Best colleges for kinesiology and exercise science, ranked by value
Rice University ranks first of 459 colleges for kinesiology and exercise science value; its graduates' median earnings 4 years after the bachelor's degree are $87,404 (College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025).
Kinesiology and exercise science bachelor's programs ranked by value: graduate earnings against debt, net price and completion.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard field of study, reporting year 2025 · 459 colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026
#1 for kinesiology and exercise science
Houston, TX
- Earnings
- $87,404
- 4 yrs after
- Net price
- $11,164
- per year
- Grad rate
- 95%
- six years
At a glance
- Colleges ranked
- 459
- Of 936 with a kinesiology and exercise science bachelor's program in the data.
- Median graduate earnings
- $53,707
- 4 years after the bachelor's degree, at the median ranked college.
- Median federal debt
- $21,500
- Borrowed at the college by kinesiology and exercise science graduates.
- Median average net price
- $18,314
- What aided first-year students pay a year after grants.
What the data shows
Key findings
459 colleges qualify. At the median one, kinesiology and exercise science graduates earn $53,707 4 years after graduating, and the average net price is $18,314 a year.
Rice University ranks first with a value score of 96: graduates earn $87,404 and the average net price is $11,164.
Public colleges hold 22 of the top 25 places.
How the value score is weighted
- Graduate earnings40%
- Average net price25%
- Debt-to-earnings20%
- Graduation rate15%
Each part is a percentile among ranked colleges, so a score of 80 means better than 80% of them on that measure. Full methodology
Top 25 by value score
The ranking
Every figure behind each rank is shown. Filter by state, public or private, and net price; ranks stay national.
Top 25 of 459 ranked colleges.
- Rank 1
Rice University
Houston, TX · Private nonprofit · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
96.0Value score- Earnings
- $87,404
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- —
- not reported
- Net price
- $11,164
- per year
- Grad rate
- 95%
- Graduates
- 32
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 100.0
- Net price
- 87.1
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- not reported
- Graduation
- 100.0
- Rank 2
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
91.6Value score- Earnings
- $67,782
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $15,000
- Net price
- $13,042
- per year
- Grad rate
- 86%
- Graduates
- 188
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 94.3
- Net price
- 79.5
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 97.1
- Graduation
- 96.9
- Rank 3
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
91.1Value score- Earnings
- $79,411
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $20,234
- Net price
- $14,362
- per year
- Grad rate
- 93%
- Graduates
- 318
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 98.9
- Net price
- 72.7
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 92.0
- Graduation
- 99.6
- Rank 4
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
91.0Value score- Earnings
- $63,286
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $13,000
- Net price
- $11,305
- per year
- Grad rate
- 91%
- Graduates
- 382
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 87.6
- Net price
- 86.0
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 97.8
- Graduation
- 99.1
- Rank 5
University of Georgia
Athens, GA · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
90.6Value score- Earnings
- $67,275
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $14,750
- Net price
- $13,636
- per year
- Grad rate
- 89%
- Graduates
- 281
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 93.0
- Net price
- 77.1
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 97.3
- Graduation
- 98.0
- Rank 6
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
90.6Value score- Earnings
- $60,497
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $15,000
- Net price
- $5,969
- per year
- Grad rate
- 92%
- Graduates
- 143
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 81.7
- Net price
- 97.6
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 92.9
- Graduation
- 99.3
- Rank 7
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
90.1Value score- Earnings
- $60,909
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $14,410
- Net price
- $8,605
- per year
- Grad rate
- 86%
- Graduates
- 160
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 83.0
- Net price
- 94.3
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 94.0
- Graduation
- 96.7
- Rank 8
University of Mississippi Ole Miss
University, MS · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
89.9Value score- Earnings
- $73,870
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $15,000
- Net price
- $13,752
- per year
- Grad rate
- 70%
- Graduates
- 101
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 97.4
- Net price
- 76.0
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 98.1
- Graduation
- 81.9
- Rank 9
Emory University
Atlanta, GA · Private nonprofit · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
89.7Value score- Earnings
- $87,254
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $12,250
- Net price
- $16,754
- per year
- Grad rate
- 91%
- Graduates
- 77
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 99.8
- Net price
- 59.8
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 100.0
- Graduation
- 98.9
- Rank 10
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
88.0Value score- Earnings
- $74,963
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $17,800
- Net price
- $16,600
- per year
- Grad rate
- 90%
- Graduates
- 217
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 97.8
- Net price
- 61.1
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 94.0
- Graduation
- 98.5
- Rank 11
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
87.5Value score- Earnings
- $81,110
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $15,250
- Net price
- $18,056
- per year
- Grad rate
