Best colleges for Sports in Tennessee
Ranked by graduate earnings
Tennessee Technological University, Middle Tennessee State University and Belmont University are the top bachelor's Sports programs in Tennessee by graduate earnings. Tennessee Technological University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $33,170, College Scorecard. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville, University of Memphis and The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga award the most Sports degrees in Tennessee: 553, 429 and 184 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 29 Tennessee colleges offer Sports and award 2,421 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 | Tennessee Technological University Cookeville Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,170 | 100 | 58% | — | $15,653 |
| 2 | Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,966 | 120 | 54% | — | $23,500 |
| 3 | Belmont University Nashville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $32,464 | 106 | 71% | $29,246 | $20,000 |
| 4 | University of Memphis Memphis Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,305 | 429 | 51% | — | $27,500 |
| 5 | Austin Peay State University Clarksville Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,846 | 132 | 40% | — | $25,000 |
| 6 | Bethel University McKenzie Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $31,638 | 21 | 35% | $21,324 | $29,677 |
| 7 | The University of Tennessee-Martin Martin Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,587 | 81 | 53% | — | $23,938 |
| 8 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Chattanooga Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,772 | 184 | 50% | — | $22,500 |
| 9 | The University of Tennessee Southern Pulaski Public · Bachelor's degree | $28,069 | 28 | 37% | — | $23,125 |
| 10 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,374 | 553 | 74% | — | $21,500 |
Colleges awarding the most Sports degrees in Tennessee
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 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville Public | 553 | $27,374 |
| 2 | University of Memphis Memphis Public | 429 | $32,305 |
| 3 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Chattanooga Public | 184 | $29,772 |
| 4 | East Tennessee State University Johnson City Public | 140 | $25,768 |
| 5 | Austin Peay State University Clarksville Public | 132 | $31,846 |
| 6 | Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro Public | 120 | $32,966 |
| 7 | Belmont University Nashville Private not-for-profit | 106 | $32,464 |
| 8 | Tennessee Technological University Cookeville Public | 100 | $33,170 |
| 9 | The University of Tennessee-Martin Martin Public | 81 | $30,587 |
| 10 | Cumberland University Lebanon Private not-for-profit | 58 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 19 Tennessee colleges offering Sports
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tusculum University | Greeneville | Private not-for-profit | 61 |
| Carson-Newman University | Jefferson City | Private not-for-profit | 53 |
| Tennessee State University | Nashville | Public | 51 |
| Trevecca Nazarene University | Nashville | Private not-for-profit | 35 |
| Lipscomb University | Nashville | Private not-for-profit | 32 |
| Freed-Hardeman University | Henderson | Private not-for-profit | 30 |
| Milligan University | Milligan | Private not-for-profit | 30 |
| The University of Tennessee Southern | Pulaski | Public | 28 |
| Lincoln Memorial University | Harrogate | Private not-for-profit | 26 |
| Lee University | Cleveland | Private not-for-profit | 25 |
| Southern Adventist University | Collegedale | Private not-for-profit | 24 |
| Union University | Jackson | Private not-for-profit | 22 |
| Bethel University | McKenzie | Private not-for-profit | 21 |
| Tennessee Wesleyan University | Athens | Private not-for-profit | 21 |
| King University | Bristol | Private not-for-profit | 19 |
| Johnson University | Knoxville | Private not-for-profit | 16 |
| Bryan College - Dayton | Dayton | Private not-for-profit | 15 |
| Maryville College | Maryville | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Welch College | Gallatin | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Exercise Physiologists (SOC 29-1128).
Top skills
What Exercise Physiologists earn in Tennessee
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Sports programs in Tennessee.
Which Tennessee colleges award the most Sports degrees?+
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (553 graduates a year), University of Memphis (429 graduates a year) and The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga (184 graduates a year) award the most Sports degrees in Tennessee, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 29 Tennessee colleges offer Sports.
What is the best college for Sports in Tennessee?+
By graduate earnings, Tennessee Technological University leads among bachelor's Sports programs in Tennessee, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $33,170, College Scorecard. Middle Tennessee State University and Belmont University follow. By degrees awarded, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville is the largest, with 553 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Sports program in Tennessee has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Tennessee Technological University tops the list at $33,170. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Exercise Physiologists earn in Tennessee?+
The average annual wage for Exercise Physiologists in Tennessee is $56,660 (median $53,570), across about 140 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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