120 New Athletic Trainer Jobs — Monday, April 20th, 2026 — Including a Concussion Spotter Position in the NFL

Welcome to the 16th Edition of the Athletic Trainer Finder Weekly Newsletter. This week 120 new athletic trainer jobs came across the market. But before we get into any of it — AT Finder crossed 2,000 subscribers this week. That milestone belongs to everyone reading this. Thank you for being part of it.

A few things on the board this week worth noting before the picks. The Cleveland Browns posted a part-time Athletic Trainer Spotter role — $125 per hour, home games only, NFL concussion protocol oversight from the video booth. It is not a full-time job but most ATs do not know it exists. If you are based in northeast Ohio and want high-level professional sports exposure alongside your primary role, that one is in the job board.

TBI Diagnostic Center in Federal Way, Washington posted something genuinely unlike anything else on the market this week — an AT role focused on diagnosing traumatic brain injuries using laser eye tracking, QEEG, and posturography technology. No prior diagnostic experience required, full training provided, Monday through Friday, $80,000 to $85,000. If you have been looking for a way into neurological health and clinical technology, this is a rare entry point.

And then there is the UC Davis Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Medicine, budgeted at $75,000 to $90,000. In California. Where the cost of living runs well above the national average and a one-bedroom apartment in Davis averages around $1,400 a month. Moving into athletic administration in a high-cost state is not always the financial upgrade people expect it to be. The full breakdown is in the picks.

Let’s get into the picks.

Please note, most of these job listings will only be available for viewing on AT Finder for 7 days after this publication goes live.

Certified Athletic Trainer  |  Fairfax County Public Schools

Fairfax County, VA  |  $73,205–$124,570 (Annual)

Same civil service salary band story as Prince George’s County last week — the ceiling looks exceptional until you understand the structure. This is a classification-based pay scale for one of the wealthiest and most well-resourced school districts in the country. The $73,205 floor is the realistic entry point; getting to $124,570 takes time and advancement within the district. The 220-day contract is worth noting — that is more defined structure than most secondary school AT roles offer. Fairfax County sits in the DC metro, which runs roughly 50% above the national average on cost of living. Ask specifically what grade step you would enter at and what the advancement path looks like before any number in this range feels real.

Assistant Athletics Director, Sports Medicine  |  University of California, Davis

Davis, CA  |  $69,600–$124,200 (Annual)

Two UC Davis roles in the same week — this one is the administrative track. Asst AD title, 25% administrative time built in, clinical teaching opportunities, and the same strong UC benefits package as the AT3 role. CE allowance confirmed. Pension and retirement savings plans available.  $75,000–$90,000 is the actual budgeted departmental range, which is the more useful number when evaluating what you would earn. As noted in the opener, $90,000 is the ceiling for an assistant-level administrative role in Davis, California.This feels low to me on scope alone—double down on the fact that cost of living runs roughly 22–30% above the national average with housing as the primary driver. It is considerably cheaper than the Bay Area or LA, but do not mistake “cheaper than San Francisco” for affordable. Run the housing math before accepting.

Athletic Trainer  |  Tesla

Fremont, CA  |  $27.60–$48.00/hr ($57,408–$99,840 Annually)

Tesla is hiring an AT for their Ergonomics Team at the Fremont manufacturing facility — injury prevention and first-aid treatment for a workforce the company explicitly frames as “working athletes.” Day-one medical with no payroll deduction. HSA contributions. 401(k) with employer match. Cash and stock awards on top of hourly pay — the stock component is the potential differentiator, ask directly what the award schedule looks like. Fremont is in Alameda County in the Bay Area and cost of living runs significantly above the national average. The converted ceiling at $99,840 is strong but housing is expensive. For an AT comfortable in industrial settings who wants a non-traditional employer with genuine upside compensation, this is worth a serious conversation.

