Funding The Dream: Women Olympic Athlete’s Day Jobs

To be regarded professionally as one of the best athletes from your country comes with so many perks. Unfortunately, pay is not one of them. The statistics show that many Olympians have a day job to make ends meet. Learn more about women Olympic athlete’s day jobs and how they’re working hard to represent their country.

In a 2024 report published by the Commission on the State of U.S. Olympics & Paralympics, 26.5% of athletes surveyed said they earned less than $15,000 per year. Almost half of high-performing athletes, 49.7%, said they did not earn any compensation for their participation in the Olympic or Paralympic games.

From bartender and birthday clown to software analyst, these Olympians have been dedicated to fulfilling their potential and living their purpose.

Boxer Morelle McCane has worked various hourly, flexible jobs to get to the 2024 Paris games. Those jobs have ranged from birthday party clown to mailroom worker and daycare supervisor. She told the Houston Chronicle, “You just have to find what you can for the moment sometimes. Because the good-paying jobs, they want you around for a long time, so you just have to find something that you can get, get quick and keep that income coming in.”

Women’s canoe sprint debuted at the 2020 Winter Olympics in Tokyo. At 19, Nevin Harrison became the sport’s second-youngest female champion, earning a gold medal. She put her studies at San Diego State University on the back burner to train for the 2024 Paris games, where she placed silver. In addition to being a student, she’s worked part-time at a bar to support herself.

Olympic gold medalist in wrestling Tamyra Mensah-Stock signed a contract with WWE for financial stability. “I don’t have to prove myself competitively with them (WWE),” she told the Houston Chronicle. “Like, ‘OK, you got first. OK, you got second. Here’s your bonus.’ It’s not like that with WWE. I don’t have to constantly win their affection over.”

Judo Paralympic silver winner Maria Mutia is a software analyst at Comcast. She told Team USA, “Before a fight, I’m very, very aware that there is never any risk. Let’s say I go out and lose, oh no, I get to go back to my nice apartment and my comfy corporate job.”

While training for the 2020 Tokyo games, Mutia was a full-time college student and intern, working for low wages. “It would be nice not to go to sleep for dinner,” she told the Houston Chronicle.

These women Olympic athlete’s day jobs vary in industry, but they all helped these amazing sportswomen compete at the highest level.