Athletes and Sports Competitors Salary
The median pay for a athletes and sports competitors in Virginia is $61,500/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $67K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $64,880 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 40.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Virginia. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $62K get you in Virginia?
About athletes and sports competitors
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What this looks like in Virginia
Athletes and sports competitors pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $62K locally vs. $67K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 40.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level athletes and sports competitors (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $67K or more, a $11K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track athletes and sports competitors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a athletes and sports competitor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 40.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/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 Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new athletes and sports competitors typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,368/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $62K locally vs. $67K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for athletes and sports competitors?
Virginia pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — below the national median.
How much do athletes and sports competitors make in Virginia?
The median is $61,500 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,130, and experienced athletes and sports competitors can clear $67,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,036/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 40.8% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $64,880 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.