Kinesiology Degree Programs

Michigan · Master's ranking

Best Kinesiology Master's Programs in Michigan

4 master'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
$13,374 to $39,350
Avg graduation rate
63%
Median wage (BLS)
$59,460

What Master's in Kinesiology Programs in Michigan Cost and Who Gets In

We scored all 177 master's programs in exercise science and kinesiology (CIP 31.0505) on the same weighted model, then pulled the 4 highest scoring in Michigan. Calvin University leads the state with a score of 80, which is national rank 48 out of 177. 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 $13,374 to $39,350 across the 4 programs with a published rate. The 4 schools with a published graduation rate average 63%. Average admit rate across the 4 schools publishing one is 82%. Together they conferred 39 master's degrees in the field in the latest IPEDS completions year.

3 of the 4 are public institutions and 1 is private. One is flagged as offering an online option.

All 4 Master's in Kinesiology Programs in Michigan, 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: Calvin University

    Master of Science in Exercise Science

    Grand Rapids, MI · Private nonprofit · city campus · online option

    Our score

    1st of 4 in Michigan

    National rank 48 of 177

    Calvin waives the GRE and compresses its M.S. in Exercise Science into as little as 12 months online, a convenience priced at $720 per credit inside a curriculum built on a Reformed Christian perspective.

    Calvin University leads Michigan at 80, ahead of the other 3 programs ranked here. In-state tuition of $39,350 is the highest in the state, where the published range runs $13,374 to $39,350. Its 74% graduation rate sits against a 52% to 74% spread across the 4 Michigan schools that report one. It is the only private institution on this list, so its published rate does not split in-state and out-of-state.

    It is also the only one here flagged in IPEDS as offering an online option. It admits 71% of applicants, against 71% to 92% across Michigan. It confers 8 master's degrees a year, 21% of the 39 awarded across Michigan at this level. Nationally it is 48th of the 177 master's programs scored at this level.

    • Concentrations in rehab and sport performance
    • Prepares for NSCA's CSCS, TSAC-F, and CPSS
    • No GRE required for admission
    • Clinical externship required
    • $55,070 total cost of attendance
    Graduation rate
    74%
    Admit rate
    71%
    In-state tuition
    $39,350
    Out-of-state tuition
    $39,350
    Cost of attendance
    $55,070
    Undergrad enrollment
    3,356
    Degrees conferred
    8

    View Calvin University's Master of Science in Exercise Science www.calvin.edu

  2. Rank 2: Wayne State University

    Master of Science in Exercise and Sport Science

    Detroit, MI · Public · city campus

    Our score

    2nd of 4 in Michigan

    National rank 65 of 177

    Nearly 24,000 students attend Wayne State in total, a scale that does more work for its 76.8 score than an admit rate and graduation rate that land almost exactly on the median for the level.

    Wayne State University places 2nd of 4 in Michigan at 76.8, with 1 program scoring above it. In-state tuition of $14,274 is in the cheaper quarter of the state, where the published range runs $13,374 to $39,350. Its 58% graduation rate sits against a 52% to 74% spread across the 4 Michigan schools that report one.

    It admits 81% of applicants, against 71% to 92% across Michigan. It confers 15 master's degrees a year, 38% of the 39 awarded across Michigan at this level. Residency is worth $18,491 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $32,765 out-of-state rate.

    • Accelerated Master's Pathway from a bachelor's degree
    • Choice of thesis, project or internship tracks
    • No GRE required for admission
    • 30 total credit hours
    Graduation rate
    58%
    Admit rate
    81%
    In-state tuition
    $14,274
    Out-of-state tuition
    $32,765
    Cost of attendance
    $35,116
    Undergrad enrollment
    16,012
    Degrees conferred
    15

    View WSU's Master of Science in Exercise and Sport Science wayne.edu

  3. Rank 3: Michigan Technological University

    M.S. in Kinesiology

    Houghton, MI · Public · town campus

    Our score

    3rd of 4 in Michigan

    National rank 93 of 177

    Michigan Tech's kinesiology master's admits 92% of applicants, a rate landing at just the 20th percentile among 177 comparable programs and the single biggest drag on its 73.4 score.

