Bright outlook
Management
Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling
- Median pay
- $79,520
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Social Perceptiveness
ProgramsParks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
CIP31.05
943 colleges offer Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 943
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $53,024
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $22,019
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 266
- Associate's
- 403
- Bachelor's
- 943
- Master's
- 416
- Post-baccalaureate certificate
- 14
- Doctoral
- 61
- First professional
- 2
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 87
What it covers
About Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
A general program that focuses on activities and principles that promote physical fitness, achieve and maintain athletic prowess, and accomplish related research and service goals. Includes instruction in human movement studies, motivation studies, rules and practice of specific sports, exercise and fitness principles and techniques, basic athletic injury prevention and treatment, and organizing and leading fitness and sports programs.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 31.05.
Programs in this field
Colleges report these specific programs under CIP 31.05.
- Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General
- Sport and Fitness Administration/Management
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology
- Physical Fitness Technician
- Sports Studies
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 266 | $39,6934 yrs after · 5 colleges | $20,5003 colleges |
| Associate's | 403 | $41,5434 yrs after · 30 colleges | $11,7087 colleges |
| Bachelor's | 943 | $53,0244 yrs after · 589 colleges | $22,019633 colleges |
| Master's | 416 | $60,5534 yrs after · 158 colleges | $29,50099 colleges |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 14 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Doctoral | 61 | $82,2604 yrs after · 2 colleges | $70,2871 college |
| First professional | 2 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 87 | $46,2951 yr after · 1 college | Not reported |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
Houston, TX · Private nonprofit · 32 graduates
$87,404
debt not reported
- 2
Atlanta, GA · Private nonprofit · 77 graduates
$87,254
debt $12,250
- 3
Charlottesville, VA · Public · 86 graduates
$81,110
debt $15,250
- 4
Scranton, PA · Private nonprofit · 46 graduates
$79,700
debt $27,000
- 5
Winston-Salem, NC · Private nonprofit · 101 graduates
$79,599
debt $19,500
- 6
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI · Public · 318 graduates
$79,411
debt $20,234
- 7
Riverdale, NY · Private nonprofit · 17 graduates
$78,264
debt $26,000
- 8
Seton Hall University-New Jersey
South Orange, NJ · Private nonprofit · 33 graduates
$77,835
debt $26,618
- 9
Waukesha, WI · Private nonprofit · 100 graduates
$77,095
debt $27,000
- 10
Saint Louis, MO · Private nonprofit · 111 graduates
$77,066
debt $24,473
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
Education
Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
- Median pay
- $77,270
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Doctoral or professional degree
- Instructing
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Bright outlook
Arts, design and media
Athletes and Sports Competitors
- Median pay
- $66,710
- Outlook
- Faster than average
No formal credential
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Bright outlook
Healthcare practitioners
Athletic Trainers
- Median pay
- $62,520
- Outlook
- Much faster than average
Master's degree
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Bright outlook
Healthcare practitioners
Exercise Physiologists
- Median pay
- $59,460
- Outlook
- Much faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Instructing
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Bright outlook
Arts, design and media
Coaches and Scouts
- Median pay
- $47,320
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Instructing
- Speaking
- Learning Strategies
- Bright outlook
Personal care and service
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
- Median pay
- $47,160
- Outlook
- Faster than average
High school diploma
- Instructing
- Service Orientation
- Speaking
More in Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this areaQuestions about Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
How many colleges offer Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness at these degree levels: certificate (266 colleges), associate's (403 colleges), bachelor's (943 colleges), master's (416 colleges), post-baccalaureate certificate (14 colleges), doctoral (61 colleges), first professional (2 colleges), graduate/professional certificate (87 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness earn $53,024 a year four years after finishing, across 589 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness graduates earn the most?
Rice University reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness: $87,404 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.