Athletes and Sports Competitors Salary
The median pay for a athletes and sports competitors in St. Louis, MO-IL is $203,390/year, per BLS data. Entry-level positions start around $49K. BLS does not publish top-end wages for this occupation because they exceed the reportable ceiling. Note: the mean (average) wage is $435K, significantly higher than the median. This typically reflects a mix of employment settings including academic and private practice positions. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.09), that's roughly $213,892 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,218/month, or 10.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $203K get you in St. Louis?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by St. Louis’s Regional Price Parity (95.09). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About athletes and sports competitors
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What this looks like in St. Louis
St. Louis sits well above the national pay line for athletes and sports competitors, local pay runs about 205% higher than the U.S. median of $67K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,218/month, 10.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 95.09) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, St. Louis offers a genuinely strong financial position for athletes and sports competitorss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for athletes and sports competitors in metros near St. Louis, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | $79K | $85K |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $64K | $68K |
| Omaha | $34K | $38K |
| Wichita | $46K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, St. Louis, MO-IL
Entry-level athletes and sports competitors (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $203K. Top earners bring in N/A or more.
Athletes and Sports Competitors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Athletes and Sports Competitors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $254K | +281% | 390 |
| Missouri | $173K | +159% | 670 |
| Utah | $123K | +84% | 340 |
| Nevada | $120K | +80% | 160 |
| Texas | $81K | +21% | 1,840 |
| California | $79K | +18% | 830 |
| Florida | $79K | +18% | 1,360 |
| Georgia | $78K | +16% | 840 |
| Kansas | $64K | -5% | 170 |
| Kentucky | $63K | -6% | N/A |
| Virginia | $62K | -8% | N/A |
| Pennsylvania | $57K | -14% | 250 |
| Louisiana | $56K | -16% | 440 |
| Arizona | $50K | -25% | 940 |
| Maryland | $48K | -28% | N/A |
| South Carolina | $46K | -31% | 280 |
| Oklahoma | $44K | -34% | N/A |
| Ohio | $39K | -41% | 590 |
Showing 1–10 of 18 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track athletes and sports competitors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when St. Louis numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a athletes and sports competitor afford a 2BR apartment alone in St. Louis?
Yes — at the median salary of $203K, rent takes 10.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,218/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for athletes and sports competitors in St. Louis?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new athletes and sports competitors typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,944/month. At HUD’s $1,218/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 St. Louis?
Local pay is 205% above the national median — $203K here vs. $67K nationally.
How does St. Louis compare to the national average for athletes and sports competitors?
St. Louis pays $203K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s +205%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.09), the purchasing-power equivalent is $214K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do athletes and sports competitors make in St. Louis, MO-IL?
The median is $203,390 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,070, and experienced athletes and sports competitors can clear N/A. The mean (average) is $435,350, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $203K enough to live in St. Louis?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $11,873/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,218/month, which eats 10.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a athletes and sports competitors salary go in St. Louis?
St. Louis has a Regional Price Parity of 95.09 (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 $213,892 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.