Esports Player
🎮Plays Dota 2, CS2 and other titles professionally: 8–10 hours of practice a day, match reviews, tournaments and streams.
Prospects & pay
What the work is like
💼 Job market
🇺🇸 $111.7k a year on average · +5.5% jobs by 2035 · 2,200 openings a year
Athletes and sports competitors — US: Census ACS 2020–24 (full-time), BLS projections 2025–35
🤖 AI & automation
AI bots help with practice and match analysis, but audiences watch people. The real risks are competition and a career that ends by 25–27.
Who it suits
Interests: 🏃 Sport and movement, 📱 Media, content, advertising, 📐 Maths and data.
Key strengths: logic, attention to detail, organisation.
Where to study
- Course High ranked play, team trials and tournaments from 15–16, then a club academy roster
- Bachelor's US/UK: university esports teams and scholarships
Key school subjects (A-level / IB / AP): Computer Science.
🧗 High ranking, teams and tournaments from 15–16, then a club academy roster. US and UK universities have varsity esports teams and scholarships. Very few make it, so have a backup plan.
Things to know
🪑 Sitting at a computer all day🎤 Public speaking, being on camera🧳 Frequent work trips🌙 Night shifts and on-call
Similar careers
Not sure what to choose?
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Take the quiz →Scales are expert estimates; tuition and admission rules are for 2026/27 from official sources — always check the university website.