- Programs ranked
- 9
- In-state tuition
- $10,968 to $36,200
- Avg graduation rate
- 56%
- Median wage (BLS)
- $59,460
What Bachelor's in Kinesiology Programs in Kansas Cost and Who Gets In
We scored all 568 bachelor's programs in exercise science and kinesiology (CIP 31.0505) on the same weighted model, then pulled the 9 highest scoring in Kansas. Cleveland University-Kansas City leads the state with a score of 83.6, which is national rank 83 out of 568. None of the 9 crack the national top 25, so read the scores below rather than assuming a national reputation.
In-state tuition runs from $10,968 to $36,200 across the 9 programs with a published rate. The 9 schools with a published graduation rate average 56%. Average admit rate across the 9 schools publishing one is 79%. Together they conferred 207 bachelor's degrees in the field in the latest IPEDS completions year.
1 of the 9 is a public institution and 8 are private. One is flagged as offering an online option.
All 9 Bachelor's in Kinesiology Programs in Kansas, Ranked (2026)
Each bar shows where the program’s national score falls between 50 and 100, ticked at 75 for the middle of the range.
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Rank 1: Cleveland University-Kansas City
B.S. in Exercise Science
Overland Park, KS · Private nonprofit · city campus
Our score
1st of 9 in Kansas
National rank 83 of 568
Working students can finish this mostly online exercise science degree in 96 credit hours instead of 120, but the tradeoff is a cohort so small that only 2 degrees are conferred here each year.
Cleveland University-Kansas City leads Kansas at 83.6, ahead of the other 8 programs ranked here. In-state tuition of $14,400 is in the cheaper quarter of the state, where the published range runs $10,968 to $36,200. Its 100% graduation rate sits against a 27% to 100% spread across the 9 Kansas schools that report one.
It admits 69% of applicants, against 53% to 98% across Kansas. It confers 2 bachelor's degrees a year, 1% of the 207 awarded across Kansas at this level. Nationally it is 83rd of the 568 bachelor's programs scored at this level.
- Corrective exercise focus area
- NSCA Education Recognition Program status
- Combined B.S./M.S. path in three years
- Doctor of Chiropractic route in six years
- Graduation rate
- 100%
- Admit rate
- 69%
- In-state tuition
- $14,400
- Out-of-state tuition
- $14,400
- Undergrad enrollment
- 97
- Degrees conferred
- 2
View Cleveland University-Kansas City's B.S. in Exercise Science www.cleveland.edu
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Rank 2: University of Kansas
Bachelor of Applied Science in Exercise Science
Lawrence, KS · Public · city campus · online option
Our score
2nd of 9 in Kansas
National rank 144 of 568
Kansas keeps admission open, welcoming most applicants into a Bachelor of Applied Science track that ends in a hands-on capstone, Clinical Fitness Evaluation Techniques, fitting students who want access over selectivity.
University of Kansas places 2nd of 9 in Kansas at 80.4, with 1 program scoring above it. In-state tuition of $10,968 is the lowest in the state, where the published range runs $10,968 to $36,200. Its 69% graduation rate sits against a 27% to 100% spread across the 9 Kansas schools that report one. It is the only public option among them, which is where the in-state rate above comes from.
It is also the only one here flagged in IPEDS as offering an online option. It admits 93% of applicants, against 53% to 98% across Kansas. It confers 124 bachelor's degrees a year, 60% of the 207 awarded across Kansas at this level. Residency is worth $18,330 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $29,298 out-of-state rate.
- Faculty are NSCA and ACSM Fellows
- 120 total credit hours required
- 2.75 GPA required for the optional internship
- Elective hours can complete a formal minor
- Graduation rate
- 69%
- Admit rate
- 93%
- In-state tuition
- $10,968
- Out-of-state tuition
- $29,298
- Cost of attendance
- $28,808
- Undergrad enrollment
- 22,085
- Degrees conferred
- 124
View University of Kansas' Bachelor of Applied Science in Exercise Science ku.edu
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Rank 3: Benedictine College
Exercise Science, B.A.
