Kinesiology and Sports Studies Programs in North Carolina
Updated
This page ranks 34 Kinesiology and Sports Studies programs in North Carolina by median earnings of Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing, highest first. Wake Forest University leads the list at $79,599, followed by Elon University at $68,178 and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at $63,286.
Across the listed programs, median earnings range from $79,599 down to $21,052, with a median of $45,564. For 3 of the 34 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 13 of the programs and private nonprofits for 21. Elizabeth City State University posts the lowest average net price on the page at $6,364.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranks 50th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and it is also the most selective school on the list, admitting 15% of applicants.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wake Forest University · Winston-Salem, NC | $79,599 | $28,719 | $6,525 | 21.7% |
| Wake Forest University reports $79,599 in median earnings of Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 22%. | |||||
| 2 | Elon University · Elon, NC | $68,178 | $41,555 | $26,523 | 66.4% |
| Elon University ranks 2nd on this list, with median earnings of $68,178 for its Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, NC | $63,286 | $11,655 | $2,004 | 15.3% |
| A public university in Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill carries an average net price of $11,655 and a median federal debt of $16,500 among Kinesiology and Sports Studies completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 4 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh · Raleigh, NC | $60,488 | $17,303 | $6,382 | 41.7% |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh posts median earnings of $60,488 four years after completing and ranks 99th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 5 | Gardner-Webb University · Boiling Springs, NC | $58,061 | $17,674 | $15,304 | 77.2% |
| Gardner-Webb University admits 77% of applicants, and its Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates earned a median of $58,061 four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | Appalachian State University · Boone, NC | $55,594 | $16,836 | $9,325 | 90.1% |
| Appalachian State University reports $55,594 in median earnings for its Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $16,836. | |||||
| 7 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte · Charlotte, NC | $54,377 | $15,435 | $10,357 | 79.6% |
| With a cohort of 14 graduates, University of North Carolina at Charlotte shows median earnings of $54,377 four years after completing the Kinesiology and Sports Studies program. | |||||
| 8 | Lenoir-Rhyne University · Hickory, NC | $53,609 | $20,689 | $18,669 | 84.6% |
| Lenoir-Rhyne University ranks 8th on this list and reports a median federal debt of $27,000 among Kinesiology and Sports Studies completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 9 | Wingate University · Wingate, NC | $52,822 | $20,748 | $18,772 | 91.1% |
| Wingate University posts median earnings of $52,822 for its Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 91%. | |||||
| 10 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro · Greensboro, NC | $51,275 | $10,965 | $7,305 | 88.5% |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro reports an average net price of $10,965 and median earnings of $51,275 for its Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 11 | Western Carolina University · Cullowhee, NC | $50,761 | $13,315 | $8,816 | 81.8% |
| Western Carolina University ranks 11th on this list, with a median federal debt of $24,302 among Kinesiology and Sports Studies completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 12 | Campbell University · Buies Creek, NC | $49,087 | $24,516 | $20,751 | 87.2% |
| Campbell University shows median earnings of $49,087 for its Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing and ranks 862nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 13 | East Carolina University · Greenville, NC | $48,703 | $15,739 | $10,046 | 89.2% |
| East Carolina University ranks 13th on this list, with median earnings of $48,703 for its Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $15,739. | |||||
| 14 | Elizabeth City State University · Elizabeth City, NC | $48,398 | $6,364 | $4,246 | 64.2% |
| A public university in Elizabeth City, Elizabeth City State University posts an average net price of $6,364 and median federal debt of $21,463 across all of the school's borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 15 | Guilford College · Greensboro, NC | $46,651 | $22,270 | $18,367 | 80.0% |
| Guilford College reports median earnings of $46,651 for its Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 80%. | |||||
| 16 | Pfeiffer University · Misenheimer, NC | $46,322 | $19,076 | $16,167 | 96.0% |
| Pfeiffer University reports median earnings of $46,322 for its Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing, with 30 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 17 | University of Mount Olive · Mount Olive, NC | $45,671 | $18,853 | $18,227 | 75.8% |
| University of Mount Olive ranks 17th on this list and shows median federal debt of $24,250 among Kinesiology and Sports Studies completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 18 | Methodist University · Fayetteville, NC | $45,457 | $24,704 | $20,371 | 75.1% |
