Best colleges for Sports in North Carolina
Ranked by graduate earnings
North Carolina State University at Raleigh, Western Carolina University and Campbell University are the top bachelor's Sports programs in North Carolina by graduate earnings. North Carolina State University at Raleigh leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $33,717, College Scorecard. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina Wilmington and University of North Carolina at Greensboro award the most Sports degrees in North Carolina: 332, 190 and 182 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 55 North Carolina colleges offer Sports and award 2,827 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 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,717 | 149 | 85% | — | $21,500 |
| 2 | Western Carolina University Cullowhee Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,428 | 58 | 60% | — | $25,000 |
| 3 | Campbell University Buies Creek Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $32,167 | 68 | 61% | $23,331 | $25,250 |
| 4 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,165 | 332 | 91% | — | $16,575 |
| 5 | East Carolina University Greenville Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,797 | 156 | 63% | — | $27,000 |
| 6 | Johnson C Smith University Charlotte Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $29,678 | 21 | 34% | $21,563 | $34,078 |
| 7 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,482 | 182 | 56% | — | $25,000 |
| 8 | Barton College Wilson Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $29,374 | 49 | 46% | $23,133 | $27,000 |
| 9 | Guilford College Greensboro Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $28,802 | 33 | 46% | $25,345 | $27,000 |
| 10 | Wingate University Wingate Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $28,551 | 132 | 46% | $21,585 | $25,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Sports degrees in North Carolina
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 North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill Public | 332 | $31,165 |
| 2 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington Public | 190 | Not reported |
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro Public | 182 | $29,482 |
| 4 | East Carolina University Greenville Public | 156 | $29,797 |
| 5 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh Public | 149 | $33,717 |
| 6 | North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro Public | 138 | $26,498 |
| 7 | Wingate University Wingate Private not-for-profit | 132 | $28,551 |
| 8 | High Point University High Point Private not-for-profit | 121 | Not reported |
| 9 | Wake Forest University Winston-Salem Private not-for-profit | 116 | $21,192 |
| 10 | Elon University Elon Private not-for-profit | 108 | $21,440 |
ShowHide the other 45 North Carolina colleges offering Sports
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of North Carolina at Pembroke | Pembroke | Public | 83 |
| Lenoir-Rhyne University | Hickory | Private not-for-profit | 81 |
| Campbell University | Buies Creek | Private not-for-profit | 68 |
| North Carolina Central University | Durham | Public | 66 |
| Catawba College | Salisbury | Private not-for-profit | 63 |
| Western Carolina University | Cullowhee | Public | 58 |
| Winston-Salem State University | Winston-Salem | Public | 50 |
| Barton College | Wilson | Private not-for-profit | 49 |
| Methodist University | Fayetteville | Private not-for-profit | 44 |
| Gardner-Webb University | Boiling Springs | Private not-for-profit | 41 |
| Pfeiffer University | Misenheimer | Private not-for-profit | 41 |
| Fayetteville State University | Fayetteville | Public | 38 |
| Brevard College | Brevard | Private not-for-profit | 37 |
| Elizabeth City State University | Elizabeth City | Public | 37 |
| Guilford College | Greensboro | Private not-for-profit | 33 |
| Brunswick Community College | Bolivia | Public | 30 |
| University of Mount Olive | Mount Olive | Private not-for-profit | 29 |
| Belmont Abbey College | Belmont | Private not-for-profit | 26 |
| Chowan University | Murfreesboro | Private not-for-profit | 22 |
| North Carolina Wesleyan University | Rocky Mount | Private not-for-profit | 22 |
| Johnson C Smith University | Charlotte | Private not-for-profit | 21 |
| Greensboro College | Greensboro | Private not-for-profit | 20 |
| Mars Hill University | Mars Hill | Private not-for-profit | 19 |
| Lees-McRae College | Banner Elk | Private not-for-profit | 18 |
| Shaw University | Raleigh | Private not-for-profit | 18 |
| Livingstone College | Salisbury | Private not-for-profit | 17 |
| Meredith College | Raleigh | Private not-for-profit | 17 |
| Wake Technical Community College | Raleigh | Public | 16 |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte | Public | 15 |
| William Peace University | Raleigh | Private not-for-profit | 15 |
| Queens University of Charlotte | Charlotte | Private not-for-profit | 15 |
| Central Carolina Community College | Sanford | Public | 11 |
| Fayetteville Technical Community College | Fayetteville | Public | 11 |
| Gaston College | Dallas | Public | 11 |
| College of the Albemarle | Elizabeth City | Public | 8 |
| Coastal Carolina Community College | Jacksonville | Public | 8 |
| Louisburg College | Louisburg | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Sandhills Community College | Pinehurst | Public | 8 |
| Appalachian State University | Boone | Public | 7 |
| Johnston Community College | Smithfield | Public | 7 |
| Montreat College | Montreat | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Saint Augustine's University | Raleigh | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | Asheville | Public | 3 |
| Catawba Valley Community College | Hickory | Public | 1 |
| Salem College | Winston-Salem | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Exercise Physiologists (SOC 29-1128).
Top skills
What Exercise Physiologists earn in North Carolina
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Sports programs in North Carolina.
Which North Carolina colleges award the most Sports degrees?+
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (332 graduates a year), University of North Carolina Wilmington (190 graduates a year) and University of North Carolina at Greensboro (182 graduates a year) award the most Sports degrees in North Carolina, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 55 North Carolina colleges offer Sports.
What is the best college for Sports in North Carolina?+
By graduate earnings, North Carolina State University at Raleigh leads among bachelor's Sports programs in North Carolina, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $33,717, College Scorecard. Western Carolina University and Campbell University follow. By degrees awarded, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is the largest, with 332 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Sports program in North Carolina has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, North Carolina State University at Raleigh tops the list at $33,717. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Exercise Physiologists earn in North Carolina?+
The average annual wage for Exercise Physiologists in North Carolina is $56,850 (median $52,450), across about 370 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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