    Michigan Technological University places 3rd of 4 in Michigan at 73.4, with 2 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $20,206 is below the state midpoint, where the published range runs $13,374 to $39,350. Its 68% graduation rate sits against a 52% to 74% spread across the 4 Michigan schools that report one.

    It admits 92% of applicants, against 71% to 92% across Michigan. It confers 8 master's degrees a year, 21% of the 39 awarded across Michigan at this level. Residency is worth $24,275 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $44,481 out-of-state rate.

    • Designated STEM program for international students
    • Accelerated bachelor's-to-master's in about a year
    • Thesis track requires 6 to 10 research credits
    • Areas of interest include neural control of circulation
    Graduation rate
    68%
    Admit rate
    92%
    In-state tuition
    $20,206
    Out-of-state tuition
    $44,481
    Cost of attendance
    $36,158
    Undergrad enrollment
    6,013
    Degrees conferred
    8

    View Michigan Technological University's M.S. in Kinesiology www.mtu.edu

  4. Rank 4: Northern Michigan University

    Master's in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

    Marquette, MI · Public · town campus

    Our score

    4th of 4 in Michigan

    National rank 120 of 177

    Northern Michigan's Health and Human Performance department organizes its exercise-science coursework into four concentrations, from Clinical Applied Exercise Science to Community Health, each tied to a specific certification path.

    Northern Michigan University places 4th of 4 in Michigan at 68.9, with 3 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $13,374 is the lowest in the state, where the published range runs $13,374 to $39,350. Its 52% graduation rate sits against a 52% to 74% spread across the 4 Michigan schools that report one.

    It admits 84% of applicants, against 71% to 92% across Michigan. It confers 8 master's degrees a year, 21% of the 39 awarded across Michigan at this level. Residency is worth $5,622 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $18,996 out-of-state rate.

    • NSCA-CSCS and ACSM Group Exercise Instructor exam prep
    • Certified Health Education Specialist path in Community Health
    • Coursework can lead into an NMU MBA
    • In-state tuition of $13,374 a year
    Graduation rate
    52%
    Admit rate
    84%
    In-state tuition
    $13,374
    Out-of-state tuition
    $18,996
    Cost of attendance
    $30,449
    Undergrad enrollment
    6,684
    Degrees conferred
    8

    View Northern Michigan University's Master's in Exercise Science and Kinesiology www.nmu.edu

Every Master's in Kinesiology Program in Michigan 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 Calvin University Grand Rapids 74% 71% $39,350
02 Wayne State University Detroit 58% 81% $14,274
03 Michigan Technological University Houghton 68% 92% $20,206
04 Northern Michigan University Marquette 52% 84% $13,374

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

What Kinesiology Careers Pay in Michigan

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

Exercise Physiologists in Michigan

Michigan median
$55,080
vs national
−$4,380
Employed in MI
570
10th to 90th
$48,140 – $65,910

Exercise Physiologists in Michigan earn a median of $55,080, $4,380 below the national median of $59,460, across 570 jobs in the state. The bottom tenth earn under $48,140 and the top tenth clear $65,910, so the median is a midpoint rather than an offer.

Every Michigan Occupation This Field Feeds, by Median Wage

Occupation MI median vs national Jobs in MI
Physical Therapists $100,900 −$1,860 8,630
Occupational Therapists $89,910 −$10,420 5,120
Recreational Therapists $61,700 −$260 590
Physical Therapist Assistants $61,670 −$6,710 4,520
Athletic Trainers $59,280 −$3,240 870
Exercise Physiologists $55,080 −$4,380 570
Coaches and Scouts $47,050 −$270 7,910
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors $45,520 −$1,640 6,050

Of the 8 occupations in this field that BLS prices for Michigan, Physical Therapists pays the most at $100,900 ($1,860 below its national median). It is also the largest of the 8 by employment, at 8,630 jobs in the state. 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 Michigan.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

Other Kinesiology Degree Levels in Michigan

This page ranks master's programs only. Michigan 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 Master's in Kinesiology?

These 7 occupations list this credential, or less, as their typical entry requirement. The other 1 need further study, and each page says what. Figures are Michigan’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 Michigan, 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

Master's in Kinesiology Programs Near Michigan

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