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Career

Coaches and Scouts

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Instruct or coach groups or individuals in the fundamentals of sports for the primary purpose of competition. Demonstrate techniques and methods of participation. May evaluate athletes' strengths and weaknesses as possible recruits or to improve the athletes' technique to prepare them for competition. Those required to hold teaching certifications should be reported in the appropriate teaching category.

Kinds of work

  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $47,320 Median per year Most earn $28,790–$98,860

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Plan strategies and choose team members for individual games or sports seasons.
  • Adjust coaching techniques, based on the strengths and weaknesses of athletes.
  • Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of opposing teams to develop game strategies.
  • Coordinate travel arrangements and travel with team to away contests.
  • Serve as organizer, leader, instructor, or referee for outdoor and indoor games, such as volleyball, football, and soccer.
  • Keep and review paper, computerized, and video records of athlete, team, and opposing team performance.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
6% more jobs by 2035, faster than average · about 36,400 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools24.0%
  • Other schools and instruction20.5%
  • Elementary and secondary schools17.8%
  • Self-employed (their own business)8.3%
  • Fitness and recreational sports centers8.0%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Coaching usually isn't a job you start straight out of school. Most people earn a bachelor's degree, then spend a few years as an assistant or volunteer before becoming a coach, so plan on roughly 6 to 8 years from high school. Your results are just a starting point, and you can explore this path while you're still in school.

  1. Bachelor's degree in kinesiology, physical education, or sports management

    4 years

    You learn how the body moves, how to teach skills, and how sports programs are run, which is the foundation for coaching.

  2. Assistant Coach

    2-4 years

    You help a head coach plan practices, teach fundamentals, watch and evaluate athletes, and build experience with real teams.

  3. Coach

    You lead a team or individual athletes, teaching techniques, preparing them for competition, and judging their strengths and weaknesses as recruits or for improvement.

Where it can lead

  1. Fitness and Wellness Coordinator

    2-4 years of experience first

    You move from coaching a team to planning wellness and fitness programs for a group, organization, or community, which usually means more planning and managing other staff.

  2. Training and Development Manager

    4-6 years of experience first

    You lead teaching and skill-building programs for a larger group, using the same teaching skills from coaching, and you take on more management responsibility.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology, health, and anatomy classesThese classes teach how the body works and how injuries and training affect performance, which coaches use every day.
  • Join a sports team and take on a leadership roleBeing a team captain or peer leader shows you how to motivate others and communicate during games and practice.
  • Help coach a youth team or sports campWorking with younger kids lets you practice explaining skills and figuring out what each athlete needs.
  • Get a starter job at a rec center, YMCA, or summer campThese jobs teach you to supervise groups, plan activities, and keep people safe and engaged.
  • Earn a first aid and CPR certificationCoaches are often responsible for athlete safety, so this shows you take that responsibility seriously.

In college

  • Major in kinesiology, exercise science, or physical educationThese majors give you the science and teaching background that employers expect for coaching jobs.
  • Volunteer as an assistant coach for a local youth or club teamHands-on coaching experience is what turns into assistant coach jobs after graduation.
  • Work or intern at a campus recreation or athletics departmentYou'll see how athletic programs are organized and build references from people who run them.
  • Take a coaching or sports-specific certification courseMany schools and towns offer coaching education courses that show you have formal training in teaching and safety.
  • Build relationships with your college's coaches and athletic staffCoaches often hire former players and students they know, and they can share advice and openings.

Tips for getting started

  • Volunteer to coach a youth team, camp, or rec league now. Hands-on experience with real athletes counts a lot when you apply for assistant jobs.
  • Keep notes on what you learn from your own coaches, like how they run practice and give feedback. Those habits are what teams look for.
  • Get certified in first aid and CPR early. Many youth and school programs ask for it, and it's usually inexpensive and quick to finish.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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