The Best Bachelor's Programs in Kinesiology for 2026

The ranking

The 25 best kinesiology programs, ranked

Scored on 7 federal inputs, weighted, and compared only against other bachelor’s programs in the same field. 25 of the 25 profiles below are written from the department’s own program page.

1. 01

   Rank 1: University of Georgia

   BSEd in Exercise and Sport Science

   Athens, GA · Public · city campus

   Our score

   97.6

   University of Georgia admits just 38% of applicants, selectivity at the 97th percentile of the 568-program bachelor's field, feeding a score of 97.6 alongside a 90% graduation rate.

   University of Georgia is a public university in Athens enrolling 43,146 students overall and 32,399 undergraduates, with an admit rate of 38% placing selectivity at the 97th percentile of the 568 bachelor's exercise science and kinesiology programs scored, and a 90% graduation rate at the 99th percentile, both far above the peer medians of an 80% admit rate and 55% graduation rate. The program confers 125 degrees a year against a 24-degree median for the level. In-state tuition of $10,034 against out-of-state tuition of $30,272 is a gap of $20,238 a year that totals $80,952 across a four-year degree. The result of 97.6 stands far above the median at this level of 73.3, leading Georgia's bachelor's kinesiology group ahead of Mercer University's 87.1. The program suits a highly qualified applicant seeking a large, selective, high-completion program who can secure Georgia residency for in-state cost.

   • 32,399 undergraduate enrollment
   • 125 degrees conferred yearly
   • 38% admit rate

   Graduation rate

   90%

   Admit rate

   38%

   In-state tuition

   $10,034

   Out-of-state tuition

   $30,272

   Cost of attendance

   $28,872

   Undergrad enrollment

   32,399

   Degrees conferred

   125

   View University of Georgia's BSEd in Exercise and Sport Science www.uga.edu

2. 02

   Rank 2: University of Maryland-College Park

   B.S. in Kinesiology

   College Park, MD · Public · suburban campus

   Our score

   97.6

   Students who transfer into a major after starting elsewhere fit Maryland's B.S. in Kinesiology, one of its ten largest, at over 700 undergraduates who mostly transferred in.

   Maryland's B.S. in Kinesiology requires 120 credits: 46 in the major, 18 in supporting major requirements, 24 in general education and 32 in electives, with courses ranging from manual muscle testing and applied biomechanics to a service-learning practicum that places students as volunteer coaches and mentors in the community. The department created the first kinesiology degree in the United States in 1974, and today draws over 700 undergraduates, most arriving as transfers from other majors or other schools rather than as incoming freshmen.

   Maryland graduates 89% of these students, 34 points above the 55% median across the 568 programs scored at this level, and a 45% admit rate places selectivity in the 94th percentile of that same group, whose median admit rate is 80%. The university's 41,725 total enrollment lands in the 96th percentile for institutional scale, and the 179 kinesiology degrees Maryland confers a year run more than seven times the 24-degree median for the level. In-state tuition of $10,087 against $39,464 out of state compounds to roughly $117,500 across four years. The tuition gap makes this a stronger fit for an in-state transfer student than an out-of-state one, though the program itself is built around switching majors mid-degree either way.

   • Created the first U.S. kinesiology degree, 1974
   • 120-credit plan: 46 major, 32 elective
   • Manual muscle testing course requirement
   • Sports finance and business intelligence elective

   Graduation rate

   89%

   Admit rate

   45%

   In-state tuition

   $10,087

   Out-of-state tuition

   $39,464

   Cost of attendance

   $31,731

   Undergrad enrollment

   31,133

   Degrees conferred

   179

   View University of Maryland-College Park's B.S. in Kinesiology www.umd.edu

3. 03

   Rank 3: University of Virginia-Main Campus

   Bachelor's in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

   Charlottesville, VA · Public · suburban campus

   Our score

   97.6

   A 17% admit rate and a 96% graduation rate put UVA's kinesiology program more than 13 points ahead of Virginia's George Mason University, which scores 83.8.

   The undergraduate program sits inside a department organized around four areas of study: athletic training, exercise physiology, health education and sports medicine. Every semester, the Kinesiology Lifetime Physical Activity Program runs roughly 40 one-credit classes, mostly out of Memorial Gym and taught largely by graduate students, covering everything from yoga and weight training to soccer and badminton. Four affiliated labs give undergraduates access to applied research: the Exercise and Sport Injury Laboratory, the Exercise Physiology Core Laboratory established in 1990 under an NIH-sponsored research center, the Diet and Nutrition Research Laboratory and the Applied Physiology of Exercise Laboratory.

   UVA graduates 96% of these students, the 99th percentile of the 568 programs at this level whose median stands at 55%, and its 17% admit rate lands admissions selectivity in the 99th percentile against an 80% median for the level. Total enrollment of 26,409 sits in the 92nd percentile for institutional scale, and the university confers 86 of these degrees a year against a 24-degree median for the level. In-state tuition of $19,472 against $57,261 out of state adds up to roughly $151,000 more over four years for a non-Virginia resident. The fit is a highly qualified applicant, in state or not, who wants small classes inside a kinesiology program that ranks in the top one percent of this scored group of comparable programs for selectivity.

   • KLPA runs about 40 classes each semester
   • Affiliated research labs include EASIL and APEX
   • Exercise Physiology Core Lab traces to 1990
   • Diet and Nutrition Lab studies children's health

   Graduation rate

   96%

   Admit rate

   17%

   In-state tuition

   $19,472

   Out-of-state tuition

   $57,261

   Cost of attendance

   $41,803

   Undergrad enrollment

   17,885

   Degrees conferred

   86

   View University of Virginia's Bachelor's in Exercise Science and Kinesiology www.virginia.edu

4. 04

   Rank 4: University of Wisconsin-Madison

   B.S. in Physical Education (BSPE)

   Madison, WI · Public · city campus

   Our score

   97.5

   Wisconsin's School of Education Teacher Pledge covers in-state tuition, fees, testing and licensing costs for Physical Education majors who commit to teaching three to four years in a Wisconsin PK-12 school after graduation.

