Athletes and Sports Competitors Salary
The median pay for a athletes and sports competitors in Pennsylvania is $57,100/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $166K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $60,124 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 35.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $57K get you in Pennsylvania?
About athletes and sports competitors
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Pay for athletes and sports competitors in Pennsylvania runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $67K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 35.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for athletes and sports competitorss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level athletes and sports competitors (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $166K or more, a $143K spread from bottom to top.
Athletes and Sports Competitors salary by metro in Pennsylvania
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $61K | +7% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track athletes and sports competitors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a athletes and sports competitor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 35.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for athletes and sports competitors in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new athletes and sports competitors typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,393/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 97% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is athletes and sports competitor a high-paying job in Pennsylvania?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $57K here vs. $67K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for athletes and sports competitors?
Pennsylvania pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — below the national median.
How much do athletes and sports competitors make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $57,100 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,220, and experienced athletes and sports competitors can clear $165,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,847/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 35.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a athletes and sports competitors salary go in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median athletes and sports competitors salary is worth about $60,124 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do athletes and sports competitors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.