Why We Love It
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$40,050Potential Avg. Salary
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5.9%Job Growth Rate
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Growing DemandJob Outlook
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Deal MakingCareer Attribute
Football scouts discover, evaluate, and recruit promising new players for college and professional football teams. They investigate a variety of sources to identify promising players, evaluate the skills and fit of players for their teams, meet with promising players, and arrange for incentives to entice recruits.
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What is a Football Scout?
The following job responsibilities are common for individuals in football scout roles:
- Stay on top of high school and college football news from teams all over the country to identify promising new players
- Evaluate the skills of promising football players by watching them play games live or reviewing recordings of previous games
- Meet with football players and their families to discuss the merits of their program and boast the benefits to a player’s career and/or education
- Review prospective players’ talents with team coaches to evaluate fit with the existing team
- Develop incentives to entice recruits to join football programs
A Day in the Life
Football scouts play a crucial role in the talent and success of a college or professional football team by recruiting new players for the team. Football scouts spend the majority of their time reading football news and watching football games to identify promising players to recruit into their programs. Once they’ve identified a player of interest, the football scout conducts a thorough investigation to ensure that the player being considered has the talent and attitude to succeed in a football program.
When evaluating a promising player, the football scout watches recordings of previous games and travels to watch the player’s games in person. He/she shares finding with the coach of the football team to get the coach’s input on whether or not the player will make a good fit. The scout also meets with the potential recruit and his/her family to evaluate interest and determine if the player has the right attitude and maturity needed for success on a college or professional football team.
Once the scout has determined that a recruit is a good decision, he/she prepares incentive packages to entice the recruit to join the scout’s program. At the college level, incentive packages are highly governed by the NCAA, but scouts may arrange for scholarships or other educational benefits. At the professional level, scouts have much more flexibility in the incentive packages they’re able to offer. The scout determines what the player wants through discussions, and then works with team/school leaders to arrange for a recruitment package that will entice the player to choose their program over others.
Typical Work Schedule
Most football scout roles are full-time positions that require irregular work schedules—such as nights and weekends—and frequent travel. Scouts may work overtime regularly during busy recruitment seasons, but may be able to work reduced schedules during slow recruitment cycles.
Projected Job Growth
Increased interest in college and professional football is expected to create an increased demand for football scouts in the coming decade. As smaller colleges and professional programs seek to garner the attention a successful football program provides, they’ll need to hire scouts to recruit impressive players to join their teams.
Typical Employers
Football scouts are commonly hired to work for colleges, universities, and professional football teams.
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How To Become a Football Scout
There are a variety of paths one might take to become a football scout. Some take a more traditional approach of playing football, coaching football, and then becoming a scout later in their careers. Because these individuals have been involved in the game for so long, they know exactly what to look for in a promising player—the right attitude, the right skills, and the right fit for a team. While many scouts earned a college degree during this progression, it’s not as crucial as talent and ability.
Other scouts may have never had the opportunity to play football and pursue seemingly unrelated bachelor’s degrees like business, marketing, or psychology. However, their love of football and in-depth knowledge from years of being fans of the game allow them to succeed as football scouts because they’re adept at identifying great players. Scouting is more than just identifying talent. Scouts read a lot of news, write a lot of reports, and evaluate players on both a physical and emotional level, so seemingly unrelated degrees can often provide the education needed to perform their roles successfully.
Beyond working to gain an in-depth knowledge of football, scouts should consider looking for internships at colleges or with professional teams to get their foot in the door and start making connections in the field. Even an entry-level position with a college athletics program or professional team can put you into contact with decision-makers and influencers. By discussing your aspirations with these influencers and proving your dedication and talents, you may be able to work your way up into high-visibility scouting roles over time.
Football Scout Salary Data
We’ve provided you the following to learn more about this career. The salary and growth data on this page comes from recently published Bureau of Labor Statistics data while the recommendations and editorial content are based on our research.
National Anual Salary
Low Range
$20,140Average
$40,050High Range
$70,050National Hourly Wage
Low Range
---Average
---High Range
---How do Football Scout salaries stack up to other jobs across the country? Based on the latest jobs data nationwide, Football Scout's can make an average annual salary of $40,050, or --- per hour. This makes it an Above Average Salary. On the lower end, they can make $20,140 or --- per hour, perhaps when just starting out or based on the state you live in.
Salary Rankings And Facts
#530 Nationally for All Careers
Programs and Degrees
Here are the most common degrees for becoming a Football Scout. a is usually recommended and specifically a degree or coursework that prepares you for the particular field, see below.
Highest Education Among Football Scouts
- 2.2% Doctorate
- 14.2% Masters
- 42.7% Bachelors
- 7.9% Associates
- 21.5% College
- 9.8% High School
- 1.7% Less than High School
Job Growth Projections and Forecast
2014 Total Jobs
250,6002024 Est. Jobs
265,400Job Growth Rate
5.9%Est. New Jobs
14,800How does Football Scout job growth stack up to other jobs across the country? By 2024, there will be a change of 14,800 jobs for a total of 265,400 people employed in the career nationwide. This is a 5.9% change in growth over the next ten years, giving the career a growth rate nationwide of Below Average.
Growth Rankings And Facts
#379 Nationally for All Careers
What Companies Employ The Most Football Scouts
| Industry | Current Jobs | New Jobs Needed | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other schools and instruction; private | 44,400 | 7,700 | 8% |
| Elementary and secondary schools; local | 43,900 | -2,000 | -2% |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; private | 31,000 | 2,400 | 2% |