   Declaring the Bachelor of Science in Physical Education requires second-year standing and a 2.75 GPA, either cumulative or on the last 60 credits attempted, and the major pairs with an Adapted Physical Education minor or a Health Education minor for students who want an additional teaching endorsement. Students work through four PE curriculum models, Adventure Learning, Fitness Education, Teaching Games for Understanding and Sport Education, complete student teaching placements in urban, suburban or rural districts, and can join a team-building course held in Costa Rica each May. Several students have presented at the Wisconsin, Midwest and national SHAPE America conferences.

   Wisconsin graduates 90% of these students, in the 98th percentile of the 568 programs at this level against a 55% median, and a 45% admit rate places selectivity in the 94th percentile against an 80% median for the level admit rate. Total enrollment of 51,044 ranks in the 98th percentile for institutional scale, and the university confers 118 of these degrees a year, roughly five times the 24-degree median. In-state tuition of $10,006 against $40,506 out of state totals about $122,000 more over four years for a non-resident, a gap the Teacher Pledge can offset for students who commit to teaching in Wisconsin. This suits a prospective Wisconsin PK-12 teacher more than a general exercise-science applicant, given the program's teaching-license focus.

   • Costa Rica study-abroad team-building course each May
   • 2.75 GPA required to declare the major
   • Adapted PE and Health Education minors available
   • PE curriculum models include Teaching Games for Understanding

   Graduation rate

   90%

   Admit rate

   45%

   In-state tuition

   $10,006

   Out-of-state tuition

   $40,506

   Cost of attendance

   $30,005

   Undergrad enrollment

   38,040

   Degrees conferred

   118

   View University of Wisconsin-Madison's B.S. in Physical Education (BSPE) www.wisc.edu

5. 05

   Rank 5: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

   Dance B.A. and Kinesiology B.S. Dual Degree

   Champaign, IL · Public · city campus

   Our score

   97.4

   Illinois' dual Dance BA and Kinesiology BS requires 158 credit hours, well beyond a typical single bachelor's, trading a faster degree for dual training in performance and exercise science.

   This dual-degree pathway pairs a BA in Dance with a BS in Kinesiology across 158 university credits, covering human movement, bioenergetics, biomechanics and motor development on the kinesiology side and physical practice, creative process and dance theory on the dance side. A senior thesis project has to combine both disciplines, and students can layer on K-12 teaching licensure in physical education with an endorsement in dance and a yoga certification. Admission review weighs a talent audition or portfolio alongside strength and interest in science coursework, since the program expects both at once.

   Illinois graduates 85% of kinesiology students, in the 97th percentile of the 568 programs at this level against a 55% median, and a 42% admit rate lands selectivity in the 96th percentile against an 80% median for the level. Total enrollment of 59,238 sits in the 99th percentile for institutional scale, and the department confers 188 of these bachelor's degrees a year, close to eight times the 24-degree median. In-state tuition of $14,975 against $36,804 out of state adds up to roughly $87,000 more over four years for a non-resident on the standard track, before the dual degree's extra credit hours are counted. This fits a performing artist who also wants a lab-science credential and is prepared for a longer, costlier path to get both.

   • Senior thesis merges dance and kinesiology research
   • K-12 PE licensure with dance and yoga endorsement
   • Admission requires an audition or portfolio review
   • Core coursework in biomechanics, motor development, bioenergetics

   Graduation rate

   85%

   Admit rate

   42%

   In-state tuition

   $14,975

   Out-of-state tuition

   $36,804

   Cost of attendance

   $34,226

   Undergrad enrollment

   37,140

   Degrees conferred

   188

   View University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Dance B.A. and Kinesiology B.S. Dual Degree www.illinois.edu

6. 06

   Rank 6: University of Central Florida

   B.S. in Kinesiology (Exercise and Sport Physiology)

   Orlando, FL · Public · suburban campus

   Our score

   97.3

   UCF confers 418 kinesiology degrees a year, more than any other program in this 568-school group of comparable programs, placing field output at the 100th percentile.

   UCF's Kinesiology BS, delivered through the Exercise and Sport Physiology track, layers didactic lab work onto classroom coursework and positions students for certification exams from the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the American College of Sports Medicine. The Division of Kinesiology holds NSCA's Education Recognition Program distinction for undergraduate strength and conditioning and personal training, and juniors and seniors can complete a supervised practicum with an approved preceptor at a local healthcare, fitness or sports organization, or through the university's own Sport Science Initiatives. Related minors in Fitness Training and Health Sciences let students add a credential alongside the major.

   The program's 78% graduation rate sits in the 94th percentile of the 568 programs at this level against a 55% median, and a 40% admit rate places selectivity in the 96th percentile against an 80% median for the level. Total enrollment of 69,713 lands in the 99th percentile for institutional scale. In-state tuition of $4,478 is cheaper than 98% of comparable programs, and the annual gap to the 19,810-dollar out-of-state rate compounds to roughly $61,000 over four years for a non-Florida resident. This fits a Florida resident who wants low-cost access to certification-track coursework inside the highest-volume kinesiology program in this scored group of comparable programs.

   • NSCA Education Recognition Program distinction
   • Certification prep for NSCA and ACSM exams
   • Junior and senior supervised practicum requirement
   • Fitness Training and Health Sciences minors

   Graduation rate

   78%

   Admit rate

   40%

   In-state tuition

   $4,478

   Out-of-state tuition

   $19,810

   Cost of attendance

   $25,250

   Undergrad enrollment

   59,552

   Degrees conferred

   418

   View University of Central Florida's B.S. in Kinesiology (Exercise and Sport Physiology) www.ucf.edu

7. 07

   Rank 7: Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

   Kinesiology, B.S. (Health and Human Development)

   University Park, PA · Public · city campus

   Our score

   95.7

   Penn State accepts 61% of applicants to this bachelor's program, yet its 86% graduation rate still scores well above the 55% median across the 568 programs in this group.

   Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus enrolls 42,604 undergraduates within a public university of 50,737 students overall, and its kinesiology program area confers 221 degrees a year, a 96th percentile mark against a 24-degree median for the level across the 568 programs scored at this level. Graduation sits at the 97th percentile and admissions selectivity at the 87th percentile despite the majority-accept rate, both well above the peer medians of 55% and an 80% admit rate. In-state tuition of $20,066 runs cheaper than 55% of peers in the group. It fits an applicant who wants flagship scale and strong completion odds without needing a single-digit admit rate to get in.

   • 42,604 undergraduates
   • 221 kinesiology degrees a year
   • $20,066 in-state tuition

   Graduation rate

   86%

   Admit rate

   61%

   In-state tuition

   $20,066

   Out-of-state tuition

   $41,212

   Cost of attendance

   $41,338

   Undergrad enrollment

   42,604

   Degrees conferred

   221

   View PSU's Kinesiology, B.S. (Health and Human Development) www.psu.edu

8. 08

   Rank 8: The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

   Kinesiology, BS

   Knoxville, TN · Public · city campus

   Our score

   95.7

   UT Knoxville's Kinesiology, BS runs a lecture-and-lab Physiology of Exercise core inside a program large enough to confer 253 degrees a year, trading intimacy for scale.

   The Kinesiology, BS sits in the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies, a member of the American Kinesiology Association, with featured coursework in Applied Anatomy, a lecture-and-lab Physiology of Exercise sequence, Fitness Testing and Exercise Prescription, and Biomechanics of Human Movement. The department points graduates toward physical therapy, occupational therapy, athletic training, strength and conditioning, sports science and medical study, naming career tracks in personal training, performance coaching, and strength and conditioning coaching.

   A 42% admit rate lands UT Knoxville at the 96th percentile for selectivity among the 568 bachelor's kinesiology programs, and a 74% graduation rate reaches the 90th percentile, together the two biggest forces behind a 95.7 score against a 73.3 median for the level. In-state tuition of $11,560 a year is cheaper than 67% of that group of comparable programs, while an out-of-state student pays $30,704; over four years that runs from $46,240 to $122,816, a gap of $76,576. This fits a student who wants a large, strong-outcomes public kinesiology program and either qualifies for in-state tuition or can absorb the non-resident premium.

   • American Kinesiology Association member department
   • Featured coursework includes Biomechanics of Human Movement
   • Named tracks in personal training and performance coaching
   • 42% admit rate

   Graduation rate

   74%

   Admit rate

   42%

   In-state tuition

   $11,560

   Out-of-state tuition

   $30,704

   Cost of attendance

   $35,064

   Undergrad enrollment

   30,564

   Degrees conferred

   253

   View University of Tennessee-Knoxville's Kinesiology, BS www.utk.edu

9. 09

   Rank 9: Wake Forest University

   B.S. in Health and Exercise Science

   Winston-Salem, NC · Private nonprofit · city campus

   Our score

   94.7

   A 22% admit rate places Wake Forest's Health and Exercise Science major in the 98th percentile for selectivity among the 568 bachelor's programs scored at this level.

   Wake Forest's Health and Exercise Science major is a Bachelor of Science that, the department reports, ranks eighth most popular among the school's majors over the past decade and third fastest-growing in that span. Faculty research feeds the curriculum directly: Dr. Shannon Mihalko's group has studied the link between weight loss and knee pain, and Dr. Kristen Beavers is studying how osteoporosis medications preserve bone density in patients who have lost significant weight. Coursework runs from introductory Lifestyles and Health and Medical Terminology to upper-level Exercise and Health Psychology, Human Physiology and Physiology of Exercise, and students can join Wake Forest EMS, the Association of Pre-Physician Assistants or the Minority Association for Pre-Health Students alongside the major.

   Wake Forest graduates 89% of these students, in the 98th percentile of the 568 programs at this level against a 55% median. The university confers about 97 of these degrees a year, and total enrollment of 9,322 sits in the 72nd percentile for institutional scale, modest next to the large public systems that also populate this group. Tuition of $66,470 a year, the same for every student regardless of residency, is cheaper than only 0.4% of comparable programs' listed rates, a cost that totals near $265,880 in tuition alone across four years. This suits an applicant who wants a small, research-active private program and can absorb private-university pricing without needing an in-state discount.

   • Reportedly the 8th most popular major
   • Faculty research spans bone density, weight loss
   • Wake Forest EMS and Pre-Physician Assistants student orgs
   • Grads started health careers in 37 states

   Graduation rate

   89%

   Admit rate

   22%

   In-state tuition

   $66,470

   Out-of-state tuition

   $66,470

   Cost of attendance

   $91,202

   Undergrad enrollment

   5,490

   Degrees conferred

   97

   View Wake Forest University's B.S. in Health and Exercise Science www.wfu.edu

10. 10

    Rank 10: Syracuse University

    Health and Exercise Science B.S.

    Syracuse, NY · Private nonprofit · city campus

    Our score

    93.7

    A 3+3 doctorate of physical therapy partnership with SUNY Upstate Medical University lets Health and Exercise Science majors add a DPT in six years instead of seven.

    Syracuse houses the Health and Exercise Science B.S. in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, with students choosing among a general track, a pre-physical therapy track, or the 3+3 DPT partnership with SUNY Upstate Medical University that requires a separate application. Core coursework covers sport psychology, nutrition, analysis of human motion, exercise physiology, conditioning science, and athletic injury care, backed by a 270-hour internship at one of three area hospitals or with Syracuse Athletics, plus faculty-run labs that include a cardiovascular lab, a kinesmetrics lab, and a hypoxia and altitude simulation chamber used on research trips to Everest base camp and the Peruvian highlands.

