Illinois · Sports

Best institutions to study Sports in Illinois

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…

Related programs you can study
Institutions
47
offering CIP 31.05
States & territories
53
with a program page
Degrees / yr
2,158
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$31,538
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
19
College Scorecard
Median net price
$20,472
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
52%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Exercise Physiologists
$65,960
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Aurora University
Aurora Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$37,2567460%$18,431$27,000
2Benedictine University
Lisle Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$36,3441950%$23,570$26,000
3North Central College
Naperville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$34,6096964%$20,052$27,000
4Eastern Illinois University
Charleston Public · Bachelor's degree
$34,5119547%$25,000
5Northern Illinois University
Dekalb Public · Bachelor's degree
$32,15813449%$27,418
6Elmhurst University
Elmhurst Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$31,5385370%$20,794$23,375
7McKendree University
Lebanon Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$31,2595553%$23,994$27,000
8University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign
Champaign Public · Bachelor's degree
$31,18722285%$21,425
9North Park University
Chicago Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$30,1653058%$18,494$25,495
10Illinois State University
Normal Public · Bachelor's degree
$30,05114165%$21,250

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Exercise Physiologists (SOC 29-1128).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+9.5%
Much faster than average
Openings / yr (US)
~1,700
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$58,160
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Critical ThinkingActive ListeningSpeakingReading ComprehensionWritingMonitoring

What Exercise Physiologists earn in Illinois

Jobs in Illinois
300
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$65,960
median $60,130
Best-paying metro
$67,920
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

Related careers

Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
$53,300 avg · 19,830 jobs
Coaches and Scouts
$68,830 avg · 8,840 jobs
Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling
$80,540 avg · 3,260 jobs
Athletic Trainers
$68,510 avg · 850 jobs
Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
$82,710 avg · 630 jobs
Athletes and Sports Competitors
avg · 310 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Sports programs in Illinois.

Which Sports program in Illinois has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), Aurora University tops the list at $37,256. Compare it against completions, 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).

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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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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