Best colleges for Sports in Missouri
Ranked by graduate earnings
Missouri Baptist University, Missouri Western State University and Lindenwood University are the top bachelor's Sports programs in Missouri by graduate earnings. Missouri Baptist University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $37,165, College Scorecard. Missouri State University - Springfield, University of Central Missouri and Saint Louis University award the most Sports degrees in Missouri: 136, 106 and 100 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 29 Missouri colleges offer Sports and award 1,174 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 | Missouri Baptist University Saint Louis Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $37,165 | 45 | 48% | $25,407 | $26,001 |
| 2 | Missouri Western State University Saint Joseph Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,557 | 27 | 39% | — | $24,815 |
| 3 | Lindenwood University Saint Charles Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $35,314 | 67 | 49% | $17,436 | $28,000 |
| 4 | University of Central Missouri Warrensburg Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,844 | 106 | 54% | — | $26,000 |
| 5 | Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,638 | 30 | 58% | — | $22,572 |
| 6 | Missouri Southern State University Joplin Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,465 | 34 | 42% | — | $24,947 |
| 7 | Maryville University of Saint Louis Saint Louis Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $32,480 | 61 | 66% | $24,921 | $23,250 |
| 8 | Southwest Baptist University Bolivar Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $30,837 | 40 | 55% | $20,939 | $19,550 |
| 9 | Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,761 | 136 | 58% | — | $22,876 |
| 10 | Park University Parkville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $28,945 | 38 | 38% | $16,013 | $27,576 |
Colleges awarding the most Sports degrees in Missouri
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 | Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield Public | 136 | $29,761 |
| 2 | University of Central Missouri Warrensburg Public | 106 | $34,844 |
| 3 | Saint Louis University Saint Louis Private not-for-profit | 100 | Not reported |
| 4 | University of Missouri-Columbia Columbia Public | 71 | Not reported |
| 5 | Lindenwood University Saint Charles Private not-for-profit | 67 | $35,314 |
| 6 | Maryville University of Saint Louis Saint Louis Private not-for-profit | 61 | $32,480 |
| 7 | Missouri Baptist University Saint Louis Private not-for-profit | 45 | $37,165 |
| 8 | Rockhurst University Kansas City Private not-for-profit | 44 | Not reported |
| 9 | Truman State University Kirksville Public | 41 | $26,865 |
| 10 | Southwest Baptist University Bolivar Private not-for-profit | 40 | $30,837 |
ShowHide the other 19 Missouri colleges offering Sports
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logan University (Online) | Chesterfield | Private not-for-profit | 122 |
| Park University | Parkville | Private not-for-profit | 38 |
| Missouri Southern State University | Joplin | Public | 34 |
| Missouri Valley College | Marshall | Private not-for-profit | 32 |
| Southeast Missouri State University | Cape Girardeau | Public | 30 |
| Missouri Western State University | Saint Joseph | Public | 27 |
| Evangel University | Springfield | Private not-for-profit | 25 |
| Westminster College | Fulton | Private not-for-profit | 24 |
| University of Missouri-St Louis | Saint Louis | Public | 20 |
| Avila University | Kansas City | Private not-for-profit | 19 |
| William Woods University | Fulton | Private not-for-profit | 17 |
| Columbia College | Columbia | Private not-for-profit | 15 |
| Culver-Stockton College | Canton | Private not-for-profit | 15 |
| Central Methodist University - College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Fayette | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| Northwest Missouri State University | Maryville | Public | 10 |
| Webster University | Saint Louis | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| College of the Ozarks | Point Lookout | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Hannibal-LaGrange University | Hannibal | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Drury University - College of Continuing Professional Studies | Springfield | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Exercise Physiologists (SOC 29-1128).
Top skills
What Exercise Physiologists earn in Missouri
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Sports programs in Missouri.
Which Missouri colleges award the most Sports degrees?+
Missouri State University - Springfield (136 graduates a year), University of Central Missouri (106 graduates a year) and Saint Louis University (100 graduates a year) award the most Sports degrees in Missouri, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 29 Missouri colleges offer Sports.
What is the best college for Sports in Missouri?+
By graduate earnings, Missouri Baptist University leads among bachelor's Sports programs in Missouri, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $37,165, College Scorecard. Missouri Western State University and Lindenwood University follow. By degrees awarded, Missouri State University - Springfield is the largest, with 136 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Sports program in Missouri has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Missouri Baptist University tops the list at $37,165. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Exercise Physiologists earn in Missouri?+
The average annual wage for Exercise Physiologists in Missouri is $55,370 (median $52,570), across about 160 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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