    Syracuse's 93.7 score sits well above the 73.3 median across the 568 bachelor's programs scored at this level, driven mainly by an 84% graduation rate against a 55% median for the level and a 46% admit rate that lands at the 93rd percentile on selectivity. Tuition runs a flat $63,710 a year with a total cost of attendance near $88,493, cheaper than under 1% of comparable programs, so price rather than transcript strength is the real filter here. It fits a student set on physical therapy or a research-heavy exercise science path who can absorb that cost for the lab access and the DPT pipeline.

    • Kinesmetrics Laboratory studies physical behavior
    • 270-hour internship requirement
    • Hypoxia/Altitude Simulation Laboratory
    • Pre-Physical Therapy track option
    • Study abroad research trip to Everest

    Graduation rate

    84%

    Admit rate

    46%

    In-state tuition

    $63,710

    Out-of-state tuition

    $63,710

    Cost of attendance

    $88,493

    Undergrad enrollment

    15,957

    Degrees conferred

    51

    View Syracuse University's Health and Exercise Science B.S. www.syracuse.edu

11. 11

    Rank 11: United States Military Academy

    Kinesiology

    West Point, NY · Public · town campus

    Our score

    93.6

    Cadets who choose the honors track pair required courses like Biomechanics of Human Movement and Exercise Physiology with an individually mentored thesis under a faculty advisor.

    West Point's Kinesiology major sits inside the Department of Physical Education and studies the physiological, psychological, and mechanical sides of human movement. Required courses include Human Physiology, Functional Anatomy, Biomechanics of Human Movement, Nutrition for Performance, Psychology of Exercise, Exercise Physiology, Muscular Function and Adaptation, Fitness Assessment and Prescription, and Theory of Advanced Performance, with electives such as Organic Chemistry, Human Anatomy, and Biochemistry available to cadets aiming at graduate work. Curriculum design is tied explicitly to the Army's training and combat needs, and an honors track adds two additional courses built around an individually mentored research thesis, with department members eligible for the Phi Kappa Phi honor society.

    West Point's 93.6 score sits well above the 73.3 median across the 568 bachelor's programs scored at this level, powered by an 87% graduation rate against a 55% median for the level and a 12% admit rate that puts selectivity at the 99th percentile, the two biggest levers here. The one drag is scale: at only 14 kinesiology degrees a year against a 24-degree median for the level, field output sits at the 31st percentile. This fits a candidate who has already committed to an Army commissioning path and wants a science-heavy major built around performance and combat readiness rather than an open civilian curriculum.

    • Two-course honors research sequence
    • Curriculum built around Army training needs
    • Phi Kappa Phi honor society chapter
    • Required course in Fitness Assessment and Prescription

    Graduation rate

    87%

    Admit rate

    12%

    Undergrad enrollment

    4,473

    Degrees conferred

    14

    View United States Military Academy's Kinesiology www.westpoint.edu

12. 12

    Rank 12: The College of New Jersey

    Kinesiology and Health Sciences, BS

    Ewing, NJ · Public · suburban campus

    Our score

    92

    Choosing TCNJ's CAAHEP-accredited Kinesiology and Health Sciences major over Rutgers University-New Brunswick, which carries our score of 96.4, trades some selectivity for a guaranteed BS/DPT seat and in-state tuition under $16,000.

    TCNJ's BS in Kinesiology and Health Sciences sits in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences and carries CAAHEP accreditation on the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation for the Exercise Sciences. A BS/DPT dual-degree option gives first-year applicants direct admission into the Jefferson College of Rehabilitation Sciences on a 4+3, seven-year track. Every student completes a senior-year internship of at least 450 hours over 14 to 16 weeks, matched to settings from clinical exercise physiology to strength and conditioning, and coursework runs through human performance and performance-enhancement labs where students collect and analyze their own data.

    TCNJ's 92 score sits well above the 73.3 median across the 568 bachelor's programs scored at this level, built on an 86% graduation rate against a 55% median for the level and a 62% admit rate that lands at the 85th percentile on selectivity. In-state tuition of $15,294 against $21,414 out-of-state adds up to about $24,480 more over four years for a non-resident, and the major is still cheaper than 61% of its peers even so. It suits a New Jersey resident set on physical therapy who wants a guaranteed DPT seat without competing for Rutgers University-New Brunswick's more selective admissions bar.

    • Accreditation via Committee on Accreditation for Exercise Sciences
    • Direct admission to Jefferson College of Rehabilitation Sciences
    • 450-hour senior internship requirement
    • Human performance and performance-enhancement labs

    Graduation rate

    86%

    Admit rate

    62%

    In-state tuition

    $15,294

    Out-of-state tuition

    $21,414

    Cost of attendance

    $40,158

    Undergrad enrollment

    7,435

    Degrees conferred

    65

    View College of New Jersey's Kinesiology and Health Sciences, BS www.tcnj.edu

13. 13

    Rank 13: Pepperdine University

    Sports Medicine Major

    Malibu, CA · Private nonprofit · suburban campus

    Our score

    91.2

    An 83% graduation rate in the 96th percentile among 568 scored bachelor's programs drives our score for Pepperdine to 91.2, within 1.6 points of University of Southern California's 92.8.

    Pepperdine is a private nonprofit university on a suburban Malibu campus, enrolling 3,553 undergraduates within 8,976 total students, and it confers 49 exercise science and kinesiology degrees a year. Its 63% admit rate places selectivity at the 83rd percentile against an 80% median for the level admit rate, reinforcing the graduation rate's pull toward the top of the 568 programs at this level. Tuition of $69,130 a year, the same for in-state and out-of-state students, is cheaper than only 0.2% of comparable programs, and full cost of attendance reaches $95,168. This fits a student prioritizing a small, highly selective private cohort who can absorb tuition cheaper than only 0.2% of peers in the field.

