Thought Leadership v5

Why most pro track and field athletes work regular jobs.

🗓 Thursday July 10th, 2025

Did you know that many professional track and field athletes work regular jobs? It’s often required for these athletes to work full-time, 9-to-5 jobs outside of their training due to the limited opportunities to earn a living in our sport. 

You may have heard about Jacory Patterson, a world-class track and field athlete who spoke out about how he works night shifts at UPS in order to make ends meet. Having to work full-time hours on top of full-time training is a harsh reality for many pros in track and field.

Unlike the NBA, NFL, WNBA, and other major leagues, track and field does not currently offer a league structure that guarantees annual salaries for athletes. Some of the top and most marketable athletes will have sponsorship deals with brands like Nike and Adidas, earning income based on performance and having other means of support from the brand, like free apparel, coverage for meet fees, etc. However, fixed annual “salaries” are often very minimal, with many contracts involving performance-based clauses.

Further, the window for earning in track and field at the professional level is relatively short. With only a couple of high-revenue-generating meet opportunities, this adds a huge amount of pressure on the athletes to be in top shape during the season. This increases the importance of having a separate full-time job during the off-season or even when an athlete gets injured. 

Talent alone does not pay the bills in our sport. Making good money from track and field requires a balance between both performance and capitalizing on personal branding.