Athletic Trainer — TBI Diagnostic Technician  |  TBI Diagnostic Center

Federal Way, WA  |  $80,000–$85,000 (Annual)

The most unusual role on the board this week. TBI Diagnostic Center is hiring an AT to operate advanced diagnostic technology — laser eye tracking devices, QEEG, and posturography machines — to help diagnose traumatic brain injuries. No prior diagnostic experience required; full on-the-job training provided. Monday through Friday. All travel expenses and accommodations covered for regional clinic visits across Washington state. The salary at $80,000–$85,000 is solid and Federal Way in the Seattle metro is more manageable than Seattle proper. For an AT interested in neurological health and clinical technology who wants to build a genuinely specialized practice area, this is a rare and legitimate entry point. Ask what physician oversight looks like day-to-day and what advancement looks like within the organization.

Athletic Trainer & Assistant Athletic Director  |  Boston University Academy

Boston, MA  |  $62,000–$82,000 (Annual)

AT plus Asst AD scope within a private high school inside the Boston University ecosystem. The standout benefit is tuition remission for graduate work at BU for both the employee and their dependents — in a city where graduate education is expensive, that benefit has substantial dollar value. Day-one access to D-I athletic training resources through the BU connection. Boston runs roughly 40% above the national average on cost of living — the $62,000 floor is tight there, the $82,000 ceiling is workable. August 2026 start date. No retirement disclosure listed. For an AT who wants to pursue graduate education while working, the tuition benefit may be the most financially meaningful element of this package.

What's Worth Noting This Week:

While we spend a lot of time analyzing salary benchmarks and medical model autonomy, there is a quieter shift happening in the secondary school setting that I’m seeing firsthand. As an AT in a high school, I’ve noticed a significant uptick in mental health case responses over the last few years. The training room has increasingly become a “safe harbor” where a physical injury is often just the entry point for a much larger conversation about anxiety, burnout, or identity.

The BOC and NATA just issued a final push for their Secondary School Mental Health Preparedness Microcredential. It’s more than just a 10-CEU course — it’s an attempt to standardize a “gray area” we’ve all been navigating on the fly. If you’re looking to bolster your clinical toolkit — or if you’re negotiating for a stipend to cover these increasing “extra” duties — here are the paths and price points worth having on your radar.

The NATA/BOC Microcredential

The most efficient play for the secondary school AT. Cost: $175 for NATA members, $500 for non-members. Value: 10 Category A CEUs and a digital badge that fits the new BOC CPC competency requirements.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)

If you want a credential your AD or Principal already recognizes, this is it. The universal language of crisis intervention in schools. Cost: Free to $170, often subsidized by school districts or state grants. Value: High name recognition with non-medical school administration.

ATs Care (CISM)

For those who want to support our own. Focuses on Critical Incident Stress Management — helping fellow ATs and teams navigate the immediate aftermath of a catastrophic event. Cost: Approximately $200–$300 depending on regional workshop host. Value: Specialized training in psychological first aid and peer-to-peer support.

Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC)

The high-level pivot. If you want to move into mental performance and mindset coaching at the elite or professional level, this requires significant graduate-level investment and supervised hours. Cost: $375 application fee plus 400+ supervised hours and specific graduate coursework. Value: The industry-standard credential for applied sport psychology.

Specialized Graduate Certificates

Programs like the University of South Carolina’s behavioral health certificate provide a deep clinical dive for ATs who want to lead their region in behavioral health referral bridges. Cost: Approximately $10,000–$12,000 total tuition for 18 credit hours. Value: Formal academic transcript and advanced clinical specialization in athlete-specific behavioral health.

Whether it’s through a formal microcredential or a specialized graduate certificate, the market is beginning to show that the ATs who can quantify their competency in behavioral health are the ones most likely to lead their departments — and protect their athletes — in the coming years.

I want to hear from the community on this one. Have you completed the NATA/BOC microcredential yet? If so, did you find the content clinically applicable to your daily workflow, or did it feel more like a checkbox for the new CPC requirements? Shoot me an email or leave a comment below — I’d love to share some of your feedback in a future newsletter.

Until next week — stop looking, start finding.