    • 63% admit rate
    • 3,553 undergraduate enrollment
    • 49 degrees conferred yearly

    Graduation rate

    83%

    Admit rate

    63%

    In-state tuition

    $69,130

    Out-of-state tuition

    $69,130

    Cost of attendance

    $95,168

    Undergrad enrollment

    3,553

    Degrees conferred

    49

    View Pepperdine University's Sports Medicine Major www.pepperdine.edu

14. 14

    Rank 14: State University of New York at Cortland

    Applied Kinesiology B.S. / Athletic Training M.S. 3+2

    Cortland, NY · Public · town campus

    Our score

    91.2

    Prospective athletic trainers aiming at the BOC exam can shortlist Cortland's 3+2 pathway, which stacks a bachelor's in Applied Kinesiology directly onto a CAATE-accredited Athletic Training master's in five years total.

    Cortland's Applied Kinesiology B.S. links directly into an Athletic Training M.S. through a 3+2 pathway, letting students earn both required credentials in five years instead of the usual six. Admission to the undergraduate portion is limited to first-year fall entrants and is described as highly competitive, and advancing into the master's requires a 3.0 GPA through the three-year curriculum plus a C or better in key courses. The graduate phase runs daily on-campus coursework alongside clinical placements from high schools to college teams across divisions, taught by practicing athletic trainers, and the department hosts the annual Dr. Bert Mandelbaum Sports Medicine Symposium. The B.S. requires 120 credit hours and carries CAATE accreditation, with the Kinesiology Department, a member of the American Kinesiology Association, running four majors including Exercise Science, Coaching, and Strength and Conditioning for Human Performance.

    Cortland's 91.2 score sits well above the 73.3 median across the 568 bachelor's programs scored at this level, with selectivity as the biggest lever: a 60% admit rate against an 80% median for the level puts it at the 88th percentile. Graduation runs at 68% against a 55% median, and the department confers 139 degrees a year against a 24-degree median, a field-output figure at the 92nd percentile. In-state tuition of $7,070 against $16,980 out-of-state works out to roughly $29,730 more over the three-year undergraduate phase, though the major is still cheaper than 87.5% of its peers. This suits a New York resident committed early to athletic training who wants a guaranteed graduate seat without a second application.

    • Clinical placements from high schools to pros
    • Housed in the Kinesiology Department, AKA member
    • Annual Dr. Bert Mandelbaum Sports Medicine Symposium
    • 120 credit hours required for the bachelor's
    • 3.0 GPA needed to advance to master's

    Graduation rate

    68%

    Admit rate

    60%

    In-state tuition

    $7,070

    Out-of-state tuition

    $16,980

    Cost of attendance

    $28,684

    Undergrad enrollment

    5,911

    Degrees conferred

    139

    View State University of New York at Cortland's Applied Kinesiology B.S. / Athletic Training M.S. 3+2 www2.cortland.edu

15. 15

    Rank 15: Miami University-Oxford

    Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Health

    Oxford, OH · Public · town campus

    Our score

    91.1

    Miami requires 60 semester hours of kinesiology coursework, from a Biodynamics of Human Performance lab through an elective block that ranges from Physics in Sports to Musculoskeletal Disorders and Exercise.

    Miami's Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Health major runs 60 semester hours split between outside science requirements, physiology, chemistry with labs, physics for the life sciences, statistics, and introductory psychology, and a discipline core covering motor skill learning, functional anatomy with a lab, biodynamics of human performance with a lab, fitness assessment with a lab, and exercise physiology with a lab. Students round out the major with six elective hours chosen from courses such as Physics in Sports, Nutrition for Sports and Fitness, Strength Training and Conditioning, Musculoskeletal Disorders and Exercise, and Advanced Motor Control and Learning, all housed in the Department of Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Health within the College of Education, Health and Society.

    Miami's 91.1 score sits well above the 73.3 median across the 568 bachelor's programs scored at this level, driven mainly by an 80% graduation rate against a 55% median for the level, the program's biggest single driver at the 94th percentile. A 75% admit rate keeps selectivity close to the 80% median for the level at the 62nd percentile, while the department confers 127 degrees a year against a 24-degree median and the university's size of nearly 18,838 students lands institutional scale at the 87th percentile. In-state tuition of $14,420 against $35,866 out-of-state adds up to roughly $85,784 more over four years, so this fits an Ohio resident well but asks a much bigger price question of an out-of-state applicant.

    • Six elective hours from specialized courses
    • Physiology of Exercise and Physical Activity lab
    • Elective in Advanced Motor Control and Learning
    • Housed in College of Education, Health and Society

    Graduation rate

    80%

    Admit rate

    75%

    In-state tuition

    $14,420

    Out-of-state tuition

    $35,866

    Cost of attendance

    $39,576

    Undergrad enrollment

    16,816

    Degrees conferred

    127

    View Miami University-Oxford's Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Health miamioh.edu

16. 16

    Rank 16: Furman University

    Bachelor's in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

    Greenville, SC · Private nonprofit · suburban campus

    Our score

    91.1

    Furman's exercise science and kinesiology bachelor's admits only 43% of applicants and graduates 79% of them, a pairing that lands it at 91.1 in a field where the typical program scores 73.3.

    Furman is a private nonprofit college on a suburban campus in Greenville, South Carolina, with 2,383 undergraduates and 70 exercise science and kinesiology degrees awarded a year, nearly three times the 24-degree median across the 568 bachelor's programs scored at this level. Its 79% graduation rate sits in the 94th percentile of that group against a 55% median, and a 43% admit rate puts selectivity in the 95th percentile against an 80% median, the pair that carries our score of 91.1 well past the 73.3 group median. Tuition runs a flat $59,360 a year in state or out, cheaper than just 2% of comparable programs, with total cost of attendance at $79,924. This fits an applicant who can compete for a selective, small private cohort and wants a program that finishes what it starts.