| Methodist University posts median earnings of $45,457 for its Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 21 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 19 | Belmont Abbey College · Belmont, NC | $45,008 | $24,639 | $20,610 | 74.7% |
| Belmont Abbey College reports an average net price of $24,639 and median federal debt of $21,500 among Kinesiology and Sports Studies completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 20 | Chowan University · Murfreesboro, NC | $44,711 | $14,086 | $13,726 | 68.8% |
| Chowan University ranks 20th on this list, with median earnings of $44,711 for its Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $14,086. | |||||
| 21 | North Carolina Central University · Durham, NC | $44,678 | $15,359 | $13,032 | 87.0% |
| A public university in Durham, North Carolina Central University reports median earnings of $44,678 for its Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing and ranks 332nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 22 | Johnson C Smith University · Charlotte, NC | $44,678 | $20,894 | $19,940 | 45.2% |
| Johnson C Smith University admits 45% of applicants and reports median federal debt of $28,750 among Kinesiology and Sports Studies completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 23 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke · Pembroke, NC | $44,669 | $10,260 | $7,919 | 93.3% |
| University of North Carolina at Pembroke posts median earnings of $44,669 for its Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 103 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 24 | Catawba College · Salisbury, NC | $44,296 | $17,879 | $13,618 | 75.2% |
| Catawba College reports an average net price of $17,879 and median federal debt of $25,000 among Kinesiology and Sports Studies completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 25 | Shaw University · Raleigh, NC | $44,010 | $16,512 | $16,236 | 80.2% |
| Shaw University reports median earnings of $44,010 for its Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $16,512. | |||||
| 26 | Winston-Salem State University · Winston-Salem, NC | $43,313 | $13,479 | $11,463 | 78.3% |
| Winston-Salem State University, a public university in Winston-Salem, ranks 26th on this list and shows a median federal debt of $26,000 among Kinesiology and Sports Studies completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 27 | North Carolina A & T State University · Greensboro, NC | $42,978 | $10,846 | $8,223 | 49.9% |
| With 120 graduates in the earnings cohort, North Carolina A & T State University posts median earnings of $42,978 four years after completing and an admission rate of 50%. | |||||
| 28 | Livingstone College · Salisbury, NC | $41,765 | $13,479 | $13,860 | 59.3% |
| Livingstone College sits 28th on this page, with an average net price of $13,860 for families earning under $30,000 and median earnings of $41,765 four years after completing. | |||||
| 29 | Queens University of Charlotte · Charlotte, NC | $41,303 | $30,857 | $22,792 | 62.1% |
| Queens University of Charlotte reports median earnings of $41,303 for its Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing, and a median federal debt of $25,100 among Kinesiology and Sports Studies completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 30 | Brevard College · Brevard, NC | $41,193 | $23,509 | $19,294 | 42.2% |
| Brevard College admits 42% of applicants and reports median earnings of $41,193 for its Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 31 | Saint Augustine's University · Raleigh, NC | $38,086 | $24,313 | $27,815 | 33.8% |
| Saint Augustine's University ranks 1382nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with median earnings of $38,086 for its Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 32 | University of North Carolina Wilmington · Wilmington, NC | $35,274 | $20,109 | $10,778 | 64.2% |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington lists 209 graduates in the earnings cohort and an average net price of $10,778 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 33 | Barton College · Wilson, NC | $32,382 | $23,626 | $19,641 | 94.2% |
| Barton College reports median earnings of $32,382 for its Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 94%. | |||||
| 34 | North Carolina Wesleyan University · Rocky Mount, NC | $21,052 | $17,432 | $16,114 | 80.2% |
| North Carolina Wesleyan University ranks 34th on this list, with median earnings of $21,052 four years after completing and an average net price of $17,432. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in North Carolina appear. The figures are medians for federally aided completers of the Kinesiology and Sports Studies program who were working and not enrolled four years after completing. For 3 of the 34 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. Wake Forest University leads Elon University by $11,421, and the spread from first to last is $58,547.
Job market context in North Carolina
Graduates of Kinesiology and Sports Studies programs in North Carolina enter occupations such as Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors and Coaches and Scouts. Across those fields, the median annual wage is $45,518, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $32,403. The state projects about 3,980 openings a year, or roughly 152 openings a year for every hundred graduates, with more projected openings than graduates. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 13.8% higher. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing, not the broader occupational wage figures shown here.