Best institutions to study Performance and Sport Psychology
A program that focuses on the motor, physiological, and psychosocial aspects of sport behavior.
18 U.S. institutions graduated 318 Performance and Sport Psychology students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 42.2815, a specialization of Clinical (CIP 42.28), and leads most directly to the Coaches and Scouts occupation (BLS SOC 27-2022).
About Performance and Sport Psychology programs
A program that focuses on the motor, physiological, and psychosocial aspects of sport behavior. Includes instruction in applied sport psychology, clinical mental health counseling, coaching, exercise physiology, ethical performance enhancement; human development, leadership and team building, mind-body practices, neuroscience, and personality and health.
See also: 31.0508 - Sports Studies.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Performance and Sport Psychology (Clinical) program focuses on the motor, physiological, and psychosocial aspects of sport behavior. It is designed for individuals interested in enhancing athletic performance through psychological principles and practices. This program is ideal for those looking to work in sports settings, coaching, or clinical mental health counseling.
Students will gain knowledge in applied sport psychology, exercise physiology, ethical performance enhancement, and human development. Coursework typically includes training in leadership, team building, mind-body practices, and neuroscience, equipping graduates with the skills necessary to support athletes effectively.
Credentials awarded
What Performance and Sport Psychology graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Master's degree212 graduates / yr · 11 institutions67%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship52 graduates / yr · 2 institutions16%
- Bachelor's degree31 graduates / yr · 6 institutions9.7%
- Post-master's certificate14 graduates / yr · 1 institution4.4%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate8 graduates / yr · 2 institutions2.5%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year1 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.3%
Graduates over time
Performance and Sport Psychology completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 73 |
| 2021 | 71 |
| 2022 | 203 |
| 2023 | 209 |
| 2024 | 270 |
| 2025 | 318 |
CIP 42.2815 was introduced in CIP 2020, so the series starts when institutions began reporting under the new code.
Top 18 institutions for Performance and Sport Psychology, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Western States Portland, ORPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sDoctoralMaster's | 87 | — | — | — |
| 2 | Capella University Minneapolis, MNPrivate for-profitMaster's | 55 | 20% | $19,369 | — |
| 3 | California Baptist University Riverside, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor's | 48 | 62% | $26,940 | — |
| 4 | National University San Diego, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor's | 30 | 43% | $31,817 | — |
| 5 | Northcentral University San Diego, CAPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral | 23 | — | — | — |
| 6 | University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Green Bay, WIPublicMaster's | 16 | 48% | — | — |
| 7 | University of the Southwest Hobbs, NMPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 11 | 17% | $20,882 | — |
| 8 | University of Kentucky Lexington, KYPublicMaster'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 8 | 71% | — | — |
| 9 | Menlo College Atherton, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 7 | 54% | $26,655 | — |
| 10 | Kent State University at Kent Kent, OHPublicBachelor's | 7 | 64% | — | — |
| 11 | Faulkner University Montgomery, ALPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 5 | 37% | $25,801 | $26,988 |
| 12 | Dominican University of California San Rafael, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 5 | 78% | $48,448 | — |
| 13 | Pennsylvania Western University California, PAPublicPost-degree cert. | 5 | 52% | — | — |
| 14 | Loras College Dubuque, IAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 4 | 68% | $19,227 | — |
| 15 | American InterContinental University System Chandler, AZPrivate for-profitPost-degree cert. | 3 | 9% | $15,785 | — |
| 16 | The University of Olivet Olivet, MIPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 2 | 35% | $21,946 | — |
| 17 | Northern Michigan University Marquette, MIPublicMaster's | 1 | 52% | — | — |
| 18 | LeTourneau University Longview, TXPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 1 | 59% | $24,186 | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Clinical field (CIP 42.28) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 13 states
Where Performance and Sport Psychology graduates come from. Each state links to all Clinical programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 5 | 113 | California Baptist University48 / yr |
| Oregon | 1 | 87 | University of Western States87 / yr |
| Minnesota | 1 | 55 | Capella University55 / yr |
| Wisconsin | 1 | 16 | University of Wisconsin - Green Bay16 / yr |
| New Mexico | 1 | 11 | University of the Southwest11 / yr |
| Kentucky | 1 | 8 | University of Kentucky8 / yr |
| Ohio | 1 | 7 | Kent State University at Kent7 / yr |
| Alabama | 1 | 5 | Faulkner University5 / yr |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 5 | Pennsylvania Western University5 / yr |
| Iowa | 1 | 4 | Loras College4 / yr |
| Michigan | 2 | 3 | The University of Olivet2 / yr |
| Arizona | 1 | 3 | American InterContinental University System3 / yr |
| Texas | 1 | 1 | LeTourneau University1 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 27-2022, Coaches and Scouts, and its national outlook.
