Graduates of this program can become leaders in a variety of professional settings, including:
- Colleges, Universities, and High Schools
- Corporate Settings
- Health and Fitness Centers
- Hospitals and Clinics
- International Athletic Organizations
- Military
- Occupational Health
- Performing Arts
- Professional Sports
- Public Safety
- Sports Medicine Clinics
- U.S. Olympic Centers
Sports Medicine Clinics
This growing industry provides opportunities for certified athletic trainers to work with a variety of health care professionals and a range of patients. In addition to athletic injury rehabilitation, many clinics provide athletic training services for secondary schools.
Colleges and Universities
Certified athletic trainers' jobs in colleges generally fall into two categories:
- athletic department staff member providing athletic training services
- combination teacher/athletic trainer; the majority of colleges and universities require a master's degree
Professional Sports
In professional sports settings, certified athletic trainers work only one sport, such as football, baseball, basketball, or hockey. Although teams perform only a select number of months per year, ATCs work year-round in athlete conditioning and rehabilitation.
Industry Venues
Other athletic training employment opportunities include corporate health programs, health clubs, clinical and industrial health care programs, and athletic training education programs.
Research and Education
To advance the profession, many ATs, hold terminal degrees (Ph.D. or Ed.D.), teach and/or conduct research in sports medicine and athletic training.