2026 Best Value Sports Management Schools in Georgia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in sports management, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Sports Management Schools
Leading the list is University Of Georgia, our #1 best value for sports management in Georgia. Located in the city of Athens, University Of Georgia is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,450 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $31,688. Sports Management graduates carry a median of $22,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, sports management degree recipients from University Of Georgia generally make around $36,359. Set against $22,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Georgia admits about 38% of applicants.
University Of West Georgia came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value sports management schools. Set in the town of Carrollton, University Of West Georgia is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,088 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $17,800. Sports Management graduates carry a median of $26,789 in student loans. Soon after graduation, sports management degree recipients from University Of West Georgia generally make around $46,432. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 52%.
Middle Georgia State University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value sports management schools. Middle Georgia State University is a large public school located in the city of Macon. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,038, compared with $16,390 for out-of-state students. Sports Management graduates carry a median of $26,976 in student loans. Soon after graduation, sports management degree recipients from Middle Georgia State University generally make around $48,207. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 100% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Clayton State University one of the best values for sports management. Clayton State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Morrow. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,180, compared with $16,532 for out-of-state students. Sports Management graduates carry a median of $35,088 in student loans. Early-career sports management graduates make about $42,114. Set against $35,088 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Clayton State University admits about 68% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in sports management will find it at Georgia State University, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Atlanta, Georgia State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,664, with out-of-state students paying around $24,840. Sports Management graduates carry a median of $26,091 in student loans. Soon after graduation, sports management degree recipients from Georgia State University generally make around $45,380. That is a strong return on a $26,091 median debt. The acceptance rate is 55%.
Georgia Southern University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value sports management schools. Located in the town of Statesboro, Georgia Southern University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,022, compared with $17,734 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for sports management graduates is $25,338. Sports Management graduates of Georgia Southern University earn a median of $38,334 early in their careers. Set against $25,338 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Shorter University came in at #7 for value in sports management this year. Shorter University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Rome. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $24,630. Typical student debt for sports management graduates is $26,000. Sports Management graduates of Shorter University earn a median of $24,291 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Shorter University admits about 96% of applicants.
Kennesaw State University came in at #8 for value in sports management this year. Set in the suburb of Kennesaw, Kennesaw State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,808, with out-of-state students paying around $17,736. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the sports management program here. Early-career sports management graduates make about $34,369. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 69%.
Emmanuel College Georgia landed the #9 spot for sports management value this year. Located in the rural area of Franklin Springs, Emmanuel College Georgia is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $25,500. Students borrow a median of $26,670 to complete the sports management program here. Early-career sports management graduates make about $30,093. That is a strong return on a $26,670 median debt. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
Berry College came in at #10 for value in sports management this year. Berry College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Mount Berry. In-state tuition and fees average $41,486. Typical student debt for sports management graduates is $24,931. Sports Management graduates of Berry College earn a median of $25,091 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,931 median debt. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
Covenant College earned the #11 position for value in sports management this year. Set in the suburb of Lookout Mountain, Covenant College is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $42,040. Typical student debt for sports management graduates is $23,700. Sports Management graduates of Covenant College earn a median of $37,404 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,700 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Reinhardt University ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best value sports management schools. Reinhardt University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Waleska. In-state tuition and fees average $30,074. Sports Management graduates carry a median of $28,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, sports management degree recipients from Reinhardt University generally make around $31,900. That is a strong return on a $28,000 median debt. Reinhardt University admits about 62% of applicants.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
[Sports Management](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/health-and-physical-education/sports-management/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong sports management education at a price that pays off.
