Compensation
Median Pay
$47,320
National median annual wage for this occupation.
National Career Overview
Coaches and scouts
Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
National Median Pay
$47,320
Projected Growth
6.4%
Annual Openings
41,800
Career outlook
National Snapshot
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National
Employment
306,500
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Outlook
Projected Growth
6.4%
Projected employment change through 2034.
Opportunity
Annual Openings
41,800
Estimated openings created each year.
Pathway
Preparation
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
STEP 1
Education
Bachelor's degree
STEP 2
Experience
None
STEP 3
Training
None
Top Skills for Success
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Speaking & listening
98 / 100
98%
Leadership
94 / 100
94%
Project management
91 / 100
91%
Creativity & innovation
86 / 100
86%
Interpersonal
86 / 100
86%
Problem solving & decision making
86 / 100
86%
Critical & analytical thinking
81 / 100
81%
Adaptability
79 / 100
79%
Physical strength & stamina
64 / 100
64%
Writing & reading
64 / 100
64%
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Location Intelligence
Best Places for This Career
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
PRO
Best Metro Areas
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
- Top-paying cities
- Fast-growing markets
- Local opportunity rankings
CAREERGPS INSIGHTS
Career Analysis for Coaches and Scouts
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Is Coaches and scouts a Good Career?
Coaches and scouts work in a field that combines performance, strategy, and human development. With national employment of 306,000 and projected growth of 6.4%, this career offers a sizable footprint and an expanding job market. About 42,000 annual openings indicate ongoing demand for new and experienced professionals. The role draws heavily on people-focused strengths such as speaking and listening, interpersonal skills, leadership, and coaching-oriented problem solving. It also values creativity and innovation, critical and analytical thinking, and the ability to adapt in dynamic environments. Physical strength and stamina are important, reflecting the active nature of the work, while writing and reading support planning, communication, and evaluation. For those interested in related paths, options such as recreational therapists, entertainment and recreation managers (except gambling), recreation and fitness studies teachers, and other education or recreation-oriented roles offer additional directions to explore. Overall, this career fits individuals who want to blend communication, analysis, and long-term development of others in a competitive setting.
Coaches and Scouts Salary
Coaches and scouts have a national median annual salary of $45,920. Within this overall picture, pay can differ meaningfully by location. Among the top states by opportunity score, median salaries range from $47,110 in Colorado and $47,660 in California to $55,130 in Massachusetts and $59,920 in New York. At the metro level, some areas show even higher medians, such as $66,110 in the New York–Newark–Jersey City metro, $57,250 in San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, and $56,220 in Boston–Cambridge–Newton. Other leading metros, including San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont and Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, offer median salaries in the low- to mid-$50,000s. These figures suggest that earnings for coaches and scouts are noticeably shaped by region, with certain metros and states providing higher typical pay than the national median. Individuals interested in maximizing earning potential may want to pay close attention to location when planning their careers.
Job Outlook for Coaches and Scouts
The employment outlook for coaches and scouts reflects a combination of substantial current size and continued growth. National employment stands at 306,000, indicating a large existing workforce. Projected employment growth of 6.4% points to expansion over the coming period, rather than a static or shrinking market. In addition, an estimated 42,000 annual openings highlight ongoing opportunities for new entrants and for those advancing or moving between roles. These openings can come from a mix of growth and replacement needs. The combination of current employment, projected growth, and annual openings suggests that people exploring this field will encounter a variety of entry points across locations and settings. For individuals who develop the key skills associated with this occupation—such as leadership, communication, analytical thinking, and adaptability—the forecast points to a labor market with consistent hiring activity and room for both newcomers and experienced professionals to find positions.
Where Are the Best Opportunities for Coaches and Scouts?
Location plays a clear role in opportunity for coaches and scouts, with several states and metro areas standing out. Among states, California, Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Washington all have relatively strong CareerGPS opportunity scores, ranging from 56.29 in Washington to 67.38 in California. These states also differ in scale and pay: California shows the largest employment among them at 31,150, while New York offers the highest listed state median salary at $59,920. Massachusetts combines a median salary of $55,130 with a solid opportunity score of 65.87. At the metro level, New York–Newark–Jersey City and San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara top the list, with high opportunity scores above 77 and median salaries of $66,110 and $57,250, respectively. San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, and Boston–Cambridge–Newton also post strong scores and median salaries above $50,000. These patterns indicate that both state and metro choices can significantly influence job availability and typical pay.
Education for Coaches and Scouts
For coaches and scouts, the typical education requirement is a bachelor’s degree. This level of education supports the wide-ranging skill set associated with the occupation. Key skills include speaking and listening, leadership, and interpersonal abilities, which help with communication and building relationships. Problem solving and decision making, along with critical and analytical thinking, are central to evaluating situations and making informed judgments. Project management skills contribute to organizing activities and timelines, while creativity and innovation support developing new approaches. Adaptability is important for adjusting to changing circumstances, and physical strength and stamina align with the active, performance-oriented nature of the work. Writing and reading skills help with documenting plans, reviewing information, and communicating clearly. Together, a bachelor’s degree and this mix of skills prepare individuals to handle both the people-focused and analytical aspects of the role, and to pursue related paths such as recreation and fitness studies teaching, recreational therapy, or entertainment and recreation management (except gambling).
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