Atchison, KS · Private nonprofit · town campus
Our score
3rd of 9 in Kansas
National rank 351 of 568
Benedictine grants a Bachelor of Arts rather than the usual Bachelor of Science, with named specializations in teaching physical education, coaching and sports management.
Benedictine College places 3rd of 9 in Kansas at 70.8, with 2 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $35,350 is in the dearer quarter of the state, where the published range runs $10,968 to $36,200. Its 62% graduation rate sits against a 27% to 100% spread across the 9 Kansas schools that report one.
It admits 98% of applicants, against 53% to 98% across Kansas. It confers 5 bachelor's degrees a year, 2% of the 207 awarded across Kansas at this level.
- General healthcare specialization track
- Separate B.A. programs in Strength and Conditioning and Athletic Health Care
- Minors offered in Exercise Science and Teaching Physical Education
- 98% admit rate
- Graduation rate
- 62%
- Admit rate
- 98%
- In-state tuition
- $35,350
- Out-of-state tuition
- $35,350
- Cost of attendance
- $55,430
- Undergrad enrollment
- 2,403
- Degrees conferred
- 5
View Benedictine College's Exercise Science, B.A. www.benedictine.edu
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Rank 4: Kansas Wesleyan University
Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science
Salina, KS · Private nonprofit · town campus
Our score
4th of 9 in Kansas
National rank 370 of 568
Kansas Wesleyan's B.A. in Exercise Science asks for a required internship and rewards students who thrive in small classes around Salina's clinical and corporate placement sites.
Kansas Wesleyan University places 4th of 9 in Kansas at 70.3, with 3 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $33,730 is in the dearer quarter of the state, where the published range runs $10,968 to $36,200. Its 49% graduation rate sits against a 27% to 100% spread across the 9 Kansas schools that report one.
It admits 72% of applicants, against 53% to 98% across Kansas. It confers 11 bachelor's degrees a year, 5% of the 207 awarded across Kansas at this level.
- Personal Training concentration option
- Fitness and Wellness concentration option
- Access to the department's human performance lab
- 98% reported placement rate in jobs or grad school
- Graduation rate
- 49%
- Admit rate
- 72%
- In-state tuition
- $33,730
- Out-of-state tuition
- $33,730
- Cost of attendance
- $50,030
- Undergrad enrollment
- 962
- Degrees conferred
- 11
View Kansas Wesleyan University's Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science www.kwu.edu
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Rank 5: Central Christian College of Kansas
Bachelor of Science in Natural Science: Exercise Science
McPherson, KS · Private nonprofit · town campus
Our score
5th of 9 in Kansas
National rank 403 of 568
A Christ-centered curriculum and an admit rate more selective than 92% of comparable programs make Central Christian's Exercise Science degree a fit for a student who wants a small, faith-based cohort.
Central Christian College of Kansas places 5th of 9 in Kansas at 69.2, with 4 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $20,000 is below the state midpoint, where the published range runs $10,968 to $36,200. Its 27% graduation rate sits against a 27% to 100% spread across the 9 Kansas schools that report one.
It admits 53% of applicants, against 53% to 98% across Kansas. It confers 8 bachelor's degrees a year, 4% of the 207 awarded across Kansas at this level.
- 120 credit hour degree
- Capstone Sport Science Seminar
- Clinical practicum plus required internship
- O*Net cites $37,256 to $59,716 wages
- Graduation rate
- 27%
- Admit rate
- 53%
- In-state tuition
- $20,000
- Out-of-state tuition
- $20,000
- Cost of attendance
- $34,850
- Undergrad enrollment
- 454
- Degrees conferred
- 8
View Central Christian College of Kansas' Bachelor of Science in Natural Science: Exercise Science www.centralchristian.edu
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Rank 6: MidAmerica Nazarene University
Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology
Olathe, KS · Private nonprofit · suburban campus
Our score
6th of 9 in Kansas
National rank 418 of 568
MNU's kinesiology degree suits a student eyeing its pathway to a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine at Cleveland University-Kansas City, compressing the combined timeline to six years instead of seven.
MidAmerica Nazarene University places 6th of 9 in Kansas at 68.5, with 5 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $36,174 is in the dearer quarter of the state, where the published range runs $10,968 to $36,200. Its 54% graduation rate sits against a 27% to 100% spread across the 9 Kansas schools that report one.
