Those just starting out in the field may make nothing or just a few thousand dollars a year. Top performers can earn more than $2 million annually in prize money and other revenue from personal corporate sponsorships, product endorsements, merchandise sales, appearance fees, and creator codes.
E-sports professionals who are affiliated with a gaming league (such as the Overwatch League) earn salaries just like those paid to professional athletes in the NBA or MLB. Starting annual salaries in these leagues are roughly $40,000 to $50,000, although many leagues provide free housing (teams often live and practice together), free food, and other perks. Top players can earn anywhere from $300,000 to more than $1 million a year, but this varies greatly based on the size of the league and the games being played. Some leagues require their teams to provide players with health insurance and a retirement plan.
- Aerobics Instructors and Fitness Trainers
- Animators
- Athletic Directors
- Audio Recording Engineers
- Augmented Reality Developers
- Bicycle Mechanics
- Computer and Video Game Designers
- Computer Programmers
- Digital Agents
- Digital Designers
- E-Sports Coaches
- Exercise Physiologists
- Fitness Directors
- Graphics Programmers
- Health Club Owners and Managers
- Jockeys
- Metaverse Developers
- Motion Graphics Artists
- Multimedia Artists and Animators
- Multimedia Sound Workers
- Online Gambling Specialists
- Personal Trainers
- Product Development Directors
- Product Management Directors
- Product Managers
- Professional Athletes, Individual Sports
- Professional Athletes, Team Sports
- Race Car Drivers
- Recreation Workers
- Ski Resort Workers
- Software Application Developers
- Software Designers
- Software Engineers
- Software Quality Assurance Testers
- Special and Visual Effects Technicians
- Sports Agents
- Sports Broadcasters and Announcers
- Sports Engineers
- Sports Equipment Managers
- Sports Executives
- Sports Facility Managers
- Sports Instructors and Coaches
- Sports Photographers
- Sports Physicians
- Sports Psychologists
- Sports Publicists
- Sports Scouts
- Sports Trainers
- Sportswriters
- Stadium Ushers and Vendors
- Strength and Conditioning Coaches
- Talent Agents and Scouts
- Umpires and Referees
- Unity Developers
- User Experience Designers
- Video Game Art Directors
- Video Game Producers
- Video Game Testers