Best colleges for Sports in Iowa
Ranked by graduate earnings
Simpson College, University of Dubuque and Grand View University are the top bachelor's Sports programs in Iowa by graduate earnings. Simpson College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $38,158, College Scorecard. University of Iowa, Iowa State University and University of Northern Iowa award the most Sports degrees in Iowa: 619, 210 and 108 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 37 Iowa colleges offer Sports and award 1,669 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 | Simpson College Indianola Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $38,158 | 23 | 63% | $20,710 | $27,000 |
| 2 | University of Dubuque Dubuque Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $37,528 | 27 | 40% | $21,324 | $27,560 |
| 3 | Grand View University Des Moines Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $36,495 | 55 | 54% | $20,840 | $26,921 |
| 4 | Iowa State University Ames Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,492 | 210 | 75% | — | $25,425 |
| 5 | Central College Pella Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $35,914 | 53 | 66% | $19,732 | $27,000 |
| 6 | Cornell College Mount Vernon Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $35,439 | 41 | 62% | $23,073 | $27,000 |
| 7 | University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,709 | 108 | 68% | — | $22,500 |
| 8 | University of Iowa Iowa City Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,998 | 619 | 75% | — | $24,250 |
| 9 | Loras College Dubuque Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $31,493 | 46 | 68% | $19,227 | $27,000 |
| 10 | William Penn University Oskaloosa Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $30,314 | 76 | 33% | $21,533 | $27,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Sports degrees in Iowa
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 Iowa Iowa City Public | 619 | $31,998 |
| 2 | Iowa State University Ames Public | 210 | $36,492 |
| 3 | University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls Public | 108 | $32,709 |
| 4 | William Penn University Oskaloosa Private not-for-profit | 76 | $30,314 |
| 5 | Saint Ambrose University Davenport Private not-for-profit | 63 | $26,608 |
| 6 | Grand View University Des Moines Private not-for-profit | 55 | $36,495 |
| 7 | Central College Pella Private not-for-profit | 53 | $35,914 |
| 8 | Loras College Dubuque Private not-for-profit | 46 | $31,493 |
| 9 | Cornell College Mount Vernon Private not-for-profit | 41 | $35,439 |
| 10 | Wartburg College Waverly Private not-for-profit | 34 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 27 Iowa colleges offering Sports
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coe College | Cedar Rapids | Private not-for-profit | 33 |
| Dordt University | Sioux Center | Private not-for-profit | 29 |
| Iowa Western Community College | Council Bluffs | Public | 28 |
| University of Dubuque | Dubuque | Private not-for-profit | 27 |
| Northwestern College | Orange City | Private not-for-profit | 23 |
| Simpson College | Indianola | Private not-for-profit | 23 |
| Upper Iowa University | Fayette | Private not-for-profit | 23 |
| Briar Cliff University | Sioux City | Private not-for-profit | 20 |
| Clarke University | Dubuque | Private not-for-profit | 19 |
| Mount Mercy University | Cedar Rapids | Private not-for-profit | 18 |
| Buena Vista University | Storm Lake | Private not-for-profit | 17 |
| Des Moines Area Community College | Ankeny | Public | 17 |
| Kirkwood Community College | Cedar Rapids | Public | 13 |
| Waldorf University | Forest City | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| Drake University | Des Moines | Private not-for-profit | 11 |
| Luther College | Decorah | Private not-for-profit | 11 |
| Graceland University - Lamoni | Lamoni | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| Iowa Lakes Community College | Estherville | Public | 10 |
| Hawkeye Community College | Waterloo | Public | 5 |
| Northeast Iowa Community College | Calmar | Public | 3 |
| Southeastern Community College | West Burlington | Public | 3 |
| Western Iowa Tech Community College | Sioux City | Public | 3 |
| Iowa Central Community College | Fort Dodge | Public | 2 |
| Ellsworth Community College | Iowa Falls | Public | 1 |
| Eastern Iowa Community College District | Davenport | Public | 1 |
| North Iowa Area Community College | Mason City | Public | 1 |
| Southwestern Community College | Creston | Public | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Exercise Physiologists (SOC 29-1128).
Top skills
What Exercise Physiologists earn in Iowa
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Sports programs in Iowa.
Which Iowa colleges award the most Sports degrees?+
University of Iowa (619 graduates a year), Iowa State University (210 graduates a year) and University of Northern Iowa (108 graduates a year) award the most Sports degrees in Iowa, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 37 Iowa colleges offer Sports.
What is the best college for Sports in Iowa?+
By graduate earnings, Simpson College leads among bachelor's Sports programs in Iowa, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $38,158, College Scorecard. University of Dubuque and Grand View University follow. By degrees awarded, University of Iowa is the largest, with 619 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Sports program in Iowa has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Simpson College tops the list at $38,158. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Exercise Physiologists earn in Iowa?+
The average annual wage for Exercise Physiologists in Iowa is $60,200 (median $56,640), across about 50 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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