Sport Psychology Employment and Income Data: An Update

The availability of employment opportunities in sport psychology (SP) has been subject of much discussion, with anecdotal observations of increased opportunities within military and professional/collegiate athletics in the US (Mugford, 2017). The last review of the employment trends conducted by Meyers and colleagues (2001) indicated bleak prospects for stable careers in applied SP. Consequently, some argued that applied SP careers are an illusion (Martin, 2020). The purpose of the present study was to update employment and income data by surveying 333 primarily US-based, SP professionals (female n =174, 52.9%; male n = 155, 47.1%; median age = 36-40 years) via an online questionnaire. Three of four participants were certified (CMPC). The gross median income ranged between US$75,000-90,000. While, possession of a PhD was the most financially favorable vocational route, 31.7% practiced with a master's degree. Licensed mental health SP professionals reported significantly higher median income and were more likely to have PhDs compared to sport science trained SP professionals. Findings indicate promising trends for sport science trained individuals' pursuit of applied SP practice employment opportunities. Keywords: Employment; Hiring; Certification; Licensure; Professional Practice
The prevailing wisdom within the sport psychology (SP) community is that the field is growing and careers in applied practice are available. Little empirical data exists to support this perspective. [...]