8 Best Bachelor's in Kinesiology Programs in Virginia

Programs ranked: 8
In-state tuition: $6,076 to $39,000
Avg graduation rate: 55%
Median wage (BLS): $59,460

What Bachelor's in Kinesiology Programs in Virginia 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 8 highest scoring in Virginia. University of Virginia-Main Campus leads the state with a score of 97.6, which is national rank 5 out of 568. One of the 8 also lands in the national top 25.

In-state tuition runs from $6,076 to $39,000 across the 8 programs with a published rate. The 8 schools with a published graduation rate average 55%. Average admit rate across the 7 schools publishing one is 73%. Together they conferred 297 bachelor's degrees in the field in the latest IPEDS completions year.

3 of the 8 are public institutions and 5 are private. None carry an online flag in IPEDS, so plan on attending in person. One is an HBCU.

All 8 Bachelor's in Kinesiology Programs in Virginia, 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.

Rank 1: University of Virginia-Main Campus

Bachelor's in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Charlottesville, VA · Public · suburban campus

Our score

1st of 8 in Virginia

National rank 5 of 568

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.

University of Virginia-Main Campus leads Virginia at 97.6, ahead of the other 7 programs ranked here. In-state tuition of $19,472 is below the state midpoint, where the published range runs $6,076 to $39,000. Its 96% graduation rate sits against a 18% to 96% spread across the 8 Virginia schools that report one. It admits 17% of applicants, against 17% to 99% across Virginia.
It confers 86 bachelor's degrees a year, 29% of the 297 awarded across Virginia at this level. Residency is worth $37,789 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $57,261 out-of-state rate. Nationally it is 5th of the 568 bachelor's programs scored at this level.
- 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
Rank 2: Shenandoah University

Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science

Winchester, VA · Private nonprofit · city campus

Our score

2nd of 8 in Virginia

National rank 181 of 568

Shenandoah's 67% graduation rate, in the 76th percentile among bachelor's exercise science peers, does the most to explain why this program scores above the 73.3 median for the level.

Shenandoah University places 2nd of 8 in Virginia at 78.1, with 1 program scoring above it. In-state tuition of $35,460 is in the dearer quarter of the state, where the published range runs $6,076 to $39,000. Its 67% graduation rate sits against a 18% to 96% spread across the 8 Virginia schools that report one.
It admits 77% of applicants, against 17% to 99% across Virginia. It confers 1 bachelor's degrees a year, 0% of the 297 awarded across Virginia at this level.
- 120 hours of required supervised internship
- NSCA and ACSM certification preparation
- Small classes with faculty mentoring
- $35,460 annual tuition
- 2,641 undergraduates enrolled
Graduation rate

67%

Admit rate

77%

In-state tuition

$35,460

Out-of-state tuition

$35,460

Cost of attendance

$53,540

Undergrad enrollment

2,641

Degrees conferred

1

View Shenandoah University's Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science www.su.edu
Rank 3: Liberty University

Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science, Fitness Specialist

Lynchburg, VA · Private nonprofit · city campus

Our score

3rd of 8 in Virginia

National rank 223 of 568

Liberty backs its Exercise Science, Fitness Specialist degree with CAAHEP accreditation and pass rates on the ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist exam that the university says beat the national average.

Liberty University places 3rd of 8 in Virginia at 76.1, with 2 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $15,297 is below the state midpoint, where the published range runs $6,076 to $39,000. Its 65% graduation rate sits against a 18% to 96% spread across the 8 Virginia schools that report one.
It admits 99% of applicants, against 17% to 99% across Virginia. It confers 110 bachelor's degrees a year, 37% of the 297 awarded across Virginia at this level.
- Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
- Human Performance and Motion Analysis Labs on campus
- Up to 75% of credits transferable into the degree
- Renamed Exercise Science, Kinesiology starting Fall 27
Graduation rate

65%

Admit rate

99%

In-state tuition

$15,297

Out-of-state tuition

$15,297

Cost of attendance

$44,489

Undergrad enrollment

52,961

Degrees conferred

110

View Liberty University's Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science, Fitness Specialist www.liberty.edu
Rank 4: Longwood University

Bachelor's in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Farmville, VA · Public · town campus

Our score

4th of 8 in Virginia

National rank 273 of 568

Longwood's 90% admit rate is the steepest single drag on its score, landing in just the 21st percentile for selectivity among the 568 bachelor's programs in this field.