- 94%
- Graduates
- 86
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 99.6
- Net price
- 51.3
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 99.4
- Graduation
- 99.8
- Rank 12
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus
Norman, OK · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
86.8Value score- Earnings
- $71,589
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $19,000
- Net price
- $15,531
- per year
- Grad rate
- 75%
- Graduates
- 175
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 96.1
- Net price
- 67.7
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 90.8
- Graduation
- 88.6
- Rank 13
Indiana University-Bloomington
Bloomington, IN · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
86.8Value score- Earnings
- $68,675
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $17,250
- Net price
- $16,003
- per year
- Grad rate
- 80%
- Graduates
- 410
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 95.4
- Net price
- 65.1
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 92.6
- Graduation
- 92.4
- Rank 14
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, CA · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
86.3Value score- Earnings
- $67,351
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $15,000
- Net price
- $10,759
- per year
- Grad rate
- 55%
- Graduates
- 97
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 93.4
- Net price
- 89.3
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 96.8
- Graduation
- 48.5
- Rank 15
University of Delaware
Newark, DE · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
85.0Value score- Earnings
- $76,478
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $23,250
- Net price
- $16,337
- per year
- Grad rate
- 78%
- Graduates
- 179
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 98.0
- Net price
- 63.1
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 81.7
- Graduation
- 91.0
- Rank 16
University of Maryland-College Park
College Park, MD · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
85.0Value score- Earnings
- $62,362
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $17,500
- Net price
- $14,296
- per year
- Grad rate
- 88%
- Graduates
- 180
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 85.8
- Net price
- 73.1
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 88.8
- Graduation
- 97.8
- Rank 17
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
84.4Value score- Earnings
- $59,914
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $13,781
- Net price
- $13,243
- per year
- Grad rate
- 78%
- Graduates
- 406
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 80.1
- Net price
- 78.6
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 95.4
- Graduation
- 90.8
- Rank 18
William & Mary
Williamsburg, VA · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
84.3Value score- Earnings
- $68,992
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $13,875
- Net price
- $18,880
- per year
- Grad rate
- 88%
- Graduates
- 122
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 95.6
- Net price
- 46.9
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 98.4
- Graduation
- 97.6
- Rank 19
California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach, CA · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
83.9Value score- Earnings
- $57,643
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $12,058
- Net price
- $9,426
- per year
- Grad rate
- 70%
- Graduates
- 250
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 72.1
- Net price
- 92.8
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 97.5
- Graduation
- 82.2
- Rank 20
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
82.1Value score- Earnings
- $64,579
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $12,749
- Net price
- $18,832
- per year
- Grad rate
- 87%
- Graduates
- 76
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 90.0
- Net price
- 47.2
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 98.8
- Graduation
- 97.2
- Rank 21
CUNY Queens College
Queens, NY · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
82.1Value score- Earnings
- $62,602
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- —
- not reported
- Net price
- $1,272
- per year
- Grad rate
- 53%
- Graduates
- 22
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 86.0
- Net price
- 99.6
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- not reported
- Graduation
- 42.4
- Rank 22
California State University-San Marcos
San Marcos, CA · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
81.6Value score- Earnings
- $61,252
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $15,000
- Net price
- $10,939
- per year
- Grad rate
- 55%
- Graduates
- 164
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 84.1
- Net price
- 88.4
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 93.4
- Graduation
- 47.6
- Rank 23
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
81.5Value score- Earnings
- $63,672
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $18,875
- Net price
- $14,697
- per year
- Grad rate
- 66%
- Graduates
- 88
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 88.6
- Net price
- 71.4
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 84.6
- Graduation
- 75.1
- Rank 24
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX · Public · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
81.3Value score- Earnings
- $66,580
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $19,194
- Net price
- $18,554
- per year
- Grad rate
- 89%
- Graduates
- 319
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 92.4
- Net price
- 48.5
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 87.4
- Graduation
- 98.3
- Rank 25
University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK · Private nonprofit · Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
80.2Value score- Earnings
- $63,485
- 4 yrs after
- Median debt
- $22,021
- Net price
- $13,511
- per year
- Grad rate
- 69%
- Graduates
- 39
- latest year
Percentile among ranked colleges
- Earnings
- 88.2
- Net price
- 77.3
- Debt (Debt-to-earnings)
- 68.3
- Graduation
- 79.5
434 more matching colleges are in the CSV download.