    • 70 kinesiology degrees awarded yearly
    • 2,383 undergraduate enrollment
    • Suburban private nonprofit campus

    Graduation rate

    79%

    Admit rate

    43%

    In-state tuition

    $59,360

    Out-of-state tuition

    $59,360

    Cost of attendance

    $79,924

    Undergrad enrollment

    2,383

    Degrees conferred

    70

    www.furman.edu

17. 17

    Rank 17: Hillsdale College

    Exercise Science

    Hillsdale, MI · Private nonprofit · town campus

    Our score

    91

    Hillsdale's Exercise Science major sits inside a college that accepts just 21% of applicants, trading access for a 90% graduation rate at the 99th percentile.

    The Exercise Science major requires 40 credit hours built around Physical Wellness Dynamics, Athletic Training and Advanced Athletic Training, Motor Learning/Kinesiology, and Exercise Physiology, alongside a science core of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, Biostatistics, and two semesters of General Chemistry. Students aiming at physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant, chiropractic, or athletic training graduate programs are pointed toward added coursework in Physics I and II, Organic Chemistry I and II, Biochemistry, a second Anatomy and Physiology course, and Functional Anatomy, while those eyeing nursing school are steered toward Health Care Ethics, Medical Terminology, and Microbiology, and those bound for exercise physiology graduate study are pointed to Beginning and Advanced Weight Training.

    A 90% graduation rate and a 21% admit rate each land Hillsdale at the 99th percentile among the 568 bachelor's kinesiology programs, the two forces behind a 91 score against a 73.3 median for the level. Its smaller scale, 1,792 students across all levels and 13 exercise science degrees a year, pulls the other way but carries far less weight in the model. Tuition runs $31,780 whether a student is a Michigan resident or not, and full cost of attendance reaches $49,989 a year, cheaper than 38% of the field at this level. This fits a student choosing a small, highly selective college over a larger program roster, someone unbothered that Michigan's leader in this silo, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, sits at 98 in the same state.

    • 40 required credit hours in the major
    • Two-semester General Chemistry sequence required
    • Pre-PT, pre-OT, pre-PA and pre-chiropractic course guidance
    • Weight-training electives aimed at exercise-physiology graduate study
    • 13 exercise science degrees awarded a year

    Graduation rate

    90%

    Admit rate

    21%

    In-state tuition

    $31,780

    Out-of-state tuition

    $31,780

    Cost of attendance

    $49,989

    Undergrad enrollment

    1,649

    Degrees conferred

    13

    View Hillsdale College's Exercise Science www.hillsdale.edu

18. 18

    Rank 18: Indiana University-Bloomington

    B.S. Kinesiology, Exercise Science

    Bloomington, IN · Public · city campus

    Our score

    90.7

    Students planning to apply to physical therapy, occupational therapy, or physician assistant school should shortlist this major, since it openly bills itself as a stepping stone rather than a terminal credential.

    This B.S. in Kinesiology, Exercise Science is built as a pre-professional pathway rather than a terminal degree, covering human anatomy, physiology, muscle control, nutrition, and motor development alongside hands-on training. Recent graduates have advanced into physical therapy programs at schools such as Bellarmine University and the University of Michigan, occupational therapy programs at Rush University, and other paths including chiropractic study at Palmer College and medical school at the IU School of Medicine.

    IU's 90.7 score sits well above the 73.3 median across the 568 bachelor's programs scored at this level, led by an 80% graduation rate against a 55% median for the level, the largest driver at the 94th percentile. Scale carries real weight too: total institutional enrollment lands at the 97th percentile and the department confers 399 degrees a year against a 24-degree median, a 99th-percentile output figure, while a 78% admit rate, nearly identical to the 80% median for the level, keeps selectivity at just the 53rd percentile. In-state tuition of $10,622 against $40,369 out-of-state adds up to roughly $118,988 more over four years, cheaper than 69.3% of peers for residents, so this fits an in-state applicant building a case for competitive professional school far better than an out-of-state one facing that tuition gap.

    • Alumni continue into optometry and dentistry too
    • Graduate placement into IU School of Medicine
    • 399 degrees conferred in this field yearly

    Graduation rate

    80%

    Admit rate

    78%

    In-state tuition

    $10,622

    Out-of-state tuition

    $40,369

    Cost of attendance

    $30,602

    Undergrad enrollment

    38,093

    Degrees conferred

    399

    View Indiana University-Bloomington's B.S. Kinesiology, Exercise Science bloomington.iu.edu

19. 19

    Rank 19: Baylor University

    Health, Kinesiology, and Leisure Studies (BSEd)

    Waco, TX · Private nonprofit · city campus

    Our score

    90.6

    Baylor's kinesiology major is built as a Bachelor of Science in Education, split into three required 9-hour blocks: Health Education, Human Performance, and Recreation Education.

    The Bachelor of Science in Education in Health, Kinesiology, and Leisure Studies splits its major requirements into three required 9-hour blocks, Health Education, Human Performance, and Recreation Education, plus a further 9-hour restricted-elective block chosen from the HHPR or Public Health departments. Students also complete Human Anatomy (HP 1420), a Fitness Theory and Practice course plus two additional lifetime-fitness activity courses, and two semesters of Chapel inside Baylor's general education core. The degree runs 124 to 125 total hours, including 31 hours of general electives.

    Baylor's 90.6 score sits well above the 73.3 median across the 568 bachelor's programs scored at this level, driven mainly by an 80% graduation rate against a 55% median for the level and a 51% admit rate against an 80% median. The department confers about 10 of these degrees a year, well under the 24-degree median for the level, and annual cost of attendance runs $78,816, a private-university price point. It fits students who want a structured, education-flavored kinesiology degree with a small graduating cohort and can absorb the tuition.

