by our College Data Analytics Team
If you’re a veteran, service member, or military-affiliated student looking to study sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. at the Master’s Degree level, you’ve come to the right place. The list below highlights 193 schools that serve veteran sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. students especially well, using our 2026 methodology.
Our ranking weighs the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students: affordability and veteran financial benefits (including GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon support), academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community. So you can compare your options, College Factual analyzed colleges nationwide, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Want to compare schools head to head? Check out our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
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Here are the top-ranked sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. colleges for veterans:
Leading the list is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, our #1 sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. college for veterans. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill scores 90.4 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. More about the sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. program at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Veteran students seeking a strong sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. program will find one at Ohio State University-Main Campus, which ranked #2. The school's overall veterans score is 89.9 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 100.0 veteran-support score. See the full sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. report for Ohio State University-Main Campus
James Madison University is a great choice for veterans pursuing sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness., landing the #3 spot this year. It scores 89.6 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. See the full sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. report for James Madison University
Veteran students seeking a strong sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. program will find one at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, which ranked #4. It scores 89.6 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, alongside a 100.0 veteran-support score. More about the sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. program at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of Georgia is a great choice for veterans pursuing sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness., landing the #5 spot this year. The school's overall veterans score is 89.3 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. More about the sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. program at University of Georgia
Rutgers University-New Brunswick placed #6 among the best sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. colleges for veterans. Rutgers University-New Brunswick scores 88.8 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, alongside a 100.0 veteran-support score. More about the sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. program at Rutgers University-New Brunswick
East Carolina University came in at #7 for veteran sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. students this year. The school's overall veterans score is 88.2 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 100.0. More about the sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. program at East Carolina University
University of Nevada-Las Vegas ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. colleges for veterans. University of Nevada-Las Vegas scores 87.6 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 100.0. More about the sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. program at University of Nevada-Las Vegas
University of Virginia-Main Campus landed the #9 spot for veterans pursuing sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness.. The school's overall veterans score is 87.5 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. See the full sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. report for University of Virginia-Main Campus
California State University-Long Beach came in at #10 for veteran sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. students this year. California State University-Long Beach scores 86.7 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 100.0 veteran-support score. More about the sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. program at California State University-Long Beach
University of Florida ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. colleges for veterans. It scores 86.4 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 100.0. Read more about sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. at University of Florida
Citadel Military College of South Carolina came in at #12 for veteran sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. students this year. It scores 85.4 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. Read more about sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. at Citadel Military College of South Carolina
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse placed #13 among the best sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 85.0 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. See the full sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. report for University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Texas Tech University placed #14 among the best sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. colleges for veterans. It scores 84.8 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. Read more about sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. at Texas Tech University
Boise State University came in at #15 for veteran sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. students this year. It scores 84.7 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 100.0. Read more about sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. at Boise State University
University of Connecticut came in at #16 for veteran sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. students this year. The school's overall veterans score is 84.3 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. See the full sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. report for University of Connecticut
Eastern Michigan University came in at #17 for veteran sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. students this year. It scores 84.3 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, alongside a 100.0 veteran-support score. More about the sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. program at Eastern Michigan University
Ohio University-Main Campus ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the best sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 84.1 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. See the full sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. report for Ohio University-Main Campus
University of Southern Indiana ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the best sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 83.8 out of 100. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. More about the sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. program at University of Southern Indiana
Miami University-Oxford landed the #20 spot for veterans pursuing sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness.. The school's overall veterans score is 83.6 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. More about the sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. program at Miami University-Oxford
University of Nebraska at Omaha landed the #21 spot for veterans pursuing sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness.. It scores 83.5 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 100.0. See the full sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. report for University of Nebraska at Omaha
Arkansas State University ranked #22 on our 2026 list of the best sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. colleges for veterans. Arkansas State University scores 83.4 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. See the full sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. report for Arkansas State University
Southern New Hampshire University ranked #23 on our 2026 list of the best sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. colleges for veterans. Southern New Hampshire University scores 83.3 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. Read more about sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. at Southern New Hampshire University
Illinois State University ranked #24 on our 2026 list of the best sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. colleges for veterans. It scores 83.0 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. More about the sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. program at Illinois State University
Texas State University landed the #25 spot for veterans pursuing sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness.. The school's overall veterans score is 83.0 out of 100. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. See the full sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. report for Texas State University
These sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness. colleges also placed near the top this year:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
Our ranking weighs the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students studying sports, kinesiology, and physical education/fitness.: affordability and veteran financial benefits (GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon), academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community.
These rankings are produced by College Factual, 2026 edition.
References
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.
