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143 New Athletic Trainer Jobs — Monday, March 23rd, 2026
- Kyle Peckham
- Mar 23
- 6 min read
Welcome back to another edition of the Athletic Trainer Finder Weekly Job Digest. This marks our 12th Edition and this week we had 143 new athletic trainer jobs come onto the market. The second biggest week on the board since we launched, meaning things might be heating up as we head into the busiest hiring season of the year.
The major highlight of the week was on the collegiate side in Southern California. There is a USC fellowship on the board this week paying up to $112,370 annually. Let that land for a second. A fellowship, typically one of the more exploited structures in this profession, posted with a real salary, a real range, and a real floor. That matters because we started this month talking about a Division I ACC program in Charlottesville that rebranded an intern position as "seasonal," advertised pay at $19 an hour, added experience requirements, stripped the benefits, and decided that was the standard they wanted to set. USC looked at the same market, the same profession, the same pool of qualified candidates, and posted something entirely different. One of those schools is setting a real and fair standard. The other is hiding behind a title change.
Beyond the fellowship, the rest of the week held up. Texas school districts with salary ceilings approaching $96,000. A tenure-track faculty appointment at West Chester University. Pay transparency had its best week yet — 55 of 101 full-time postings listed salary. We have been hovering around 45% and while that number should be 101 out of 101, things are moving in the right direction.
Let's get into the picks.
Athletic Trainer, Fellow | University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA | $68,640–$112,370 (Annual)
The highest salary ceiling on the market this week belongs to a fellowship — which is worth sitting with. USC is offering entry into high-level collegiate football medicine at a compensation range most head AT positions at smaller programs never reach. The floor is strong, the ceiling is exceptional, and the role covers the full spectrum of athletic medicine including surgery referrals and therapeutic program design. It's a fixed-term appointment, so clarity on duration and the pathway to permanent employment is the first question to ask. Master's degree and BOC certification required. For a recent graduate with the right background, this is one of the more compelling fellowship structures posted this year.
Faculty Athletic Trainer (Tenure-Track) | West Chester University
West Chester, PA | $65,088–$111,389 (Annual)
Tenure-track faculty appointment for a clinical AT without traditional teaching responsibilities — that combination is genuinely rare. The base salary range is competitive on its own, but the total package is what separates this. Up to $7,000 in additional seasonal compensation, $2,500 in professional development funds in year one, $1,500 each academic year after, and tuition waivers for self and dependents. For an experienced AT who wants to move into higher education without leaving clinical practice behind, this is a structure worth pursuing seriously. Ask specifically what scholarly or research output is required to maintain tenure-track status — that answer will define what the job actually looks like day to day.
Head Athletic Trainer | Royal Independent School District
Brookshire, TX | $67,600–$96,278 (Annual)
A ceiling approaching $100,000 at a secondary school is not something you see often. The wide band signals real salary negotiation based on experience. Full program leadership role — coordinating and supervising the entire athletic training program under team physician direction. Texas licensure required, two to five years experience. Before accepting, get clarity on two things: whether you are the sole AT on staff, and what the teaching certification requirement actually translates to in terms of classroom time. Both will significantly shape the day-to-day reality.
Athletic Trainer | Harlandale Independent School District
San Antonio, TX | $67,596–$94,309 (Annual)
Another Texas ISD posting with a ceiling close to $95,000, reflecting experience-based placement on the district pay scale. Full program coordinator role with supervisory responsibility over student assistants. BOC certification and Texas licensure required. The key question before pursuing: if you are the only certified AT covering a full high school athletics program, that ceiling needs to justify the coverage load. Get a clear picture of how many sports, how many athletes, and whether any additional support exists before you get to an offer conversation.
Athletic Trainer Senior Associate | University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY | $57,158–$94,286 (Annual)
Women's Basketball at a Power Four program. The floor sits below $60,000 but the ceiling at $94,286 and the senior title earn inclusion. Administrative scope is explicitly listed — EMR management, physician scheduling, insurance coordination — which signals this is more than a clinical assignment. Five years experience and a Master's required. Travel with the team is part of the job. Ask what happens to clinical coverage for non-traveling athletes while you're on the road — if that gap isn't staffed, it creates real pressure that will define your off-days.
Athletic Trainer (SMIP) | Hughston Clinic
Kāneʻohe Bay, HI | $71,750 (Annual)
Flat salary, clearly stated. Supporting the Marine Corps' Sports Medicine Injury Prevention Program at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Five years experience and a Master's required. The civilian contractor structure within a military setting offers schedule stability most outreach roles don't. Do the Hawaii cost-of-living math honestly before accepting — $71,750 in Kaneohe Bay is a different financial reality than the same number on the mainland. For an AT interested in military or tactical medicine, this is a well-defined and legitimate entry point.
VERIFIED ROLES OF THE WEEK
The following salary ranges have been independently confirmed by the employer
Full-Time
Part-Time
What's Worth Noting This Week:
As we head into the final week of National Athletic Training Month the most consequential professional development of the month happened last Friday — and it happened without a NATM hashtag.
Alabama and South Dakota both enacted legislation this past week joining the Athletic Trainer Interstate Compact. Alabama's SB160 passed the Senate 30-0 and was signed into law. South Dakota's HB1149 passed 32-2 and Governor Larry Rhoden signed it on Friday. Two states, two bipartisan votes, one week. The compact requires at least seven states to join before it takes effect — every enactment moves that threshold closer.
What the compact actually does is straightforward. A licensed AT in a member state can practice in any other member state without applying for a separate license. That means an AT who takes a job across state lines doesn't start over with the licensure process. A traveling team from a member state has covered medical care when they cross state lines. Workforce gaps in one state can be filled by licensed professionals from another without a months-long credentialing delay.
The practical implications for job seekers are real. If your state joins the compact, your license becomes more portable — which means the job market you're evaluating expands. If you work in a setting that involves travel or telehealth across state lines, the administrative burden of maintaining multiple licenses goes away. For employers trying to fill positions quickly, the compact removes one of the most common friction points in hiring qualified ATs from out of state.
The compact is not fully active yet. Seven states must enact the model legislation before privileges can actually be used. But momentum is building fast in the 2026 legislative session, and the profession ends National Athletic Training Month with its licensure infrastructure more connected than it was 31 days ago.
That is what professional progress looks like. Two states, one week, and a structure that makes it easier for athletic trainers to work where they are needed most. Keep an eye on your state's legislative session — when it joins the compact, the pool of opportunities you're evaluating every Monday morning gets significantly larger.
Until next week — stop looking, start finding.
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