    • HP 1420 Human Anatomy required course
    • Two-semester Chapel requirement
    • 9-hour HHPR or PUBH elective block
    • Lifetime Fitness two-course requirement

    Graduation rate

    80%

    Admit rate

    51%

    In-state tuition

    $58,100

    Out-of-state tuition

    $58,100

    Cost of attendance

    $78,816

    Undergrad enrollment

    14,915

    Degrees conferred

    10

    View Baylor University's Health, Kinesiology, and Leisure Studies (BSEd) www.baylor.edu

20. 20

    Rank 20: The University of Alabama

    Kinesiology, BS

    Tuscaloosa, AL · Public · city campus

    Our score

    90.1

    Alabama's Kinesiology BS admits three in four applicants but pairs that open admission with a required internship and an Accelerated Master's option that saves a year for exercise-science concentrators headed to graduate school.

    The Kinesiology, BS splits into two concentrations, Exercise Science and Physical Education, sharing a 17-hour program core that includes Human Anatomy & Physiology I, Physiology of Exercise, Anatomical Kinesiology, Evaluation and Measurement, Adapted Physical Education, and First Aid, Safety and CPR. The Exercise Science concentration requires 34 to 35 hours of concentration coursework, including Applied Biomechanics, Clinical Exercise Physiology, Advanced Exercise Physiology, Fitness Appraisal and Exercise Prescription, Strength and Conditioning, and a required Internship in Kinesiology, plus 38 hours of approved electives drawn from athletic training, biology, chemistry, nutrition and coaching courses. An Accelerated Master's Program lets qualifying Exercise Science concentrators dual-count courses toward a 30-hour MA in Kinesiology, applying during their junior year after completing Physiology of Exercise.

    Alabama's 90.1 score sits well above the 73.3 median across the 568 bachelor's programs scored at this level, built mainly on a 73% graduation rate against a 55% median rather than on selectivity, since Alabama admits 77% of applicants, close to the 80% median for the level. The program confers about 226 degrees a year, nearly ten times the 24-degree median for the level, inside a total enrollment of 40,846. In-state tuition of $11,380 a year runs well below the $33,372 out-of-state rate, a gap that reaches roughly $87,968 across four years, making residency the deciding cost factor for applicants weighing the Accelerated Master's route.

    • Two concentrations: Exercise Science, Physical Education
    • Accelerated Master's Program to MA in Kinesiology
    • Required Internship in Kinesiology course
    • 38-hour approved elective list

    Graduation rate

    73%

    Admit rate

    77%

    In-state tuition

    $11,380

    Out-of-state tuition

    $33,372

    Cost of attendance

    $33,924

    Undergrad enrollment

    34,389

    Degrees conferred

    226

    View University of Alabama's Kinesiology, BS www.ua.edu

21. 21

    Rank 21: Citadel Military College of South Carolina

    Exercise Science

    Charleston, SC · Public · city campus

    Our score

    90.1

    Citadel's Program of Distinction, the Dr. Hank Cross Human Performance Laboratory, gives exercise science undergraduates a hand in concussion and traumatic-brain-injury research most cadets pursue alongside required military training.

    The Citadel's Department of Health and Human Performance, based in Deas Hall, offers an Exercise Science degree alongside Physical Education Teaching and Sport Management, serving more than 190 undergraduates across the three majors. Students can join faculty research through the Dr. Hank Cross Human Performance Laboratory, the department's designated Program of Distinction, on projects covering mouthpiece use and concussion and traumatic brain injury. Each summer, students and faculty run a medical camp that has treated more than 5,000 patients, and most majors complete the program within the Corps of Cadets, though the department also enrolls veteran day students through evening and online degree-completion tracks.

    The program's 90.1 score sits well above the 73.3 median across the 568 bachelor's programs scored at this level, driven mainly by a 23% admit rate against an 80% median for the level and a 75% graduation rate against a 55% median. In-state tuition of $8,356 a year runs far below the $33,538 out-of-state rate, a gap that adds up to roughly $100,728 over a four-year degree. It suits candidates who want a selective, military-structured exercise science program at public in-state pricing and are ready for the Corps of Cadets commitment.

    • Corps of Cadets undergraduate pathway
    • Summer medical camp, 5,000+ patients treated
    • Housed in Deas Hall on campus
    • Evening and online degree-completion tracks

    Graduation rate

    75%

    Admit rate

    23%

    In-state tuition

    $8,356

    Out-of-state tuition

    $33,538

    Cost of attendance

    $34,464

    Undergrad enrollment

    2,737

    Degrees conferred

    24

    View Citadel Military College of South Carolina's Exercise Science citadel.edu

22. 22

    Rank 22: University of Tulsa

    Exercise & Sports Science, B.S.E.S.S.

    Tulsa, OK · Private nonprofit · city campus

    Our score

    89.2

    Tulsa's Exercise & Sports Science degree backs its pre-med and pre-professional tracks with a career guarantee: a job within six months or a free semester of grad school.

    The Exercise & Sports Science, B.S.E.S.S. is offered in a base track plus Pre-Med and Pre-Professional emphasis versions, alongside an Exercise & Sports Science minor and a Coaching minor. Majors work under an 11:1 student-faculty ratio and can join the Tulsa Undergraduate Research Challenge (TURC) for guided research alongside faculty, with options to study abroad. Graduates can continue directly into the department's own Accelerated Master's in Athletic Training (M.A.T.) or a standard M.A.T. track. The university's CaneCareers center backs the major with a job-placement guarantee: students who follow the program either land an entry-level job in their field or continue their education within six months of graduation, or receive a free semester of graduate school.

