Annual Salary
£20,000 to £60,000
Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Sports scientists use knowledge of how the body works to help people improve their health or sporting ability.
Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends; attending events or appointments
There will be
2.4% more Performance sports scientist jobs in 2027.
You could work with elite sports professionals, or in research, healthcare or industry. Your day to day tasks will depend on the type of organisation you work for.
You could:
You could work in an NHS or private hospital, on a sports field, at a research facility, in an office, at a client's business or at a fitness centre.
Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time.
You can get into this job through:
You could take a degree in sport and exercise science. Courses that cover the 3 foundation subjects of biomechanics, physiology and psychology, will keep your job options broad.
Alternatively you could do a degree in a science related subject followed by a postgraduate qualification in sports science.
This may include subjects like:
It's becoming more common for sports scientists to have or be working towards a postgraduate qualification.
Some universities will expect you to have studied physical education or a science subject like biology if you are studying A levels.
A BTEC diploma in sport and exercise science, an HND or Foundation degree in a relevant subject may also help you to gain entry to a degree in sports science.
You'll usually need:
Experience as fitness instructor, lifeguard, coach or through volunteering, for example with a sports club, may improve your career prospects.
It will help you stand out in a competitive jobs market if you have additional qualifications like:First Aid; gym instructing; safeguarding
You could join the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) and work towards accreditation. You could also apply for Chartered Scientist status.
You'll find more advice on careers in sports science from The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences and Careers in Sport.
You could find work with universities, schools and colleges, large sporting organisations, public and private enterprises and local authorities. It's also possible to become self-employed or to work as a consultant.
You could also move into a related career area, like sports development or performance testing and research.
You'll find more advice on careers in sports science from The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences.
You'll need: