Maryland · Sports

Best colleges for Sports in Maryland

Ranked by graduate earnings

McDaniel College, Bowie State University and Towson University are the top bachelor's Sports programs in Maryland by graduate earnings. McDaniel College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $38,122, College Scorecard. Towson University, University of Maryland-College Park and Salisbury University award the most Sports degrees in Maryland: 229, 228 and 83 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 17 Maryland colleges offer Sports and award 817 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…

Related programs you can study
Institutions
17
offering CIP 31.05
States & territories
53
with a program page
Degrees / yr
817
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$31,403
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
7
College Scorecard
Median net price
$23,136
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
46%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Exercise Physiologists
$63,100
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 7 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.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1McDaniel College
Westminster Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$38,1224563%$18,988$25,697
2Bowie State University
Bowie Public · Bachelor's degree
$36,3812738%—$26,250
3Towson University
Towson Public · Bachelor's degree
$32,10122969%—$22,250
4University of Maryland-College Park
College Park Public · Bachelor's degree
$31,40322889%—$23,138
5University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Princess Anne Public · Bachelor's degree
$30,4072435%—$27,000
6Salisbury University
Salisbury Public · Bachelor's degree
$29,3448368%—$25,000
7Frostburg State University
Frostburg Public · Bachelor's degree
$23,2914050%—$26,875

Colleges awarding the most Sports degrees in Maryland

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.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Towson University
Towson Public
229$32,101
2University of Maryland-College Park
College Park Public
228$31,403
3Salisbury University
Salisbury Public
83$29,344
4McDaniel College
Westminster Private not-for-profit
45$38,122
5Frostburg State University
Frostburg Public
40$23,291
6Mount St. Mary's University
Emmitsburg Private not-for-profit
39Not reported
7Harford Community College
Bel Air Public
30Not reported
8Bowie State University
Bowie Public
27$36,381
9Anne Arundel Community College
Arnold Public
25Not reported
10University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Princess Anne Public
24$30,407
Show the other 7 Maryland colleges offering Sports
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Hagerstown Community CollegeHagerstownPublic11
Cecil CollegeNorth EastPublic9
Coppin State UniversityBaltimorePublic7
Garrett CollegeMcHenryPublic7
College of Southern MarylandLa PlataPublic6
Montgomery CollegeRockvillePublic6
Chesapeake CollegeWye MillsPublic1

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 Maryland

Jobs in Maryland
90
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$63,100
median $62,220
Best-paying metro
$60,360
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

Related careers

Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
$54,110 avg · 8,650 jobs
Coaches and Scouts
$67,500 avg · 3,960 jobs
Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling
$91,540 avg · 940 jobs
Athletic Trainers
$67,130 avg · 320 jobs
Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
$105,220 avg · 90 jobs
Exercise Physiologists
$63,100 avg · 90 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Sports programs in Maryland.

Which Maryland colleges award the most Sports degrees?+

Towson University (229 graduates a year), University of Maryland-College Park (228 graduates a year) and Salisbury University (83 graduates a year) award the most Sports degrees in Maryland, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 17 Maryland colleges offer Sports.

What is the best college for Sports in Maryland?+

By graduate earnings, McDaniel College leads among bachelor's Sports programs in Maryland, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $38,122, College Scorecard. Bowie State University and Towson University follow. By degrees awarded, Towson University is the largest, with 229 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, McDaniel College tops the list at $38,122. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Exercise Physiologists earn in Maryland?+

The average annual wage for Exercise Physiologists in Maryland is $63,100 (median $62,220), across about 90 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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