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Sports management—the art and business of running winning teams and spectacular events. Whether you’re itching to make a difference at the community league level or dreaming of jumping into the national sports scene, a sports management degree sets you up for the win.

Sports management roles include team managers, scouting staff, administrators, coaches, stadium or gym managers, marketers, event planners, and more. The average annual salary across the board for sports management professionals is $55,000, although where you work matters. For example, in Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia, salaries for sports managers typically top $100,000. Some sports management job offers require a bachelor’s in sports management. For those that don’t require it, the degree marks you as a candidate with a solid investment and commitment to your chosen field.

Sports management internships can play a key role in your career preparation for a wide range of sports management careers. Internships for students could involve anything from managing a bike race to running a box office to coaching a school baseball academy—the opportunities are many, and constantly changing. (The right program, such as the bachelor’s degree program Post University has to offer, can help you get a leg up on your search for both an internship and a long-term career.)

Where Business Meets Sports: What Can You Do with a Sports Management Degree?

Want to know your options in sports management careers? Curious about the job outlooks and the sports management salary you may expect for different job titles? You’re in the right place.

Here are some of the hottest careers on the market with a general idea of their salary range. The numbers, drawn from the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, are only averages. Salaries can vary, of course, because there are so many variables in these careers.

Sports Agent

Top athletes need agents to represent them. As an agent, you might handle contracts for athletes including terms and conditions of employment, salaries and bonuses, as well as endorsement contracts and special appearances. You may also act as a consultant regarding client financial decisions.

Multiple athletes in a number of states might become your clients, so it’s likely you’ll travel. And working in the sports industry keeps your schedule moving. If you’re looking for a career that differs from the ordinary desk job, you’ll find it as a sports agent.

Salary: $60,000-$90,000

Sports Marketing Pro

A sports management degree is especially vital in a sports marketing career. From entry-level work in ticket sales to connecting teams with lucrative sponsorships, sports marketing is an exciting, fast-moving field. And it’s indispensable to the success of athletes and teams. There are so many ways to pursue this career, including:

  • Content production—an interesting type of marketing that can be applied at all levels of sports, from high school to college to professional league sports.
  • Event and tournament planning—handle travel bookings and manage the team’s public relations initiatives.
  • Brand management—these experts organize events, marketing collateral, slogans, logos, and advertising campaigns.
  • Sports information department—making sure media outlets get press releases, updates and statistics.

Aspiring sports marketers majoring in the field take business courses plus courses in communications, PR, and marketing. Public relations skills in the digital age include not just shaking hands and speaking in public, but also managing content for the web and social media.

Salary: $40,000-$128,000

Coaches & Scouts

Coaches make a big difference in the performance and even the character formation of young athletes. Chances are it was a coach who first inspired you to love your sport.

Sports scouts are the talent finders. They spot talent on high school and college teams. And this is another growth area in the sports management space.

These jobs are expected to increase 11% in this decade, much faster than the rate for other jobs. For coaches, the rise is driven by high levels of high school and college student. Scouts will be recruited by schools as they strive to keep up with the rising levels of student participation and demand. Games often happen outside the traditional 9-to-5 work hours.

If you’re good with the odd hours and travel, you are likely to find attractive jobs in this area.

Salary: $34,000

Athletic Director or Athletic Administrator

Administrative and director positions involve putting the best people in place to create and run a winning team or venue. A high school or college athletic director handles the budgeting and logistics, and keeps training and playing schedules running smoothly. To reach your personal best in sports administration, a sports management degree is priceless.

Alternatively, you could use a Sports Management degree to manage a gym, allowing you to oversee a business or form your own brand. You’ll want to take courses in business formation and become proficient in basic accounting, tax, and trademark policy.

Salary: $58,000-$113,000

Youth Sports Coordinator or Sports Camp Director

Young athletes need strong, caring, enthusiastic role models to succeed in their sport and in life. No one makes more of a difference in a young person’s outlook than youth sports mentors, coordinators, and directors. You might opt for a career in your community youth sports league or direct a camp for aspiring athletes.

Local parks and recreation agencies and school systems also look for youth sports coordinators. If teaching young people the value of commitment and excellence is what you’d love to do, a sports management degree will put you in the lead.

Salary: Ranges from $37,000 for starting positions to more than $60,000 for directors.

SCORE! For Your Future, With a Sports Management Degree

Why is a degree from Post University a score for your personal and professional future? It’s an investment that pays off. Regardless of inflation, recession, or economic downturn, sports management is a strong and enduring career.

Because there are so many career paths in sports management, there are a number of ways to customize your sports management degree. The basic bachelor’s degree covers what you need to know in business, economics, and marketing. Beyond the basics, fine-tune your degree to include course work and sports management internships in the areas that inspire you most. Athletic directors and coaches might take physical education classes as well as the business curriculum, for example.

If you have a knack for the business and organizational sides of sports, a degree in sports management from Post University could be the perfect game plan. We know you have questions. That’s why we’re here. Contact us and we’ll be right with you!