2026 Best Sports Management Schools in Washington
Sports Management degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for sports management students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Sports Management in Washington
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the sports management degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Sports Management
Leading the list is Central Washington University, our #1 school for sports management. Located in the town of Ellensburg, Central Washington University is a very large public university. Roughly 54% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 26 sports management degrees were awarded at Central Washington University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, sports management degree recipients from Central Washington University generally make around $48,410. Central Washington University graduates carry a median of $17,848 in student loans.
More information about a degree in sports management from Central Washington University
Students looking for a strong sports management program will find one at Washington State University, which ranked #2. Set in the town of Pullman, Washington State University is a very large public institution. Roughly 60% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 66 sports management degrees were awarded at Washington State University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, sports management degree recipients from Washington State University generally make around $30,815. Students borrow a median of $20,981 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in sports management from Washington State University
Gonzaga University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best sports management schools. Gonzaga University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Spokane. About 86% of students finish within six years. Gonzaga University awarded about 54 sports management degrees in the most recent data year. Sports Management graduates of Gonzaga University earn a median of $40,897 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $25,188.
More information about a degree in sports management from Gonzaga University
A rank of #4 makes Pierce College At Fort Steilacoom one of the top schools for sports management. This large public university is located in the city of Lakewood. About 23 sports management degrees were awarded at Pierce College At Fort Steilacoom in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, sports management degree recipients from Pierce College At Fort Steilacoom generally make around $39,975. Students borrow a median of $17,154 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in sports management from Pierce College At Fort Steilacoom
More Sports Management Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 9 schools evaluated.
- 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.
