Best colleges for Sports in Illinois
Ranked by graduate earnings
Aurora University, North Central College and Eastern Illinois University are the top bachelor's Sports programs in Illinois by graduate earnings. Aurora University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $37,256, College Scorecard. Concordia University - Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Illinois State University award the most Sports degrees in Illinois: 381, 222 and 141 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 47 Illinois colleges offer Sports and award 2,158 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 | Aurora University Aurora Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $37,256 | 74 | 60% | $18,431 | $27,000 |
| 2 | North Central College Naperville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $34,609 | 69 | 64% | $20,052 | $27,000 |
| 3 | Eastern Illinois University Charleston Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,511 | 95 | 47% | — | $25,000 |
| 4 | Northern Illinois University Dekalb Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,158 | 134 | 49% | — | $27,418 |
| 5 | Elmhurst University Elmhurst Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $31,538 | 53 | 70% | $20,794 | $23,375 |
| 6 | McKendree University Lebanon Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $31,259 | 55 | 53% | $23,994 | $27,000 |
| 7 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,187 | 222 | 85% | — | $21,425 |
| 8 | North Park University Chicago Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $30,165 | 30 | 58% | $18,494 | $25,495 |
| 9 | Illinois State University Normal Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,051 | 141 | 65% | — | $21,250 |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University - Carbondale Carbondale Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,258 | 71 | 62% | — | $22,750 |
Colleges awarding the most Sports degrees in Illinois
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 | Concordia University - Chicago River Forest Private not-for-profit | 381 | $29,231 |
| 2 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign Public | 222 | $31,187 |
| 3 | Illinois State University Normal Public | 141 | $30,051 |
| 4 | Northern Illinois University Dekalb Public | 134 | $32,158 |
| 5 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago Public | 118 | $28,874 |
| 6 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville Public | 107 | $28,795 |
| 7 | Eastern Illinois University Charleston Public | 95 | $34,511 |
| 8 | Aurora University Aurora Private not-for-profit | 74 | $37,256 |
| 9 | Southern Illinois University - Carbondale Carbondale Public | 71 | $29,258 |
| 10 | North Central College Naperville Private not-for-profit | 69 | $34,609 |
ShowHide the other 37 Illinois colleges offering Sports
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern University | Evanston | Private not-for-profit | 57 |
| McKendree University | Lebanon | Private not-for-profit | 55 |
| Elmhurst University | Elmhurst | Private not-for-profit | 53 |
| Saint Xavier University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 47 |
| Western Illinois University | Macomb | Public | 46 |
| Lewis University | Romeoville | Private not-for-profit | 38 |
| Loyola University Chicago | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 30 |
| Millikin University | Decatur | Private not-for-profit | 30 |
| North Park University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 30 |
| Olivet Nazarene University | Bourbonnais | Private not-for-profit | 29 |
| Rockford University | Rockford | Private not-for-profit | 29 |
| Quincy University | Quincy | Private not-for-profit | 24 |
| Greenville University | Greenville | Private not-for-profit | 23 |
| Adler University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 21 |
| Eureka College | Eureka | Private not-for-profit | 20 |
| William Rainey Harper College | Palatine | Public | 20 |
| Benedictine University | Lisle | Private not-for-profit | 19 |
| Monmouth College | Monmouth | Private not-for-profit | 19 |
| Triton College | River Grove | Public | 19 |
| Northeastern Illinois University | Chicago | Public | 18 |
| University of Illinois Springfield | Springfield | Public | 17 |
| Trinity Christian College | Palos Heights | Private not-for-profit | 15 |
| Judson University | Elgin | Private not-for-profit | 13 |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | Bloomington | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| DePaul University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Lewis and Clark Community College | Godfrey | Public | 8 |
| Parkland College | Champaign | Public | 8 |
| Elgin Community College | Elgin | Public | 7 |
| College of Lake County | Grayslake | Public | 7 |
| Moraine Valley Community College | Palos Hills | Public | 6 |
| Illinois College | Jacksonville | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| McHenry County College | Crystal Lake | Public | 5 |
| Blackburn College | Carlinville | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Rock Valley College | Rockford | Public | 3 |
| College of DuPage | Glen Ellyn | Public | 2 |
| Illinois Central College | East Peoria | Public | 1 |
| Prairie State College | Chicago Heights | Public | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Exercise Physiologists (SOC 29-1128).
Top skills
What Exercise Physiologists earn in Illinois
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Sports programs in Illinois.
Which Illinois colleges award the most Sports degrees?+
Concordia University - Chicago (381 graduates a year), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (222 graduates a year) and Illinois State University (141 graduates a year) award the most Sports degrees in Illinois, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 47 Illinois colleges offer Sports.
What is the best college for Sports in Illinois?+
By graduate earnings, Aurora University leads among bachelor's Sports programs in Illinois, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $37,256, College Scorecard. North Central College and Eastern Illinois University follow. By degrees awarded, Concordia University - Chicago is the largest, with 381 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Sports program in Illinois has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Aurora University tops the list at $37,256. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Exercise Physiologists earn in Illinois?+
The average annual wage for Exercise Physiologists in Illinois is $65,960 (median $60,130), across about 300 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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