Best colleges for Sports in Florida
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of Florida, Saint Leo University and Florida Gulf Coast University are the top bachelor's Sports programs in Florida by graduate earnings. University of Florida leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $39,717, College Scorecard. University of Central Florida, University of Florida and Florida State University award the most Sports degrees in Florida: 441, 343 and 265 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 37 Florida colleges offer Sports and award 2,547 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 | University of Florida Gainesville Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,717 | 343 | 91% | — | $19,982 |
| 2 | Saint Leo University Saint Leo Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $36,962 | 20 | 45% | $18,986 | $25,000 |
| 3 | Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,002 | 46 | 57% | — | $15,000 |
| 4 | University of North Florida Jacksonville Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,364 | 78 | 69% | — | $16,500 |
| 5 | The University of Tampa Tampa Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $30,554 | 120 | 64% | $33,070 | $26,000 |
| 6 | Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,412 | 196 | 63% | — | $20,659 |
| 7 | Flagler College Saint Augustine Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $29,600 | 39 | 56% | $28,070 | — |
| 8 | Florida State University Tallahassee Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,519 | 265 | 86% | — | $18,750 |
| 9 | University of West Florida Pensacola Public · Bachelor's degree | $28,643 | 127 | 59% | — | $22,188 |
| 10 | Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $26,168 | 80 | 61% | $35,483 | $35,208 |
Top certificate or associate program
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 | National Personal Training Institute Orlando Private for-profit · Certificate | $18,641 | 41 | 93% | $12,771 | $6,333 |
Colleges awarding the most Sports degrees in Florida
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 | University of Central Florida Orlando Public | 441 | Not reported |
| 2 | University of Florida Gainesville Public | 343 | $39,717 |
| 3 | Florida State University Tallahassee Public | 265 | $29,519 |
| 4 | Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton Public | 196 | $30,412 |
| 5 | University of Miami Coral Gables Private not-for-profit | 131 | Not reported |
| 6 | University of West Florida Pensacola Public | 127 | $28,643 |
| 7 | The University of Tampa Tampa Private not-for-profit | 120 | $30,554 |
| 8 | Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale Private not-for-profit | 80 | $26,168 |
| 9 | University of North Florida Jacksonville Public | 78 | $33,364 |
| 10 | Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale Private not-for-profit | 72 | $23,136 |
ShowHide the other 27 Florida colleges offering Sports
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeastern University | Lakeland | Private not-for-profit | 68 |
| Webber International University | Babson Park | Private not-for-profit | 66 |
| Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | Tallahassee | Public | 52 |
| University of Florida-Online (Online) | Gainesville | Public | 49 |
| Florida Gulf Coast University | Fort Myers | Public | 46 |
| University of South Florida | Tampa | Public | 45 |
| National Personal Training Institute | Orlando | Private for-profit | 41 |
| Lynn University | Boca Raton | Private not-for-profit | 39 |
| Flagler College | Saint Augustine | Private not-for-profit | 39 |
| Jacksonville University | Jacksonville | Private not-for-profit | 35 |
| Palm Beach Atlantic University | West Palm Beach | Private not-for-profit | 26 |
| National Personal Training Institute - Tampa | Tampa | Private for-profit | 23 |
| Florida Southern College | Lakeland | Private not-for-profit | 22 |
| Bethune-Cookman University | Daytona Beach | Private not-for-profit | 21 |
| Saint Leo University | Saint Leo | Private not-for-profit | 20 |
| Florida College | Temple Terrace | Private not-for-profit | 17 |
| Warner University | Lake Wales | Private not-for-profit | 17 |
| Barry University | Miami | Private not-for-profit | 16 |
| Northwest Florida State College | Niceville | Public | 14 |
| PENSACOLA CHRISTIAN COLLEGE | Pensacola | Private not-for-profit | 13 |
| Florida Institute of Technology | Melbourne | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Florida International University | Miami | Public | 6 |
| Pensacola State College | Pensacola | Public | 5 |
| St. Thomas University | Miami Gardens | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Chipola College | Marianna | Public | 2 |
| Tallahassee State College | Tallahassee | Public | 2 |
| Stetson University | DeLand | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Exercise Physiologists (SOC 29-1128).
Top skills
What Exercise Physiologists earn in Florida
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Sports programs in Florida.
Which Florida colleges award the most Sports degrees?+
University of Central Florida (441 graduates a year), University of Florida (343 graduates a year) and Florida State University (265 graduates a year) award the most Sports degrees in Florida, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 37 Florida colleges offer Sports.
What is the best college for Sports in Florida?+
By graduate earnings, University of Florida leads among bachelor's Sports programs in Florida, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $39,717, College Scorecard. Saint Leo University and Florida Gulf Coast University follow. By degrees awarded, University of Central Florida is the largest, with 441 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Sports program in Florida has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Florida tops the list at $39,717. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Exercise Physiologists earn in Florida?+
The average annual wage for Exercise Physiologists in Florida is $62,340 (median $60,100), across about 330 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.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card