NATA Survey Results

Page 1

(The following is a reproduction of the article as it appeared in the February 2001 issue of NATA News)

Feature

News Note

Survey Offers Statistics Useful for NATA Members

The 1999-2000 membership survey garnered a high response rate and results that reflect the demographics of the profession.  Find out how the numbers have changed since the previous query.

By Valerie Hunt;  NATA News

Athletes in schools continue to be the largest patient population for certified athletic trainers according to the 1999-2000 NATA membership survey.

Survey results show 23 percent of NATA members work in high schools, while another 11 percent serve the high school population through employment in a clinic.

The college/university setting -- with Divisions I, II, and III as well as junior colleges reporting -- is home to 25 percent of  NATA members, while clinics employ an additional 14 percent of members in settings other than high schools.

NATA members also are increasingly well educated.  The survey showed 60 percent have attained a master's degree or above, while another 32 percent hold  bachelor's degrees.

Other traits of the "typical" survey participant include:

• Full-time athletic trainer employment;
• Primary job duty of injury prevention/rehabilitation and/or injury assessment;
• Have been in current job less than six years;
• Ages 25-39;
• Work a median of 50 hours per week.

Survey results also reveled that women comprise 43 percent of the membership.

Of members who work in school setting -- be it secondary of higher education -- about 53 percent are teachers as well as certified athletic trainer.

While these numbers offer insight to the demographics of the membership, data involving salaries offer welcome news.

According to the survey, about 30 percent of all NATA members earn more than $40,000 while 42 percent earn $35,000 or more.

A rising number of members are offered benefits and/or bonuses as well, with just more than 78 percent receiving them, compared to 62 percent in 1998.

Reimbursement also is gaining ground.  The 1999-2000 survey revealed that employers receive third-party reimbursement for the work of 13 percent of the membership.

The data were compiled using a questionnaire sent to 1,500 NATA members via regular mail an 1,500 members via e-mail.  Participants were randomly selected to provide an appropriate cross-section both geographically and demographically.

The surveys drew 46 response rate for those who received a paper survey and a 37 percent rate for those who received an electronic survey.

According to Industry Insights, the Ohio-based research and consulting firm that conducted the survey, the response rates produced a 2.7 percent margin of error.

For details about athletic training salaries, refer to the graphs on the following pages.

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