Junior hockey coaches get paid a lot more than their high school counterparts.
According to the latest data from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual income for a junior hockey coach is $76,250. That’s more than double the average annual income for a high school athletic director ($34,600), and more than triple the average annual income for an elementary school principal ($29,800) and an average high school teacher ($34,900)
The reason is simple. Junior hockey is a much more lucrative sport than high school sports. Simply put, the players are bigger, stronger, and much more determined to succeed. They also usually have more experience. For those reasons, the pay raises for junior hockey coaches.
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The Evolution Of Coaching
The average salary for a high school athletic director has increased by 29 percent since 2004, but the pay for a junior hockey coach has increased by 52 percent in the same time frame. That makes sense given the differences in the sports.
In 2004, the average salary for an athletic director was $47,500 and the average salary for a junior hockey coach was $40,800. As of 2018, those numbers have risen to $61,400 and $76,250 respectively.
The evolution of coaching is clear when comparing the earnings of high school basketball and hockey coaches. Take a look
- Basketball: The average annual income for a basketball coach increased from $43,100 in 2004 to $51,500 in 2018.
- Hockey: The average annual income for a hockey coach increased from $41,000 to $52,750 in the same time frame.
That’s a 76 percent increase in average income for a hockey coach, compared to a 29 percent increase for a basketball coach. While the pay for a high school basketball coach is on the rise, the pay for a hockey coach has increased faster. Why? Hockey is a much more popular and lucrative sport than basketball, and there are more jobs available. As of 2018, there were 12,700 coaches for a men’s major hockey team and 10,100 for a women’s team. There are only 13,600 high school boys’ basketball teams in the country, and 16,400 high school girls’ basketball teams. In comparison, there are 16,000 adult men’s ice hockey teams and 12,400 women’s ice hockey teams. There are also 10,100 boys’ soccer teams and 7,000 girls’ soccer teams. All of this adds up to a lot more opportunities for professional growth for young hockey coaches.
The Rising Cost Of Coaching
Another factor driving the pay for junior hockey coaches is the cost of living. Since 2004, the cost of living in general has increased while the pay for a high school coach has remained relatively flat.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of living in Washington increased by 34.9 percent from $100.60 to $135.00 between 2004 and 2018. The price of food and beverages increased by 41.6 percent and the price of gasoline increased by 28.1 percent. While rents increased by 23.9 percent, the salary for a high school coach remained stagnant at $40,800.
On the other hand, there are a lot of costs associated with being a professional sports coach. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for a women’s college basketball coach was $63,640 in 2018. For a college football coach, it’s $59,540, and for a men’s college basketball coach, it’s $53,660.
Given those numbers, it’s clear that young coaches leaving college don’t want to go into low-paying coaching jobs. They want to move up quickly in their careers and earn a decent salary.
The Biggest Salary Differential
With more opportunities for young coaches, there’s also a sizable salary differentials between schools. As noted, junior hockey is a much more popular and lucrative sport than high school sports. This is also true for men’s and women’s athletics. In general, the boys’ teams earn more money than the girls’ teams. For example, the average annual income for a boys’ ice hockey team is $54,000 and a girls’ ice hockey team is $38,250. In comparison, the average annual income for a men’s soccer team is $40,600 and a women’s soccer team is $28,300. The numbers are similar for a men’s basketball team and a women’s basketball team.
One of the factors driving the pay difference is the size of the schools. Since 2004, the average size of high schools has increased from 1,600 to 1,800 students. Junior hockey is a year-round sport, so the coaches are always available for practice. That means there’s always someone earning money from the sport even during the school year. The combination of big schools and the year-round nature of the sport creates a competitive environment which leads to bigger salaries for the junior hockey coaches.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the pay for high school coaches is stagnant, but the pay for junior hockey coaches has increased faster than that of high school coaches. This is because junior hockey is a much more popular and lucrative sport than high school sports, and there are more jobs available for junior coaches.
Even though the number of head coaching positions is increasing, there’s still a shortage of qualified candidates ready to take those jobs. This limits the number of schools able to offer competitive salaries.