Best colleges for Sports in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
California Baptist University, Saint Mary's College of California and Pepperdine University are the top bachelor's Sports programs in California by graduate earnings. California Baptist University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $35,328, College Scorecard. California State University - Fullerton, San Diego State University and California State University - Northridge award the most Sports degrees in California: 610, 391 and 370 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 163 California colleges offer Sports and award 10,209 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Sports program, officially titled Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, focuses on the study of physical activity, fitness, and recreation. This program is designed for individuals interested in promoting health and…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Baptist University Riverside Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $35,328 | 174 | 62% | $26,940 | $27,449 |
| 2 | Saint Mary's College of California Moraga Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $34,444 | 53 | 70% | $25,578 | $24,300 |
| 3 | Pepperdine University Malibu Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $34,388 | 76 | 83% | $41,986 | $23,336 |
| 4 | California Lutheran University Thousand Oaks Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $33,818 | 74 | 70% | $23,129 | $25,000 |
| 5 | California State University - East Bay Hayward Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,189 | 105 | 48% | — | $18,250 |
| 6 | Sonoma State University Rohnert Park Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,022 | 85 | 58% | — | $19,628 |
| 7 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,901 | 285 | 56% | — | $18,129 |
| 8 | California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,472 | 76 | 86% | — | $16,666 |
| 9 | William Jessup University Rocklin Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $30,128 | 36 | 56% | $24,242 | $21,000 |
| 10 | California State University - Monterey Bay Seaside Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,929 | 106 | 59% | — | $13,750 |
Top 4 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cabrillo College Aptos Public · Certificate | $38,985 | 218 | 38% | — | $8,864 |
| 2 | Riverside City College Riverside Public · Associate degree | $25,516 | 147 | 37% | — | $8,046 |
| 3 | Mt San Antonio College Walnut Public · Associate degree | $19,869 | 437 | 45% | — | $6,865 |
| 4 | Lionel University Carpinteria Private for-profit · Associate degree Online | $46,831 | 45 | 67% | $28,929 | $12,917 |
Colleges awarding the most Sports degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton Public | 610 | $23,543 |
| 2 | San Diego State University San Diego Public | 391 | $26,327 |
| 3 | California State University - Northridge Northridge Public | 370 | $27,952 |
| 4 | College of the Canyons Santa Clarita Public | 358 | Not reported |
| 5 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public | 341 | $22,148 |
| 6 | California State University - Fresno Fresno Public | 302 | $26,931 |
| 7 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento Public | 285 | $31,901 |
| 8 | Concordia University - Irvine Irvine Private not-for-profit | 272 | $24,522 |
| 9 | San Jose State University San Jose Public | 259 | Not reported |
| 10 | California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino Public | 252 | $29,143 |
ShowHide the other 153 California colleges offering Sports
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Exercise Physiologists (SOC 29-1128).
Top skills
What Exercise Physiologists earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Sports programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Sports degrees?+
California State University - Fullerton (610 graduates a year), San Diego State University (391 graduates a year) and California State University - Northridge (370 graduates a year) award the most Sports degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 163 California colleges offer Sports.
What is the best college for Sports in California?+
By graduate earnings, California Baptist University leads among bachelor's Sports programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $35,328, College Scorecard. Saint Mary's College of California and Pepperdine University follow. By degrees awarded, California State University - Fullerton is the largest, with 610 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Sports program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, California Baptist University tops the list at $35,328. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Exercise Physiologists earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Exercise Physiologists in California is $69,250 (median $62,440), across about 640 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Sports program?+
The Sports program, officially titled Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, focuses on the study of physical activity, fitness, and recreation. This program is designed for individuals interested in promoting health and…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Exercise Physiologists?+
The national job outlook is about +9.5% growth with around 1,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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