Earnings against net price
Each dot is a ranked college. Higher means graduates earn more; further left means a year costs less after grants. The best value sits top left.
- Top 25
- Other ranked colleges
Scatter plot of 459 colleges. The ranked list above gives every figure.
Methodology
- Programs counted
- Bachelor's degrees reported under CIP 31.05 at public and private nonprofit colleges published on CollegesRef. When a college reports more than one qualifying program, its largest one is used.
- Eligibility
- A college needs at least 20 graduates in the latest award year, reported median earnings 4 years after graduation, and a published average net price and graduation rate. A field is published only when at least 50 colleges qualify.
- Value score
- Each figure is turned into a 0–100 percentile among ranked colleges (100 is best: highest earnings or graduation rate, lowest net price or debt-to-earnings). The value score is the weighted average: graduate earnings 40%, average net price 25%, debt-to-earnings 20%, graduation rate 15%. If a college reports no debt figure, that weight is shared among the other three.
- Earnings and debt
- Median annual earnings 4 years after completing the bachelor's degree, for graduates who received federal aid and were working. Debt is the median federal loan amount borrowed at the college by those graduates (College Scorecard field of study).
- Cost and completion
- Average net price is what aided first-year students pay after grants, for the whole college rather than the major. Graduation rate is the college-wide share finishing within six years (150% of normal time).
Limits
- Value, not prestige
- The score rewards high earnings at a low cost. It does not measure research strength, faculty, selectivity or reputation, so famous programs can rank below less-known ones.
- Earnings lag
- Earnings describe students who graduated several years ago and were measured years later. Today's job market and starting salaries can differ.
- Suppressed small programs
- The Department of Education withholds figures for small groups of graduates to protect privacy, so many small programs cannot be ranked at all.
- Federal aid recipients only
- Earnings and debt cover graduates who received federal grants or loans; students who paid without federal aid are not included.
Definitions: average net price. Read the CollegesRef methodology for how college data is checked. Methodology version 1; 471 colleges had too few graduates or suppressed earnings and 6 lacked a net price or graduation rate.
Sources
- Data
- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study, cost and completion data.
- Edition
- 2026–27, data verified Nov 2026
- Source reporting year
- 2025
- Snapshot
- November 4, 2026
Questions about this ranking
See rankings for other majors, compare any two colleges side by side with Compare, or check a family's price with the cost calculator.
What is the best college for kinesiology and exercise science?
On value, Rice University ranks first in this ranking: kinesiology and exercise science graduates earn a median of $87,404 4 years after graduating, and the average net price is $11,164 a year. "Best" depends on what you need; this ranking weighs earnings against cost, debt and graduation rate.
What do kinesiology and exercise science graduates go on to do?
Many graduates continue to physical therapy, occupational therapy or athletic training programs; others work in fitness, coaching and health promotion. The earnings here are medians for graduates who received federal aid, 4 years after the bachelor's degree.
Why are some well-known kinesiology and exercise science programs ranked low or missing?
The ranking measures value, not prestige. A college with high earnings but a high net price can rank below a cheaper college with slightly lower earnings. Programs are missing when federal data suppresses their earnings, when they have fewer graduates than the threshold, or when they are reported under a CIP code this ranking does not count.
Can I see colleges in my state only?
Yes. Use the state filter above the list; ranks stay national so you can see where each college stands overall. You can also filter by public or private and by a maximum net price, or download the full CSV.
Does the net price shown apply to kinesiology and exercise science students?
No. Average net price is reported for the whole college, not by major. Your own price depends on your family's finances; each college's net price calculator gives a personal estimate.