Sports Medicine Physicians Career, Salary and Skills
Sports Medicine Physicians have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $265,930 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 342,720. Wage data is published for 384 locations.
Occupation description
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
Typical education
Doctoral Degree
Experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$265,930
Hourly median
$127.85
Employment
342,720
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.62 | 5.12 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.25 | 4.38 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.25 | 4.88 |
| Active Listening | 4.12 | 4.62 |
| Speaking | 4.12 | 4.38 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.00 | 4.38 |
| Monitoring | 4.00 | 4.12 |
| Active Learning | 4.00 | 4.75 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.00 | 4.12 |
| Writing | 3.88 | 4.00 |
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Advise athletes, trainers, or coaches to alter or cease sports practices that are potentially harmful.
Technology
- 3D motion analysis software
- Allscripts PM
- athenahealth athenaCollector
- Automatic Data Processing AdvancedMD EHR
- Benchmark Systems Benchmark Clinical EHR
- Bizmatics PrognoCIS EMR
- CareCloud Central
- Cerner PowerWorks Practice Management
- eClinicalWorks EHR software
- Email software
- Epic Practice Management
- Epic Systems
- GalacTek ECLIPSE
- GE Healthcare Centricity Practice Solution
Sports Medicine Physicians salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Sports Medicine Physicians Salary in TXMedian $269,800 · Employment 30,720
- Sports Medicine Physicians Salary in CAMedian $281,590 · Employment 25,530
- Sports Medicine Physicians Salary in PAMedian $217,310 · Employment 23,800
- Sports Medicine Physicians Salary in FLMedian $262,180 · Employment 23,390
- Sports Medicine Physicians Salary in OHMedian $297,440 · Employment 21,160
- Sports Medicine Physicians Salary in ILMedian $132,540 · Employment 20,790
- Sports Medicine Physicians Salary in New York, NYMedian $265,930 · Employment 17,210
- Sports Medicine Physicians Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $94,820 · Employment 16,950
- Sports Medicine Physicians Salary in NYMedian $242,500 · Employment 16,600
- Sports Medicine Physicians Salary in NCMedian $260,330 · Employment 14,080
- Sports Medicine Physicians Salary in Dallas, TXMedian $222,410 · Employment 13,580
- Sports Medicine Physicians Salary in MIMedian $155,480 · Employment 13,150
Related careers
- Nurse PractitionersNational median $132,300
- Naturopathic PhysiciansNational median $115,210
- Ophthalmologists, Except PediatricNational median $300,080
- Obstetricians and GynecologistsNational median $292,910
- Pediatricians, GeneralNational median $210,040
- Physical TherapistsNational median $102,760
- DermatologistsNational median $328,730
- NeurologistsNational median $248,560
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.