Oregon · Sports

Best colleges for Sports in Oregon

Ranked by graduate earnings

Southern Oregon University, Eastern Oregon University and Western Oregon University are the top bachelor's Sports programs in Oregon by graduate earnings. Southern Oregon University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $35,222, College Scorecard. Oregon State University, Eastern Oregon University and Pacific University award the most Sports degrees in Oregon: 196, 82 and 66 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 16 Oregon colleges offer Sports and award 634 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
16
offering CIP 31.05
States & territories
53
with a program page
Degrees / yr
634
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$31,285
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
8
College Scorecard
Median net price
$26,243
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
51%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Exercise Physiologists
$71,030
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 8 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
1Southern Oregon University
Ashland Public · Bachelor's degree
$35,2223343%—$23,000
2Eastern Oregon University
La Grande Public · Bachelor's degree
$32,5848243%—$25,000
3Western Oregon University
Monmouth Public · Bachelor's degree
$32,2495747%—$24,500
4Linfield University
McMinnville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$31,2854570%$26,243$27,000
5Oregon State University
Corvallis Public · Bachelor's degree
$29,86019670%—$24,201
6George Fox University
Newberg Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$29,8423572%$26,564$26,743
7Pacific University
Forest Grove Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$26,2196667%$30,571$26,848
8Warner Pacific University
Portland Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$31,9031449%$19,343—

Colleges awarding the most Sports degrees in Oregon

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)
1Oregon State University
Corvallis Public
196$29,860
2Eastern Oregon University
La Grande Public
82$32,584
3Pacific University
Forest Grove Private not-for-profit
66$26,219
4Western Oregon University
Monmouth Public
57$32,249
5Linfield University
McMinnville Private not-for-profit
45$31,285
6George Fox University
Newberg Private not-for-profit
35$29,842
7Southern Oregon University
Ashland Public
33$35,222
8Bushnell University
Eugene Private not-for-profit
26Not reported
9Corban University
Salem Private not-for-profit
15Not reported
10Willamette University
Salem Private not-for-profit
15Not reported
Show the other 6 Oregon colleges offering Sports
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Portland Community CollegePortlandPublic32
Warner Pacific UniversityPortlandPrivate not-for-profit14
Lane Community CollegeEugenePublic11
University of PortlandPortlandPrivate not-for-profit3
Clackamas Community CollegeOregon CityPublic2
Mt Hood Community CollegeGreshamPublic2

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 Oregon

Jobs in Oregon
80
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$71,030
median $71,630
Best-paying metro
$72,350
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA

Related careers

Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
$60,470 avg · 4,800 jobs
Coaches and Scouts
$66,160 avg · 3,930 jobs
Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling
$84,790 avg · 930 jobs
Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
$74,870 avg · 480 jobs
Athletic Trainers
$65,530 avg · 280 jobs
Exercise Physiologists
$71,030 avg · 80 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Sports programs in Oregon.

Which Oregon colleges award the most Sports degrees?+

Oregon State University (196 graduates a year), Eastern Oregon University (82 graduates a year) and Pacific University (66 graduates a year) award the most Sports degrees in Oregon, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 16 Oregon colleges offer Sports.

What is the best college for Sports in Oregon?+

By graduate earnings, Southern Oregon University leads among bachelor's Sports programs in Oregon, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $35,222, College Scorecard. Eastern Oregon University and Western Oregon University follow. By degrees awarded, Oregon State University is the largest, with 196 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Southern Oregon University tops the list at $35,222. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Exercise Physiologists earn in Oregon?+

The average annual wage for Exercise Physiologists in Oregon is $71,030 (median $71,630), across about 80 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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