It admits 79% of applicants, against 53% to 98% across Kansas. It confers 17 bachelor's degrees a year, 8% of the 207 awarded across Kansas at this level.
- Southwest Baptist DPT admission preference
- Free iPad for kinesiology majors
- 39 kinesiology-specific credit hours
- Suburban Olathe, Kansas campus
- $61,057 total cost of attendance
- Graduation rate
- 54%
- Admit rate
- 79%
- In-state tuition
- $36,174
- Out-of-state tuition
- $36,174
- Cost of attendance
- $61,057
- Undergrad enrollment
- 1,204
- Degrees conferred
- 17
View MidAmerica Nazarene University's Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology www.mnu.edu
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Rank 7: Tabor College
Bachelor's in Exercise Science and Kinesiology
Hillsboro, KS · Private nonprofit · rural campus
Our score
7th of 9 in Kansas
National rank 450 of 568
Only 34% of Tabor's exercise science cohort graduates, a figure at the 7th percentile among 568 peer bachelor's programs and the single largest weight on its score.
Tabor College places 7th of 9 in Kansas at 67.2, with 6 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $36,200 is the highest in the state, where the published range runs $10,968 to $36,200. Its 34% graduation rate sits against a 27% to 100% spread across the 9 Kansas schools that report one.
It admits 65% of applicants, against 53% to 98% across Kansas. It confers 10 bachelor's degrees a year, 5% of the 207 awarded across Kansas at this level.
- Named internships with MLB and MLS organizations
- One- or two-year MBA bridge after the bachelor's
- NSCA-recognized program
- Minor available in strength and conditioning
- Graduation rate
- 34%
- Admit rate
- 65%
- In-state tuition
- $36,200
- Out-of-state tuition
- $36,200
- Cost of attendance
- $51,500
- Undergrad enrollment
- 539
- Degrees conferred
- 10
View Tabor College's Bachelor's in Exercise Science and Kinesiology tabor.edu
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Rank 8: Baker University
B.S. in Exercise Science
Baldwin City, KS · Private nonprofit · rural campus
Our score
8th of 9 in Kansas
National rank 458 of 568
Baker University's exercise science program is, in the department's words, the only fully accredited program of its kind in Kansas, and requires a full semester of clinical placement.
Baker University places 8th of 9 in Kansas at 66.6, with 7 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $34,550 is in the dearer quarter of the state, where the published range runs $10,968 to $36,200. Its 58% graduation rate sits against a 27% to 100% spread across the 9 Kansas schools that report one.
It admits 94% of applicants, against 53% to 98% across Kansas. It confers 13 bachelor's degrees a year, 6% of the 207 awarded across Kansas at this level.
- 94.4% self-reported retention rate
- 100% graduate-school acceptance rate
- Dedicated Applied Health Sciences scholarships
- Multidisciplinary courseload from biomechanics to nutrition
- Graduation rate
- 58%
- Admit rate
- 94%
- In-state tuition
- $34,550
- Out-of-state tuition
- $34,550
- Cost of attendance
- $51,959
- Undergrad enrollment
- 1,530
- Degrees conferred
- 13
View Baker University's B.S. in Exercise Science www.bakeru.edu
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Rank 9: University of Saint Mary
Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science
Leavenworth, KS · Private nonprofit · town campus
Our score
9th of 9 in Kansas
National rank 523 of 568
University of Saint Mary's version of this degree is a 100% online completion track that accepts up to 90 transfer credits and runs on accelerated 8-week terms.
University of Saint Mary places 9th of 9 in Kansas at 62.2, with 8 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $34,190 is in the dearer quarter of the state, where the published range runs $10,968 to $36,200. Its 48% graduation rate sits against a 27% to 100% spread across the 9 Kansas schools that report one.
It admits 87% of applicants, against 53% to 98% across Kansas. It confers 17 bachelor's degrees a year, 8% of the 207 awarded across Kansas at this level.
