32 | 0.82 |
| 4 | Vermont profile | * | $59,990 | $37,240 | $102,800 | 630 | 2.07 | 1.29 |
| 5 | New York profile | * | $59,920 | $34,890 | $104,000 | 11,220 | 1.16 | 0.72 |
| 6 | Hawaii profile | * | $55,860 | $37,040 | $116,120 | 760 | 1.22 | 0.76 |
| 7 | Massachusetts profile | * | $55,130 | $35,940 | $109,380 | 6,310 | 1.74 | 1.08 |
| 8 | Connecticut profile | * | $54,790 | $34,010 | $105,170 | 4,070 | 2.40 | 1.50 |
| 9 | Rhode Island profile | * | $53,630 | $34,580 | $101,000 | 1,170 | 2.34 | 1.46 |
| 10 | Arizona profile | * | $53,130 | $36,880 | $99,850 | 4,120 | 1.27 | 0.79 |
| 11 | West Virginia profile | * | $52,050 | $31,040 | $101,530 | 910 | 1.29 | 0.81 |
| 12 | New Hampshire profile | * | $51,490 | $31,540 | $102,550 | 870 | 1.27 | 0.79 |
| 13 | Nevada profile | * | $51,020 | $25,410 | $105,920 | 2,390 | 1.54 | 0.96 |
| 14 | Maryland profile | * | $50,590 | $32,820 | $110,620 | 3,960 | 1.44 | 0.90 |
| 15 | New Mexico profile | * | $49,980 | $32,660 | $111,220 | 590 | 0.68 | 0.42 |
| 16 | Wyoming profile | * | $49,420 | $26,900 | $108,220 | 470 | 1.68 | 1.05 |
| 17 | Iowa profile | * | $49,350 | $19,010 | $97,980 | 3,410 | 2.19 | 1.37 |
| 18 | Illinois profile | * | $49,120 | $31,200 | $122,720 | 8,840 | 1.45 | 0.91 |
| 19 | Oregon profile | * | $48,960 | $34,860 | $101,140 | 3,930 | 2.00 | 1.25 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania profile | * | $48,730 | $21,170 | $119,060 | 8,170 | 1.35 | 0.84 |
| 21 | Georgia profile | * | $48,210 | $27,190 | $80,900 | 4,510 | 0.92 | 0.58 |
| 22 | Minnesota profile | * | $48,050 | $29,480 | $87,910 | 4,680 | 1.59 | 0.99 |
| 23 | Washington profile | * | $48,030 | $37,180 | $85,590 | 11,790 | 3.32 | 2.07 |
| 24 | Montana profile | * | $48,020 | $22,530 | $79,000 | 990 | 1.93 | 1.21 |
| 25 | Nebraska profile | * | $47,810 | $28,940 | $94,920 | 1,180 | 1.15 | 0.72 |
| 26 | California profile | * | $47,660 | $35,920 | $92,150 | 31,150 | 1.71 | 1.07 |
| 27 | Colorado profile | * | $47,110 | $31,990 | $86,950 | 4,120 | 1.43 | 0.90 |
| 28 | Michigan profile | * | $47,050 | $25,960 | $101,970 | 7,910 | 1.80 | 1.12 |
| 29 | Idaho profile | * | $46,600 | $28,240 | $98,020 | 1,410 | 1.64 | 1.02 |
| 30 | Ohio profile | * | $46,530 | $28,280 | $81,760 | 13,150 | 2.37 | 1.48 |
| 31 | Virginia profile | * | $46,290 | $25,810 | $84,680 | 6,810 | 1.66 | 1.03 |
| 32 | Utah profile | * | $45,680 | $23,330 | $95,000 | 2,940 | 1.69 | 1.06 |
| 33 | Delaware profile | * | $45,200 | $31,800 | $93,320 | 600 | 1.23 | 0.77 |
| 34 | Wisconsin profile | * | $44,800 | $28,010 | $76,370 | 5,480 | 1.86 | 1.16 |
| 35 | Indiana profile | * | $44,480 | $25,270 | $100,180 | 5,960 | 1.86 | 1.16 |
| 36 | North Carolina profile | * | $43,840 | $25,130 | $87,060 | 8,530 | 1.73 | 1.08 |
| 37 | Maine profile | * | $43,640 | $31,270 | $102,780 | 1,060 | 1.65 | 1.03 |
| 38 | South Carolina profile | * | $42,950 | $17,880 | $103,010 | 3,310 | 1.44 | 0.90 |
| 39 | Kansas profile | * | $42,900 | $15,080 | $82,540 | 3,300 | 2.30 | 1.44 |
| 40 | Missouri profile | * | $42,790 | $28,910 | $79,480 | 4,730 | 1.61 | 1.01 |
| 41 | Alaska profile | * | $41,170 | $30,150 | $68,840 | 350 | 1.08 | 0.68 |
| 42 | Oklahoma profile | * | $41,160 | $19,450 | $105,980 | 2,420 | 1.42 | 0.88 |
| 43 | Florida profile | * | $39,370 | $29,830 | $90,000 | 18,120 | 1.83 | 1.14 |
| 44 | Arkansas profile | * | $38,930 | $25,720 | $78,010 | 2,070 | 1.58 | 0.99 |
| 45 | Tennessee profile | * | $37,780 | $22,990 | $81,080 | 6,250 | 1.91 | 1.19 |
| 46 | North Dakota profile | * | $37,100 | $24,330 | $75,210 | 1,180 | 2.76 | 1.72 |
| 47 | Texas profile | * | $36,510 | $22,340 | $78,720 | 15,300 | 1.09 | 0.68 |
| 48 | South Dakota profile | * | $36,360 | $28,270 | $64,280 | 1,290 | 2.82 | 1.76 |
| 49 | Kentucky profile | * | $35,570 | $21,810 | $75,710 | 2,800 | 1.40 | 0.87 |
| – | Alabama profile | * | * | * | * | 3,140 | 1.48 | 0.93 |
| – | Mississippi profile | * | * | * | * | 1,770 | 1.52 | 0.95 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (27-2020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 27-2022 Coaches and Scouts.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked. A withheld or top-coded median in that table shows the marker explained above.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them. A withheld or top-coded cell in that table shows the marker explained above.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 27-2022, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 27-2022.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.