Best colleges for Sports in New York
Ranked by graduate earnings
St. John Fisher University, SUNY Oneonta and Syracuse University are the top bachelor's Sports programs in New York by graduate earnings. St. John Fisher University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $36,273, College Scorecard. State University of New York at Cortland, Syracuse University and SUNY Brockport award the most Sports degrees in New York: 314, 178 and 169 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 62 New York colleges offer Sports and award 2,322 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 | St. John Fisher University Rochester Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $36,273 | 45 | 74% | $25,213 | $23,364 |
| 2 | SUNY Oneonta Oneonta Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,119 | 80 | 69% | — | $22,600 |
| 3 | Syracuse University Syracuse Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $34,821 | 178 | 84% | $28,851 | $27,000 |
| 4 | SUNY at Fredonia Fredonia Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,013 | 25 | 50% | — | $26,000 |
| 5 | Farmingdale State College Farmingdale Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,717 | 46 | 53% | — | $18,500 |
| 6 | CUNY Lehman College Bronx Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,538 | 44 | 51% | — | $10,861 |
| 7 | State University of New York at Cortland Cortland Public · Bachelor's degree | $28,289 | 314 | 68% | — | $25,681 |
| 8 | St Bonaventure University Saint Bonaventure Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $27,885 | 35 | 67% | $23,352 | $27,000 |
| 9 | St. John's University - New York Queens Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $27,534 | 88 | 66% | $27,359 | $25,748 |
| 10 | Canisius University Buffalo Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $26,254 | 130 | 66% | $17,353 | $27,000 |
Top 2 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Focus Personal Training Institute New York Private for-profit · Certificate | $17,562 | 94 | 79% | $19,748 | $6,333 |
| 2 | Monroe University Bronx Private for-profit · Associate degree | $11,749 | 92 | 57% | $12,028 | $14,122 |
Colleges awarding the most Sports degrees in New York
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 | State University of New York at Cortland Cortland Public | 314 | $28,289 |
| 2 | Syracuse University Syracuse Private not-for-profit | 178 | $34,821 |
| 3 | SUNY Brockport Brockport Public | 169 | $26,253 |
| 4 | Canisius University Buffalo Private not-for-profit | 130 | $26,254 |
| 5 | St. John's University - New York Queens Private not-for-profit | 88 | $27,534 |
| 6 | Adelphi University Garden City Private not-for-profit | 84 | $25,041 |
| 7 | SUNY Oneonta Oneonta Public | 80 | $36,119 |
| 8 | Columbia University New York Private not-for-profit | 69 | Not reported |
| 9 | Long Island University Brookville Private not-for-profit | 63 | $24,096 |
| 10 | Niagara University Niagara University Private not-for-profit | 57 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 52 New York colleges offering Sports
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Exercise Physiologists (SOC 29-1128).
Top skills
What Exercise Physiologists earn in New York
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Sports programs in New York.
Which New York colleges award the most Sports degrees?+
State University of New York at Cortland (314 graduates a year), Syracuse University (178 graduates a year) and SUNY Brockport (169 graduates a year) award the most Sports degrees in New York, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 62 New York colleges offer Sports.
What is the best college for Sports in New York?+
By graduate earnings, St. John Fisher University leads among bachelor's Sports programs in New York, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $36,273, College Scorecard. SUNY Oneonta and Syracuse University follow. By degrees awarded, State University of New York at Cortland is the largest, with 314 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Sports program in New York has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, St. John Fisher University tops the list at $36,273. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Exercise Physiologists earn in New York?+
The average annual wage for Exercise Physiologists in New York is $71,360 (median $59,940), across about 360 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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