- CPR certification awarded through required first aid course
- $435 per credit hour
- Faculty hold CSCS and CHES certifications
- Five application start dates a year
- Graduation rate
- 48%
- Admit rate
- 87%
- In-state tuition
- $34,190
- Out-of-state tuition
- $34,190
- Cost of attendance
- $49,608
- Undergrad enrollment
- 1,027
- Degrees conferred
- 17
View University of Saint Mary's Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science www.stmary.edu
Every Bachelor's in Kinesiology Program in Kansas Compared
The same scores in one readout. Tuition is the published in-state rate before aid.
| # | School | City | Grad rate | Admit rate | In-state | Our score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Cleveland University-Kansas City | Overland Park | 100% | 69% | $14,400 | |
| 02 | University of Kansas | Lawrence | 69% | 93% | $10,968 | |
| 03 | Benedictine College | Atchison | 62% | 98% | $35,350 | |
| 04 | Kansas Wesleyan University | Salina | 49% | 72% | $33,730 | |
| 05 | Central Christian College of Kansas | McPherson | 27% | 53% | $20,000 | |
| 06 | MidAmerica Nazarene University | Olathe | 54% | 79% | $36,174 | |
| 07 | Tabor College | Hillsboro | 34% | 65% | $36,200 | |
| 08 | Baker University | Baldwin City | 58% | 94% | $34,550 | |
| 09 | University of Saint Mary | Leavenworth | 48% | 87% | $34,190 | |
A blank cell means the institution did not file that figure with IPEDS.
What Kinesiology Careers Pay in Kansas
Occupational medians for everyone in the job, not starting pay and not outcomes for any one program.
Exercise Physiologists in Kansas
- Kansas median
- $59,090
- vs national
- −$370
- Employed in KS
- 60
- 10th to 90th
- $49,830 – $73,550
Exercise Physiologists in Kansas earn a median of $59,090, $370 below the national median of $59,460, across 60 jobs in the state. The bottom tenth earn under $49,830 and the top tenth clear $73,550, so the median is a midpoint rather than an offer.
Every Kansas Occupation This Field Feeds, by Median Wage
| Occupation | KS median | vs national | Jobs in KS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occupational Therapists | $99,170 | −$1,160 | 1,560 |
| Physical Therapists | $98,290 | −$4,470 | 2,660 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | $64,500 | −$3,880 | 1,300 |
| Athletic Trainers | $59,140 | −$3,380 | 390 |
| Exercise Physiologists | $59,090 | −$370 | 60 |
| Coaches and Scouts | $42,900 | −$4,420 | 3,300 |
| Recreational Therapists | $40,010 | −$21,950 | 710 |
| Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors | $35,900 | −$11,260 | 4,510 |
Of the 8 occupations in this field that BLS prices for Kansas, Occupational Therapists pays the most at $99,170 ($1,160 below its national median). The largest employer of the 8 is Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors, at 4,510 jobs in the state paying a median of $35,900. None of the 8 with a national comparison pays above its national median here, which is the single most useful thing to know before committing to staying in Kansas.
What Careers Can You Get With a Bachelor's in Kinesiology?
These 5 occupations list this credential, or less, as their typical entry requirement. The other 3 need further study, and each page says what. Figures are Kansas’s own BLS medians where published.
- Occupational Therapist$99,170 median in Kansas · needs master's degree
- Physical Therapist$98,290 median in Kansas · needs doctoral degree
- Physical Therapist Assistant$64,500 median in Kansas · reachable at this level
- Athletic Trainer$59,140 median in Kansas · needs master's degree
- Exercise Physiologist$59,090 median in Kansas · reachable at this level
- Coach or Scout$42,900 median in Kansas · reachable at this level
- Recreational Therapist$40,010 median in Kansas · reachable at this level
- Fitness Trainer or Group Instructor$35,900 median in Kansas · reachable at this level
Entry requirements are O*NET’s typical-entry field; wages are BLS OEWS. Neither is a guarantee about any individual program’s graduates.
Rank 1 here is highest scoring in Kansas, not nationally; each card carries its national rank as well. Every program on this site is ranked the same way — see how we compare them.
Sources for this page
Bachelor's in Kinesiology Programs Near Kansas
The same ranking, filtered to one state at a time. The number is how many programs that state ranks.