Kinesiology Degree Programs

Alabama · Doctoral ranking

Best Kinesiology Doctoral Programs in Alabama

1 doctoral program in exercise science and kinesiology, ranked on graduation rate, admissions selectivity, in-state cost, and field outcomes.

Last updated

Programs ranked
1
In-state tuition
$11,380
Avg graduation rate
73%
Median wage (BLS)
$59,460

What PhD in Kinesiology Programs in Alabama Cost and Who Gets In

We scored all 39 doctoral programs in exercise science and kinesiology (CIP 31.0505) on the same weighted model, then pulled the single highest scoring in Alabama. The University of Alabama leads the state with a score of 74.9, which is national rank 20 out of 39. One of the 1 also lands in the national top 25.

In-state tuition is $11,380 at the one program here. The one school with a published graduation rate reports 73%. The one school publishing an admit rate reports 77%. Together they conferred 5 research doctorates in the field in the latest IPEDS completions year.

The one program here is at a public institution. None carry an online flag in IPEDS, so plan on attending in person.

The PhD in Kinesiology Program in Alabama, 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: The University of Alabama

    Ph.D. in Kinesiology

    Tuscaloosa, AL · Public · city campus

    Our score

    1st of 1 in Alabama

    National rank 20 of 39

    Alabama's admit rate and doctorate count both match the median for the level exactly, and its final score, 74.9, lands right on the group's midpoint too.

    The University of Alabama is the only doctoral program in Alabama in this ranking, scoring 74.9. In-state tuition is $11,380, the only rate published in Alabama at this level. It admits 77% of applicants.

    It confers 5 research doctorates a year. Residency is worth $21,992 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $33,372 out-of-state rate. Nationally it is 20th of the 39 doctoral programs scored at this level.

    • Exercise science and sport pedagogy tracks
    • 66 credit hours required beyond the master's degree
    • Major-professor mentorship assigned at admission
    • GRE scores and letters of recommendation required
    • Up to 6 transfer credit hours accepted
    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
    5

    View University of Alabama's Ph.D. in Kinesiology www.ua.edu

What Kinesiology Careers Pay in Alabama

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

Exercise Physiologists in Alabama

Alabama median
$50,820
vs national
−$8,640
Employed in AL
70
10th to 90th
$40,540 – $76,910

Exercise Physiologists in Alabama earn a median of $50,820, $8,640 below the national median of $59,460, across 70 jobs in the state. The bottom tenth earn under $40,540 and the top tenth clear $76,910, so the median is a midpoint rather than an offer.

Every Alabama Occupation This Field Feeds, by Median Wage

Occupation AL median vs national Jobs in AL
Physical Therapists $97,290 −$5,470 3,040
Occupational Therapists $94,050 −$6,280 1,500
Physical Therapist Assistants $61,430 −$6,950 2,700
Recreational Therapists $57,360 −$4,600 160
Exercise Physiologists $50,820 −$8,640 70
Athletic Trainers $46,940 −$15,580 840
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors $39,180 −$7,980 2,680

Of the 7 occupations in this field that BLS prices for Alabama, Physical Therapists pays the most at $97,290 ($5,470 below its national median). It is also the largest of the 7 by employment, at 3,040 jobs in the state. None of the 7 with a national comparison pays above its national median here, which is the single most useful thing to know before committing to staying in Alabama.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

Other Kinesiology Degree Levels in Alabama

This page ranks doctoral programs only. Alabama 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 PhD in Kinesiology?

These 8 occupations list this credential, or less, as their typical entry requirement. Figures are Alabama’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 Alabama, 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

PhD in Kinesiology Programs Near Alabama

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