Kinesiology Degree Programs

North Dakota · Bachelor's ranking

Best Kinesiology Bachelor's Programs in North Dakota

4 bachelor's programs in exercise science and kinesiology, ranked on graduation rate, admissions selectivity, in-state cost, and field outcomes.

Last updated

Programs ranked
4
In-state tuition
$9,237 to $24,000
Avg graduation rate
60%
Median wage (BLS)
$59,460

What Bachelor's in Kinesiology Programs in North Dakota 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 4 highest scoring in North Dakota. University of Mary leads the state with a score of 83.4, which is national rank 87 out of 568. None of the 4 crack the national top 25, so read the scores below rather than assuming a national reputation.

In-state tuition runs from $9,237 to $24,000 across the 4 programs with a published rate. The 4 schools with a published graduation rate average 60%. Average admit rate across the 4 schools publishing one is 84%. Together they conferred 134 bachelor's degrees in the field in the latest IPEDS completions year.

2 of the 4 are public institutions and 2 are private. None carry an online flag in IPEDS, so plan on attending in person.

All 4 Bachelor's in Kinesiology Programs in North Dakota, 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.

  1. Rank 1: University of Mary

    Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science

    Bismarck, ND · Private nonprofit · rural campus

    Our score

    1st of 4 in North Dakota

    National rank 87 of 568

    A 67% graduation rate, twelve points clear of the 55% median across peer exercise science programs, anchors University of Mary's 83.4 score.

    University of Mary leads North Dakota at 83.4, ahead of the other 3 programs ranked here. In-state tuition of $19,940 is above the state midpoint, where the published range runs $9,237 to $24,000. Its 67% graduation rate sits against a 49% to 67% spread across the 4 North Dakota schools that report one.

    It admits 75% of applicants, against 75% to 95% across North Dakota. It confers 29 bachelor's degrees a year, 22% of the 134 awarded across North Dakota at this level. Nationally it is 87th of the 568 bachelor's programs scored at this level.

    • CAAHEP-accredited exercise science program
    • Prepares for ACSM-EP certification
    • Pro-bono campus Exercise Clinic
    • Bachelor's in as little as 2.6 years
    • Six pre-professional concentration options
    Graduation rate
    67%
    Admit rate
    75%
    In-state tuition
    $19,940
    Out-of-state tuition
    $19,940
    Cost of attendance
    $37,172
    Undergrad enrollment
    2,821
    Degrees conferred
    29

    View University of Mary's Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science www.umary.edu

  2. Rank 2: University of North Dakota

    Kinesiology

    Grand Forks, ND · Public · city campus

    Our score

    2nd of 4 in North Dakota

    National rank 113 of 568

    A 3.90 GPA or a 30 ACT with a 3.00 GPA earns $14,000 in automatic freshman scholarships toward UND's kinesiology degree, one lever prospective students can pull before financial aid even factors in.

    University of North Dakota places 2nd of 4 in North Dakota at 81.9, with 1 program scoring above it. In-state tuition of $9,237 is the lowest in the state, where the published range runs $9,237 to $24,000. Its 60% graduation rate sits against a 49% to 67% spread across the 4 North Dakota schools that report one.

    It admits 77% of applicants, against 75% to 95% across North Dakota. It confers 44 bachelor's degrees a year, 33% of the 134 awarded across North Dakota at this level. Residency is worth $4,619 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $13,856 out-of-state rate.

    • In-state tuition rate for military-affiliated students
    • $250 per credit active-duty rate
    • $11,758 estimated annual room and meals
    • Same online tuition regardless of residency
    Graduation rate
    60%
    Admit rate
    77%
    In-state tuition
    $9,237
    Out-of-state tuition
    $13,856
    Cost of attendance
    $26,587
    Undergrad enrollment
    11,033
    Degrees conferred
    44

    View University of North Dakota's Kinesiology und.edu

  3. Rank 3: North Dakota State University-Main Campus

    Exercise Science

    Fargo, ND · Public · city campus

    Our score

    3rd of 4 in North Dakota

    National rank 241 of 568

    NDSU's Exercise Science major closes with a required semester-long internship, the capstone after coursework built around four health-fitness settings: commercial, community, corporate and clinical.