Longwood University places 4th of 8 in Virginia at 74, with 3 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $8,840 is in the cheaper quarter of the state, where the published range runs $6,076 to $39,000. Its 61% graduation rate sits against a 18% to 96% spread across the 8 Virginia schools that report one.
It admits 90% of applicants, against 17% to 99% across Virginia. It confers 36 bachelor's degrees a year, 12% of the 297 awarded across Virginia at this level. Residency is worth $12,240 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $21,080 out-of-state rate.
- Department of Health, Recreation, and Kinesiology
- In the College of Education, Health, Human Services
- In-state tuition of $8,840, about $12,240 below out-of-state
- 36 degrees awarded in the field each year
Graduation rate

61%

Admit rate

90%

In-state tuition

$8,840

Out-of-state tuition

$21,080

Cost of attendance

$37,316

Undergrad enrollment

3,314

Degrees conferred

36

View Longwood University's Bachelor's in Exercise Science and Kinesiology www.longwood.edu
Rank 5: Emory & Henry University

Bachelor's Degree in Exercise Science

Emory, VA · Private nonprofit · rural campus

Our score

5th of 8 in Virginia

National rank 356 of 568

Emory & Henry's Exercise Science degree offers a Clinical Health Professions track loaded with prerequisites for physical therapy, occupational therapy, and physician assistant programs, plus a wellness-focused option built around 19 free elective hours.

Emory & Henry University places 5th of 8 in Virginia at 70.7, with 4 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $39,000 is the highest in the state, where the published range runs $6,076 to $39,000. Its 56% graduation rate sits against a 18% to 96% spread across the 8 Virginia schools that report one.
It admits 84% of applicants, against 17% to 99% across Virginia. It confers 17 bachelor's degrees a year, 6% of the 297 awarded across Virginia at this level.
- Fitness and Wellness track stacks into a minor
- Classroom and lab study of exercise physiology
- Coursework covers inactivity-linked chronic disease
- 17 degrees conferred a year
- $39,000 flat tuition
Graduation rate

56%

Admit rate

84%

In-state tuition

$39,000

Out-of-state tuition

$39,000

Cost of attendance

$56,548

Undergrad enrollment

1,083

Degrees conferred

17

View Emory & Henry University's Bachelor's Degree in Exercise Science www.emoryhenry.edu
Rank 6: Bluefield University

Exercise & Sport Science (BA/BS)

Bluefield, VA · Private nonprofit · town campus

Our score

6th of 8 in Virginia

National rank 385 of 568

Bluefield University's Exercise & Sport Science degree fits students who want its required Sports Medicine Internship and its faith-based general education, and who can accept an 18% graduation rate.

Bluefield University places 6th of 8 in Virginia at 70, with 5 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $24,950 is above the state midpoint, where the published range runs $6,076 to $39,000. Its 18% graduation rate sits against a 18% to 96% spread across the 8 Virginia schools that report one.
It admits 59% of applicants, against 17% to 99% across Virginia. It confers 22 bachelor's degrees a year, 7% of the 297 awarded across Virginia at this level.
- Sports Medicine is the only concentration offered
- Labs paired with Kinesiology and Exercise Physiology courses
- BA or BS degree option
- 120 total credits over four years
Graduation rate

18%

Admit rate

59%

In-state tuition

$24,950

Out-of-state tuition

$24,950

Cost of attendance

$40,060

Undergrad enrollment

627

Degrees conferred

22

View Bluefield University's Exercise & Sport Science (BA/BS) www.bluefield.edu
Rank 7: Norfolk State University

Bachelor's in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Norfolk, VA · Public · city campus · HBCU

Our score

7th of 8 in Virginia

National rank 510 of 568

A Virginia resident chasing the lowest sticker price will find it at Norfolk State, where in-state tuition of $6,076 undercuts 93% of peer bachelor's programs despite an 11th-percentile graduation rate.