    Tulsa's 89.2 score sits well above the 73.3 median across the 568 bachelor's programs scored at this level, powered mainly by a 72% graduation rate against a 55% median and a 62% admit rate against an 80% median for the level. The department confers about 39 of these degrees a year against a 24-degree median for the level, and annual cost of attendance runs $70,179, a private-university price point with no in-state discount to offset it. It fits students drawn to the pre-med or pre-professional emphasis tracks and the CaneCareers placement guarantee who can absorb the sticker price.

    • Pre-Med Emphasis B.S.E.S.S. track
    • CaneCareers job-placement guarantee
    • 11:1 student-faculty ratio
    • Accelerated Master's in Athletic Training route

    Graduation rate

    72%

    Admit rate

    62%

    In-state tuition

    $48,340

    Out-of-state tuition

    $48,340

    Cost of attendance

    $70,179

    Undergrad enrollment

    2,852

    Degrees conferred

    39

    View University of Tulsa's Exercise & Sports Science, B.S.E.S.S. utulsa.edu

23. 23

    Rank 23: University of San Francisco

    Bachelor's in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

    San Francisco, CA · Private nonprofit · city campus

    Our score

    89

    Selectivity does the separating for University of San Francisco: a 62% admit rate splits the gap between Occidental College's 88.6 and Pepperdine's 91.2, landing our score at 89.

    University of San Francisco is a private nonprofit university on a city campus, enrolling 5,321 undergraduates within 8,913 total students, and it awards 42 exercise science and kinesiology degrees a year. A 70% graduation rate sits at the 83rd percentile of the 568 scored bachelor's programs, above the group's 55% median, while a 62% admit rate places selectivity at the 85th percentile against an 80% median admit rate. Tuition of $59,950 a year is cheaper than only 1.2% of comparable programs, and full cost of attendance reaches $84,784. This fits a student who wants a selective private program in a major city and can meet tuition near the top of the field.

    • 5,321 undergraduate enrollment
    • 42 degrees conferred yearly
    • $59,950 tuition

    Graduation rate

    70%

    Admit rate

    62%

    In-state tuition

    $59,950

    Out-of-state tuition

    $59,950

    Cost of attendance

    $84,784

    Undergrad enrollment

    5,321

    Degrees conferred

    42

    View University of San Francisco's Bachelor's in Exercise Science and Kinesiology www.usfca.edu

24. 24

    Rank 24: Saint Louis University

    Exercise Science, B.S.

    Saint Louis, MO · Private nonprofit · city campus

    Our score

    89

    Saint Louis University's Exercise Science B.S. offers direct-entry paths into its own Master of Athletic Training and Doctor of Physical Therapy programs, plus an Exercise and Wellness track offered at SLU-Madrid.

    The Exercise Science, B.S. runs three concentrations. The Exercise and Wellness concentration targets careers such as exercise physiologist, personal trainer, wellness coach and recreation specialist, and can be completed at SLU's home campus or at SLU-Madrid. The Athletic Training concentration and the Physical Therapy concentration are built for direct entry into SLU's own Master of Athletic Training and Doctor of Physical Therapy programs. Core coursework spans Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, a two-semester general chemistry sequence, a physics sequence, and Exercise Physiology, plus three required Interprofessional Education courses that culminate in an Interprofessional Community Practicum. Total credits run 120 to 129 hours depending on concentration.

    SLU's 89 score sits well above the 73.3 median across the 568 bachelor's programs scored at this level, anchored mainly by an 80% graduation rate against a 55% median; selectivity contributes less here, since SLU admits 75% of applicants, close to the 80% median for the level. The program confers about 94 of these degrees a year, well past the 24-degree median for the level, inside a total enrollment of 17,059. Annual cost of attendance runs $77,110, among the higher price points in the group, a fit for students who want a built-in pipeline to SLU's own graduate athletic training or physical therapy programs and can carry private-university tuition.

    • Direct-entry Master of Athletic Training pathway
    • Direct-entry Doctor of Physical Therapy pathway
    • Wellness concentration option abroad in Madrid
    • Required Interprofessional Community Practicum course

    Graduation rate

    80%

    Admit rate

    75%

    In-state tuition

    $54,760

    Out-of-state tuition

    $54,760

    Cost of attendance

    $77,110

    Undergrad enrollment

    10,413

    Degrees conferred

    94

    View Saint Louis University's Exercise Science, B.S. www.slu.edu

25. 25

    Rank 25: Occidental College

    Kinesiology

    Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit · city campus

    Our score

    88.6

    Only ten students a year graduate from Occidental's Kinesiology major, yet an 81% graduation rate anchors its 88.6 score anyway.

    Occidental's Kinesiology major studies human movement through biomechanical, physiological, and motor-behavior perspectives on the Los Angeles campus, and students work alongside faculty as active scholars through the Oxy Kinesiology Research Group (Oxy KRG). The department frames the major as preparation for physical therapy, medicine, athletic training, strength and conditioning, public health, or founding a venture in the field after graduation.

    Occidental's 88.6 score sits well above the 73.3 median across the 568 bachelor's programs scored at this level, driven by an 81% graduation rate against a 55% median for the level and a 44% admit rate against an 80% median, the two biggest levers here. Its small scale works against it some: total enrollment of 1,881 and about 10 kinesiology degrees a year sit below the field at this level's typical size and 24-degree median. Cost of attendance runs $88,656 a year, cheaper than just 0.5% of comparable programs, which comes to roughly $354,624 over four years, a price that suits students who want a small, research-oriented liberal-arts kinesiology program over a large-department one.

    • Oxy Kinesiology Research Group (Oxy KRG)
    • Biomechanical, physiological, motor-behavior focus
    • All-undergraduate liberal arts college
    • About 10 kinesiology graduates a year

    Graduation rate

    81%

    Admit rate

    44%

    In-state tuition

    $65,678

    Out-of-state tuition

    $65,678

    Cost of attendance

    $88,656

    Undergrad enrollment

    1,881

    Degrees conferred

    10

    View Occidental College's Kinesiology www.oxy.edu