    North Dakota State University-Main Campus places 3rd of 4 in North Dakota at 74.9, with 2 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $9,309 is in the cheaper quarter of the state, where the published range runs $9,237 to $24,000. Its 64% graduation rate sits against a 49% to 67% spread across the 4 North Dakota schools that report one.

    It admits 95% of applicants, against 75% to 95% across North Dakota. It confers 34 bachelor's degrees a year, 25% of the 134 awarded across North Dakota at this level. Residency is worth $4,654 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $13,963 out-of-state rate.

    • Encourages a business or psychology minor alongside the major
    • About 30 to 40 graduates a year
    • Graduates often continue to graduate or medical school
    • $4,654 lower in-state tuition each year than out-of-state
    • Accredited by the Commission for Accreditation for the Exercise Sciences
    Graduation rate
    64%
    Admit rate
    95%
    In-state tuition
    $9,309
    Out-of-state tuition
    $13,963
    Cost of attendance
    $25,614
    Undergrad enrollment
    9,762
    Degrees conferred
    34

    View NDSU's Exercise Science www.ndsu.edu

  4. Rank 4: University of Jamestown

    Exercise Science

    Jamestown, ND · Private nonprofit · town campus

    Our score

    4th of 4 in North Dakota

    National rank 468 of 568

    University of Jamestown turns away just 12% of applicants to its Exercise Science major, an 88% admit rate that alone explains more of our score's shortfall here than any other input.

    University of Jamestown places 4th of 4 in North Dakota at 66.3, with 3 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $24,000 is the highest in the state, where the published range runs $9,237 to $24,000. Its 49% graduation rate sits against a 49% to 67% spread across the 4 North Dakota schools that report one.

    It admits 88% of applicants, against 75% to 95% across North Dakota. It confers 27 bachelor's degrees a year, 20% of the 134 awarded across North Dakota at this level.

    • Kinesiology, Pre-PT, and Strength and Conditioning tracks
    • CASCE-accredited Strength and Conditioning program
    • Metabolic cart and ECG lab equipment
    • Scholarships starting at $8,000
    Graduation rate
    49%
    Admit rate
    88%
    In-state tuition
    $24,000
    Out-of-state tuition
    $24,000
    Cost of attendance
    $39,480
    Undergrad enrollment
    1,049
    Degrees conferred
    27

    View University of Jamestown's Exercise Science www.uj.edu

Every Bachelor's in Kinesiology Program in North Dakota 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 University of Mary Bismarck 67% 75% $19,940
02 University of North Dakota Grand Forks 60% 77% $9,237
03 North Dakota State University-Main Campus Fargo 64% 95% $9,309
04 University of Jamestown Jamestown 49% 88% $24,000

A blank cell means the institution did not file that figure with IPEDS.

What Kinesiology Careers Pay in North Dakota

Occupational medians for everyone in the job, not starting pay and not outcomes for any one program.

Exercise Physiologists in North Dakota

North Dakota median
$50,430
vs national
−$9,030
Employed in ND
50
10th to 90th
$49,030 – $64,590

Exercise Physiologists in North Dakota earn a median of $50,430, $9,030 below the national median of $59,460, across 50 jobs in the state. The bottom tenth earn under $49,030 and the top tenth clear $64,590, so the median is a midpoint rather than an offer.

Every North Dakota Occupation This Field Feeds, by Median Wage

Occupation ND median vs national Jobs in ND
Physical Therapists $85,330 −$17,430 830
Occupational Therapists $83,200 −$17,130 570
Physical Therapist Assistants $63,520 −$4,860 120
Athletic Trainers $60,900 −$1,620 110
Recreational Therapists $58,370 −$3,590 80
Exercise Physiologists $50,430 −$9,030 50
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors $37,760 −$9,400 680
Coaches and Scouts $37,100 −$10,220 1,180

Of the 8 occupations in this field that BLS prices for North Dakota, Physical Therapists pays the most at $85,330 ($17,430 below its national median). The largest employer of the 8 is Coaches and Scouts, at 1,180 jobs in the state paying a median of $37,100. 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 North Dakota.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

Other Kinesiology Degree Levels in North Dakota

This page ranks bachelor's programs only. North Dakota reports programs at other levels too, and each level is compared only with programs at that same level.

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 North Dakota’s own BLS medians where published.

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 North Dakota, 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 North Dakota

The same ranking, filtered to one state at a time. The number is how many programs that state ranks.