Best PhD in Kinesiology in North Carolina (2026)

Programs ranked: 1
In-state tuition: $4,422
Avg graduation rate: 56%
Median wage (BLS): $59,460

What PhD in Kinesiology Programs in North Carolina 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 North Carolina. University of North Carolina at Greensboro leads the state with a score of 68, which is national rank 26 out of 39. It does not crack the national top 25, so read the score below rather than assuming a national reputation.

In-state tuition is $4,422 at the one program here. The one school with a published graduation rate reports 56%. The one school publishing an admit rate reports 89%. Together they conferred 23 research doctorates in the field in the latest IPEDS completions year.

The one program here is at a public institution. One is flagged as offering an online option.

The PhD in Kinesiology Program in North Carolina, 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 North Carolina at Greensboro

Doctorate (research) in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Greensboro, NC · Public · city campus · online option

Our score

1st of 1 in North Carolina

National rank 26 of 39

UNC Greensboro confers 23 kinesiology doctorates a year, the top percentile for degree output among the 39 comparable programs scored, offsetting an 89% admit rate that sits at just the 16th percentile for selectivity.

University of North Carolina at Greensboro is the only doctoral program in North Carolina in this ranking, scoring 68. In-state tuition is $4,422, the only rate published in North Carolina at this level. It admits 89% of applicants.
It confers 23 research doctorates a year. Residency is worth $16,351 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $20,773 out-of-state rate. Nationally it is 26th of the 39 doctoral programs scored at this level.
- Research ties to Center for Athlete Well-Being
- Faculty collaboration across Exercise Physiology and Neuromechanics
- Coursework shared with Counseling, Psychology and Social Work
- In-state tuition of $4,422 a year
- Undergraduate enrollment of 14,416 students
Graduation rate

56%

Admit rate

89%

In-state tuition

$4,422

Out-of-state tuition

$20,773

Cost of attendance

$22,585

Undergrad enrollment

14,416

Degrees conferred

23

View University of North Carolina at Greensboro's Doctorate (research) in Exercise Science and Kinesiology www.uncg.edu

What Kinesiology Careers Pay in North Carolina

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

Exercise Physiologists in North Carolina

North Carolina median: $52,450
vs national: −$7,010
Employed in NC: 370
10th to 90th: $43,900 – $71,270

Exercise Physiologists in North Carolina earn a median of $52,450, $7,010 below the national median of $59,460, across 370 jobs in the state. The bottom tenth earn under $43,900 and the top tenth clear $71,270, so the median is a midpoint rather than an offer.

Every North Carolina Occupation This Field Feeds, by Median Wage

Occupation	NC median	vs national	Jobs in NC
Physical Therapists	$99,910	−$2,850	7,350
Occupational Therapists	$92,940	−$7,390	4,490
Physical Therapist Assistants	$67,540	−$840	3,280
Athletic Trainers	$56,540	−$5,980	990
Exercise Physiologists	$52,450	−$7,010	370
Recreational Therapists	$51,030	−$10,930	440
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors	$46,450	−$710	10,670
Coaches and Scouts	$43,840	−$3,480	8,530

Of the 8 occupations in this field that BLS prices for North Carolina, Physical Therapists pays the most at $99,910 ($2,850 below its national median). The largest employer of the 8 is Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors, at 10,670 jobs in the state paying a median of $46,450. 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 Carolina.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

Other Kinesiology Degree Levels in North Carolina

This page ranks doctoral programs only. North Carolina 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 North Carolina’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 Carolina, 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 North Carolina

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

Best Kinesiology Doctoral Programs in North Carolina