Developing Mission-Focused Athletic Trainers

In our American culture where sports are so dominant, having qualified health leaders is essential for the safety of the athletes.

Understanding this need, Cedarville University began its first cohort of the Master of Athletic Training program in 2022 to equip students to meet an increasing demand for athletic trainers nationwide.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, athletic trainer positions are projected to increase 14% by 2032, with an average projected increase of 2,500 new openings each year. Dr. Michael Weller, interim dean of the school of allied health and psychology and associate professor of athletic training at Cedarville, believes this increased demand is a result of new emerging practices. 

“For decades, athletic training has been practiced at the high school, college and professional sports levels. Those jobs still exist, but now we’re seeing new jobs emerge,” said Weller. “Industrial medicine, performance or dance medicine and physician practices to name a few.  There are more openings because there are more emerging settings.”

As these new practices emerge, employers are looking for qualified trainers. As the demand increases, salaries have also gone up and more students are interested in the field of athletic training.  

"We already have people reaching out to us, asking when our students will be graduating,” said Weller. “There's absolutely a market for our students."

The Master of Athletic Training program at Cedarville University is well-equipped to prepare students to meet the demand. Although the program is new, Weller believes the transition went smoothly because of the caliber of Cedarville’s curriculum. 

“Students in our program have been viewed as being some of the best and brightest in the industry, and this hasn’t changed,” said Weller. “We were already teaching advanced skills to our undergraduate students for more than 27 years.”

According to Weller, several athletic training programs are trying to catch up because of the new mandate for a master’s degree for athletic trainers. Weller noted that 99% of Cedarville University graduates are employed within six months of graduation according to a 2022 study that was released by Cedarville’s career services department.

To continue meeting the need for athletic trainers, Cedarville's graduate school is currently recruiting for the summer 2023 cohort of its Master of Athletic Training program. To learn or apply, visit Cedarville Athletic Training.