Careers / Sports Medicine Physicians

Sports Medicine Physicians — Career Decision Dashboard

United States

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Median annual wage

$265,930

United States, 2025

Employment

342,720

United States, 2025

Typical education

Doctoral Degree

Job Zone 5

Skills identified

35

10 related careers

Career overview

Diagnose, treat, and help prevent injuries that occur during sporting events, athletic training, and physical activities.

O*NET code
29-1229.06
Job zone
5
Experience required
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years

Typical tasks

  • Advise athletes, trainers, or coaches to alter or cease sports practices that are potentially harmful.
  • Coordinate sports care activities with other experts, including specialty physicians and surgeons, athletic trainers, physical therapists, or coaches.
  • Observe and evaluate athletes' mental well-being.
  • Evaluate and manage chronic pain conditions.
  • Diagnose or treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
  • Order and interpret the results of laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging procedures.
  • Record athletes' medical histories, and perform physical examinations.
  • Refer athletes for specialized consultation, physical therapy, or diagnostic testing.

Choose a location

Salary analysis — United States

$69,170
10th
$102,930
25th
$265,930
Median
$378,770
75th
$452,360
90th

10th percentile

$69,170

25th percentile

$102,930

75th percentile

$378,770

90th percentile

$452,360

Most important skills

  • Reading Comprehension4.6
  • Critical Thinking4.3
  • Judgment and Decision Making4.3
  • Active Listening4.1
  • Speaking4.1
  • Social Perceptiveness4.0
  • Active Learning4.0
  • Monitoring4.0
  • Complex Problem Solving4.0
  • Service Orientation3.9
  • Writing3.9
  • Coordination3.9

What skills do you need?

Select the skills you already have

Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.

Skill coverage

0%

0 of 20 identified skills

Matched

0

Missing

20

Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.

Skills to develop

SkillImportanceRequired levelYour levelGap
Reading Comprehension4.65.1Not selected5.1
Critical Thinking4.34.9Not selected4.9
Active Listening4.14.6Not selected4.6
Active Learning4.04.8Not selected4.8
Judgment and Decision Making4.34.4Not selected4.4
Speaking4.14.4Not selected4.4
Social Perceptiveness4.04.4Not selected4.4
Monitoring4.04.1Not selected4.1
Complex Problem Solving4.04.1Not selected4.1
Service Orientation3.94.0Not selected4.0
Writing3.94.0Not selected4.0
Coordination3.94.0Not selected4.0
Systems Evaluation3.83.9Not selected3.9
Learning Strategies3.64.0Not selected4.0
Instructing3.63.8Not selected3.8
Systems Analysis3.43.8Not selected3.8
Time Management3.53.6Not selected3.6
Persuasion3.33.9Not selected3.9
Science3.33.8Not selected3.8
Negotiation3.03.0Not selected3.0

Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.

Related careers

How salary varies by location

LocationMedianEmploymentYear
Burlington, VT$517,9001502025
Texarkana, TX$516,930902025
Mansfield, OH$478,0201702025
Grants Pass, OR$460,430402025
ND$454,5507402025
Bismarck, ND$454,5501202025
Boulder, CO$453,4601102025
Topeka, KS$451,9105002025
Portland, ME$442,7906902025
MT$438,8505802025
Muncie, IN$436,300902025
Green Bay, WI$435,4204302025
Lawrence, KS$432,860802025
Chattanooga, TN$429,9003302025
Decatur, IL$429,3402025
Champaign, IL$423,2604802025
Mankato, MN$421,630802025
Santa Rosa, CA$421,4902702025
ME$419,4101,3402025
Fargo, ND$418,9803302025
All locations with published data

Career transition paths

Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Sports Medicine Physicians to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.

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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0.

Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).

Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.