Earning the Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC®) credential turns years of coursework and clinical rotations into a career. The Board of Certification (BOC) exam is the gateway, and in most states, it also serves as the foundation for licensure.

In this guide, we’ll cover who the exam is for, the official eligibility requirements, how to apply, how long to study, what athletic trainers earn, how to keep your credential, and which certifications make sense to add later.

Who Should Take the BOC ATC Exam?

The BOC exam is designed for entry-level athletic trainers. Unlike many fitness or wellness certifications, you can’t sit for it based on work experience alone. It is the capstone of formal athletic training education.

You are the right candidate if you are:

  • A student in your final term of a Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE)-accredited professional athletic training program.
  • A recent graduate of a CAATE-accredited program who hasn’t taken the exam yet or needs to retake it.
  • An internationally credentialed athletic therapist or sport rehabilitator who qualifies through the BOC’s International Arrangement with approved partner organizations.

If you are a personal trainer, strength coach, or kinesiology graduate interested in athletic training, the BOC exam isn’t available to you yet. Your next step is to enroll in a CAATE-accredited program, now offered at the master’s level for entry into the profession.

What Are the BOC ATC Eligibility Requirements?

According to the BOC’s candidate page, you must be enrolled in or have completed a CAATE-accredited athletic training program. Students can apply once they are enrolled in their final semester or quarter before graduation, and the program director must endorse the application.

International Arrangement

Candidates credentialed through the BOC’s international partner organizations, the Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy Ireland (ARTI), the British Association of Sport Rehabilitators and Trainers (BASRaT), and the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association (CATA), may qualify after a credentials evaluation.

How to Apply and Register

The process follows the BOC’s exam windows, so plan backward from the window you want:

  1. Submit your exam application in the BOC’s online portal by the application deadline.
  2. Get program director approval. Your program director endorses your eligibility.
  3. Register for an exam window during that window’s registration period.
  4. Schedule your appointment at a Meazure Learning testing center.
  5. Test during the window, then watch for your results email about 2–4 weeks after the window closes.
  6. Complete your certification file after passing, including proof of graduation and a copy of your current Emergency Cardiac Care (ECC) card or certificate.

If you need testing accommodations, the BOC requires documentation and must receive your request by 5 p.m. Central Time on the registration deadline.

Fees

The BOC lists an application fee of $75 for National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) members and $100 for nonmembers ($125 for International Arrangement applicants). The exam registration fee is $375 for testing in the U.S. or Canada and $490 for international testing. Fees and deadlines can change, so confirm current amounts on the BOC candidate page before you apply.

How Long Should You Study for the BOC ATC Exam?

Most candidates do well with 8 to 12 weeks of focused study, often overlapping with their final semester. Your program has already covered the content, so now you need to organize it, find the gaps, and practice applying it under time pressure.

  • If your baseline is strong (roughly 70% or better on mixed practice), 6 to 8 weeks of targeted review may be enough.
  • If you are retaking the exam, or your baseline shows two or more weak domains, plan for the full 12 weeks or more and use your BOC domain feedback to guide your priorities.

A Sample 10-Week BOC Study Plan

  • Week 1: Take a mixed baseline quiz across all five domains. Download the PA8 content outline and rate yourself on each of the 25 tasks.
  • Weeks 2–3: Domain II, Assessment, Evaluation and Diagnosis (25.6%). Review special tests by body region, neurological screening, and referral criteria.
  • Weeks 4–5: Domain IV, Therapeutic Intervention (25.6%). Cover modality parameters and contraindications, rehab progressions, return-to-activity criteria, and general medical conditions.
  • Week 6: Domain III, Critical Incident Management (20.8%). Drill emergency action plans, primary survey, spine care, heat stroke, sudden cardiac arrest, and anaphylaxis.
  • Week 7: Domain I, Risk Reduction, Wellness and Health Literacy (20.0%). Focus on pre-participation screening, environmental guidelines, nutrition, and protective equipment.
  • Week 8: Domain V, Healthcare Administration and Professional Responsibility (8.0%). Study legal concepts, documentation, privacy laws, and the BOC Standards of Professional Practice.
  • Week 9: Take a full-length timed practice exam. Review every miss and tag it to a domain.
  • Week 10: Review your weakest areas, take short daily quizzes, and rest before exam day.

What Careers Can the BOC ATC Support?

Athletic trainers are health care professionals who prevent, assess, treat, and rehabilitate injuries and illnesses. The ATC credential opens doors in a wider range of settings than many people expect:

  • Secondary schools: Often the only on-site health care provider for student athletes.
  • Colleges and universities: Supporting NCAA, NAIA, and junior college teams.
  • Professional and Olympic sports: Team AT, head AT, or sports medicine staff roles.
  • Clinics and hospitals: Outreach ATs, physician extenders, and clinic-based rehab roles.
  • Industrial and occupational health: Injury prevention and early care for workers.
  • Military and public safety: Musculoskeletal care and performance programs for service members, police, and firefighters.
  • Performing arts: Dance companies, theater productions, and touring shows.

What Is the Salary for a Certified Athletic Trainer?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook, the median annual wage for athletic trainers was $62,520 in May 2025. Median pay varied by setting, from $61,060 in offices of physical, occupational, and speech therapists to $71,810 in arts, entertainment, and recreation.

The outlook is strong. BLS projects employment of athletic trainers to grow 13% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations, with about 2,400 openings per year. Your pay will depend on your setting, region, experience, and additional credentials.

How Do You Maintain the ATC Credential?

Certification maintenance runs on two-year reporting periods that end January 31. To stay certified, you need to:

  • Pay an annual certification fee ($50 for NATA members and $65 for nonmembers, per the BOC).
  • Maintain current ECC certification throughout the reporting period. ECC does not earn continuing education units (CEUs).
  • Follow the BOC Standards of Professional Practice.
  • Complete your renewal requirements.

Starting in 2026, newly certified ATs complete the BOC’s Continuing Professional Certification (CPC) Renewal through its Pathfinder platform. For ATs certified in 2026, the first prorated period requires 20 CEUs, one SMART professional goal, one learning path activity, and three of four multiple-choice question segments. Full cycles require 40 CEUs (with a minimum from Category A), two SMART goals, two learning path activities, and seven of eight question segments. See the BOC’s athletic trainer life cycle page for the details that apply to your certification year.

What Certifications Stack Well With the BOC ATC?

Once you have your ATC and some experience, these credentials build naturally on athletic training:

Some ATs also go on to graduate or doctoral study, such as a Doctor of Athletic Training (DAT) or a physician assistant program. Choose the path that fits the patients and setting you want to serve.

Start Preparing for the BOC ATC Exam With Pocket Prep

Whether you’re in your final semester or getting ready for a retake, Pocket Prep’s BOC ATC exam prep gives you 500 practice questions with detailed explanations and a full-length mock exam that mirrors the real 175-item test. Build Your Own Quiz lets you follow a domain-by-domain plan like the one above, and study reminders help you stay consistent. You’ve done the hard work to get here, and you’re closer to those three letters than you think.