Norfolk State University places 7th of 8 in Virginia at 63.3, with 6 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $6,076 is the lowest in the state, where the published range runs $6,076 to $39,000. Its 38% graduation rate sits against a 18% to 96% spread across the 8 Virginia schools that report one.
It admits 88% of applicants, against 17% to 99% across Virginia. It confers 20 bachelor's degrees a year, 7% of the 297 awarded across Virginia at this level. Residency is worth $11,502 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $17,578 out-of-state rate.
- 38% graduation rate
- $17,578 out-of-state tuition
- Public HBCU
Graduation rate

38%

Admit rate

88%

In-state tuition

$6,076

Out-of-state tuition

$17,578

Cost of attendance

$27,551

Undergrad enrollment

5,410

Degrees conferred

20

www.nsu.edu
Rank 8: Mary Baldwin University

Bachelor's in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Staunton, VA · Private nonprofit · city campus

Our score

8th of 8 in Virginia

National rank 555 of 568

Mary Baldwin University houses its exercise science program in the Betty Gold College of Arts and Sciences, where the university is currently recruiting a new full-time assistant professor for it.

Mary Baldwin University places 8th of 8 in Virginia at 59.1, with 7 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $20,762 is below the state midpoint, where the published range runs $6,076 to $39,000.
Its 39% graduation rate sits against a 18% to 96% spread across the 8 Virginia schools that report one. It confers 5 bachelor's degrees a year, 2% of the 297 awarded across Virginia at this level.
- Private nonprofit college on a city campus
- Flat tuition for in-state and out-of-state students
- About 1,124 undergraduates
- 5 exercise science degrees conferred yearly
Graduation rate

39%

In-state tuition

$20,762

Out-of-state tuition

$20,762

Cost of attendance

$49,573

Undergrad enrollment

1,124

Degrees conferred

5

View Mary Baldwin University's Bachelor's in Exercise Science and Kinesiology www.marybaldwin.edu

Every Bachelor's in Kinesiology Program in Virginia Compared

The same scores in one readout. Tuition is the published in-state rate before aid.

#	School	City	Grad rate	Admit rate	In-state
01	University of Virginia-Main Campus	Charlottesville	96%	17%	$19,472
02	Shenandoah University	Winchester	67%	77%	$35,460
03	Liberty University	Lynchburg	65%	99%	$15,297
04	Longwood University	Farmville	61%	90%	$8,840
05	Emory & Henry University	Emory	56%	84%	$39,000
06	Bluefield University	Bluefield	18%	59%	$24,950
07	Norfolk State University	Norfolk	38%	88%	$6,076
08	Mary Baldwin University	Staunton	39%		$20,762

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

What Kinesiology Careers Pay in Virginia

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

Exercise Physiologists in Virginia

Virginia median: $52,400
vs national: −$7,060
Employed in VA: 240
10th to 90th: $43,800 – $90,110

Exercise Physiologists in Virginia earn a median of $52,400, $7,060 below the national median of $59,460, across 240 jobs in the state. The bottom tenth earn under $43,800 and the top tenth clear $90,110, so the median is a midpoint rather than an offer.

Every Virginia Occupation This Field Feeds, by Median Wage

Occupation	VA median	vs national	Jobs in VA
Physical Therapists	$101,450	−$1,310	7,630
Occupational Therapists	$100,710	+$380	4,150
Physical Therapist Assistants	$73,760	+$5,380	3,370
Athletic Trainers	$61,860	−$660	830
Recreational Therapists	$61,270	−$690	570
Exercise Physiologists	$52,400	−$7,060	240
Coaches and Scouts	$46,290	−$1,030	6,810
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors	$40,820	−$6,340	12,100

Of the 8 occupations in this field that BLS prices for Virginia, Physical Therapists pays the most at $101,450 ($1,310 below its national median). The largest employer of the 8 is Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors, at 12,100 jobs in the state paying a median of $40,820. 2 of the 8 with a national comparison pay above their national medians here.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

Other Kinesiology Degree Levels in Virginia

This page ranks bachelor's programs only. Virginia 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 Virginia’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 Virginia, 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 Virginia

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

Best Kinesiology Bachelor's Programs in Virginia

What Bachelor's in Kinesiology Programs in Virginia Cost and Who Gets In

All 8 Bachelor's in Kinesiology Programs in Virginia, Ranked (2026)

Rank 1: University of Virginia-Main Campus

Rank 2: Shenandoah University

Rank 3: Liberty University

Rank 4: Longwood University

Rank 5: Emory & Henry University

Rank 6: Bluefield University

Rank 7: Norfolk State University

Rank 8: Mary Baldwin University