Best colleges for Sports in Minnesota
Ranked by graduate earnings
Winona State University, Gustavus Adolphus College and Minnesota State University Moorhead are the top bachelor's Sports programs in Minnesota by graduate earnings. Winona State University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $41,742, College Scorecard. Concordia University - Saint Paul, Minnesota State University - Mankato and University of Minnesota-Twin Cities award the most Sports degrees in Minnesota: 170, 143 and 109 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 36 Minnesota colleges offer Sports and award 1,037 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 | Winona State University Winona Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,742 | 44 | 57% | — | $25,550 |
| 2 | Gustavus Adolphus College Saint Peter Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $38,796 | 48 | 77% | $21,607 | $27,000 |
| 3 | Minnesota State University Moorhead Moorhead Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,088 | 23 | 57% | — | $22,500 |
| 4 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,050 | 109 | 85% | — | $23,000 |
| 5 | Concordia University - Saint Paul Saint Paul Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $33,744 | 170 | 46% | $17,328 | $29,156 |
| 6 | St Olaf College Northfield Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $33,577 | 32 | 84% | $18,124 | $25,000 |
| 7 | University of Minnesota-Duluth Duluth Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,055 | 75 | 65% | — | $23,629 |
| 8 | Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,860 | 143 | 54% | — | $24,420 |
| 9 | Southwest Minnesota State University Marshall Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,802 | 40 | 45% | — | $26,000 |
| 10 | Bemidji State University Bemidji Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,388 | 36 | 48% | — | $24,898 |
Colleges awarding the most Sports degrees in Minnesota
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 - Saint Paul Saint Paul Private not-for-profit | 170 | $33,744 |
| 2 | Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato Public | 143 | $32,860 |
| 3 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis Public | 109 | $36,050 |
| 4 | University of Minnesota-Duluth Duluth Public | 75 | $33,055 |
| 5 | Gustavus Adolphus College Saint Peter Private not-for-profit | 48 | $38,796 |
| 6 | Winona State University Winona Public | 44 | $41,742 |
| 7 | University of Northwestern-St Paul Saint Paul Private not-for-profit | 40 | $30,176 |
| 8 | Southwest Minnesota State University Marshall Public | 40 | $32,802 |
| 9 | University of St Thomas Saint Paul Private not-for-profit | 39 | Not reported |
| 10 | Bemidji State University Bemidji Public | 36 | $32,388 |
ShowHide the other 26 Minnesota colleges offering Sports
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Exercise Physiologists (SOC 29-1128).
Top skills
What Exercise Physiologists earn in Minnesota
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Sports programs in Minnesota.
Which Minnesota colleges award the most Sports degrees?+
Concordia University - Saint Paul (170 graduates a year), Minnesota State University - Mankato (143 graduates a year) and University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (109 graduates a year) award the most Sports degrees in Minnesota, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 36 Minnesota colleges offer Sports.
What is the best college for Sports in Minnesota?+
By graduate earnings, Winona State University leads among bachelor's Sports programs in Minnesota, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $41,742, College Scorecard. Gustavus Adolphus College and Minnesota State University Moorhead follow. By degrees awarded, Concordia University - Saint Paul is the largest, with 170 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Sports program in Minnesota has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Winona State University tops the list at $41,742. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Exercise Physiologists earn in Minnesota?+
The average annual wage for Exercise Physiologists in Minnesota is $72,750 (median $67,230), across about 250 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