by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 47 U.S. colleges awarded 572 degrees and certificates in Sports Studies. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 55% of graduates. College Factual ranks 20 schools in its 2027 Best Sports Studies Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $34,357 one year after completing, rising to $56,191 after four years.
Studying Sports Studies explores Sports Studies. A Program That Focuses On The Psychological, Sociological, And Historical Aspects Of Sport And Physical Activity. Includes Instruction In Theory Of Sport, Sport Psychology, Sport In American Society, Gender And Race/ethnicity And Sport, And Sports History. Examples: [Psychosocial Aspects Of Sport].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, sports studies draws strong interest, with 572 degrees awarded annually. 47 colleges award sports studies degrees, an average of 12 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 70.
By level, the 572 awards include 12 associate degrees, 315 bachelor’s degrees and 245 master’s degrees.
Women earned 44% of sports studies degrees and certificates in the latest year (251 of 572). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (349) and Black or African American (93), and international students earned 23.
College Factual ranks 20 schools in its 2027 Best Sports Studies Schools ranking, including 17 for bachelor’s degrees and 10 for master’s degrees. It also ranks sports studies schools within 10 states. In all, 47 colleges offer sports studies programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Sports Studies Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common sports studies credential is the bachelor’s degree: 315 of the 572 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to sports studies call most for Instructing, Speaking and Writing, and for knowledge of Education and Training, English Language and Computers and Electronics, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Expression and Speech Clarity.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a sports studies degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 12 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 315 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 245 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to sports studies, at 74.2%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 74.2% |
| Master’s degree | 20.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 5.0% |
Source: O*NET Online.
1 occupations are related to Sports Studies, with an average median salary of $84,688; the strongest outlook belongs to Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary, at 11.6% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Physical Education Professor (PE Professor), Health Professor, Exercise Instructor and Aquatic Instructor.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to sports studies, at 596,959.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 596,959 | 11.6% |
Sports Studies graduates earn a median $34,357 one year after completing their program, $56,191 after four years and $55,953 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $34,357 |
| 4 years | $56,191 |
| 5 years | $55,953 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to sports studies, with a median salary of $84,688.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | $84,688 |
Sports Studies has 5 similar majors in the Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness field, which together award 67,598 degrees a year; the largest are Exercise Science and Kinesiology (32,999), Sport and Fitness Administration/Management (18,948) and Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General (13,141). Browse all Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Exercise Science and Kinesiology | 32,999 |
| Sport and Fitness Administration/Management | 18,948 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General | 13,141 |
| Physical Fitness Technician | 1,451 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, Other | 1,059 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