Graduates of this program can pursue careers as Coaches and Scouts, Psychology Teachers, or Psychologists. The job outlook for related occupations is faster than average, with a projected growth rate of 6.4% and approximately 41,800 annual openings. The median wage for these roles is $45,920, with a typical education requirement of a Bachelor's degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 42.2815
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Coaches and Scoutsprimary SOC 27-2022 | $47,320 | +6.4% Faster than average | ~41,800 | Bachelor's degree |
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1066 | $80,340 | +3.6% About as fast as average | ~4,000 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Psychologists, All Other SOC 19-3039 | $110,840 | +4.3% About as fast as average | ~3,900 | Master's degree |
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Performance and Sport Psychology programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Plan, organize, and conduct practice sessions.
- Provide training direction, encouragement, motivation, and nutritional advice to prepare athletes for games, competitive events, or tours.
- Adjust coaching techniques, based on the strengths and weaknesses of athletes.
- Instruct individuals or groups in sports rules, game strategies, and performance principles, such as specific ways of moving the body, hands, or feet, to achieve desired results.
- Plan strategies and choose team members for individual games or sports seasons.
- Monitor the academic eligibility of student athletes.
Tools and technology used
Other Clinical specializations
The 17 other 6-digit CIP codes under Clinical (CIP 42.28).
- Counseling PsychologyCIP 42.280312,264 graduates / yr277 institutions
- Applied Behavior AnalysisCIP 42.28147,215 graduates / yr143 institutions
- Clinical PsychologyCIP 42.28016,396 graduates / yr205 institutions
- School PsychologyCIP 42.28053,734 graduates / yr205 institutions
- Industrial and Organizational PsychologyCIP 42.28043,169 graduates / yr127 institutions
- Applied PsychologyCIP 42.28132,999 graduates / yr96 institutions
- Forensic PsychologyCIP 42.28122,718 graduates / yr59 institutions
- Educational PsychologyCIP 42.28061,874 graduates / yr84 institutions
- ClinicalCIP 42.2899711 graduates / yr46 institutions
- Family PsychologyCIP 42.2811partial data630 graduates / yr6 institutions
- Community PsychologyCIP 42.2802464 graduates / yr34 institutions
- Health/CIP 42.2810
Medical Psychology 428 graduates / yr25 institutions - Clinical Child PsychologyCIP 42.2807partial data101 graduates / yr9 institutions
- Transpersonal/CIP 42.2817
Spiritual Psychology limited data40 graduates / yr1 institutions - Environmental PsychologyCIP 42.2808partial data22 graduates / yr3 institutions
- GeropsychologyCIP 42.2809limited data2 graduates / yr1 institutions
Show 1 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Somatic Psychology42.2816
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Master's degree, Doctor's degree, Bachelor's degree, or a Post-master's certificate.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in speaking, active listening, critical thinking, and learning strategies.
What careers can I pursue after graduation?+
You can work as a coach, psychology teacher, or psychologist.
What is the job outlook for this field?+
The job outlook is faster than average, with a growth rate of 6.4% and about 41,800 annual openings.
What is the CIP code for Performance and Sport Psychology?+
Performance and Sport Psychology is CIP 42.2815 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Clinical (CIP 42.28). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on the motor, physiological, and psychosocial aspects of sport behavior. Includes instruction in applied sport psychology, clinical mental health counseling, coaching, exercise physiology, ethical performance enhancement; human development, leadership and team building, mind-body practices, neuroscience, and personality and health.
How many institutions offer Performance and Sport Psychology programs?+
18 U.S. institutions reported Performance and Sport Psychology graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 13 states, awarding 318 credentials in the year. That is 0.7% of all Clinical graduates.
How much do Performance and Sport Psychology graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Coaches and Scouts occupation, which Performance and Sport Psychology most directly leads to, pays a median of $47,320 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Clinical field report median earnings of $26,988 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
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.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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