Kinesiology Degree Programs

Mississippi · Master's ranking

Best Kinesiology Master's Programs in Mississippi

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

Last updated

Programs ranked
2
In-state tuition
$9,612 to $9,888
Avg graduation rate
61%
Median wage (BLS)
$59,460

What Master's in Kinesiology Programs in Mississippi 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 2 highest scoring in Mississippi. University of Mississippi leads the state with a score of 71.7, which is national rank 104 out of 177. None of the 2 crack the national top 25, so read the scores below rather than assuming a national reputation.

In-state tuition runs from $9,612 to $9,888 across the 2 programs with a published rate. The 2 schools with a published graduation rate average 61%. Average admit rate across the 2 schools publishing one is 98%. Together they conferred 16 master's degrees in the field in the latest IPEDS completions year.

All 2 are public institutions. One is flagged as offering an online option.

All 2 Master's in Kinesiology Programs in Mississippi, 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 Mississippi

    Master's in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

    University, MS · Public · town campus

    Our score

    1st of 2 in Mississippi

    National rank 104 of 177

    Ole Miss admits 97% of applicants, anchoring admissions selectivity at the 7th percentile, even as its Exercise, Nutrition, and Performance Lab studies the physiology of esports competitors.

    University of Mississippi leads Mississippi at 71.7, ahead of the one other program ranked here. In-state tuition of $9,612 is the lowest in the state, where the published range runs $9,612 to $9,888. Its 72% graduation rate sits against a 49% to 72% spread across the 2 Mississippi schools that report one. It admits 97% of applicants, against 97% to 99% across Mississippi.

    It confers 4 master's degrees a year, 25% of the 16 awarded across Mississippi at this level. Residency is worth $18,828 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $28,440 out-of-state rate. Nationally it is 104th of the 177 master's programs scored at this level.

    • Studies heart-rate variability and nutritional supplementation
    • Director trained at Baylor's Exercise and Biochemical Nutrition Laboratory
    • 72% graduation rate
    • 4 kinesiology degrees conferred a year
    Graduation rate
    72%
    Admit rate
    97%
    In-state tuition
    $9,612
    Out-of-state tuition
    $28,440
    Cost of attendance
    $30,272
    Undergrad enrollment
    21,585
    Degrees conferred
    4

    View University of Mississippi's Master's in Exercise Science and Kinesiology www.olemiss.edu

  2. Rank 2: University of Southern Mississippi

    M.S. in Kinesiology (Exercise Science Emphasis)

    Hattiesburg, MS · Public · city campus · online option

    Our score

    2nd of 2 in Mississippi

    National rank 157 of 177

    USM delivers its Kinesiology exercise science track 100% online and admits 99% of applicants, but only 49% of the cohort finishes, the tradeoff a distance student accepts for that access.

    University of Southern Mississippi places 2nd of 2 in Mississippi at 62.2, with 1 program scoring above it. In-state tuition of $9,888 is the highest in the state, where the published range runs $9,612 to $9,888. Its 49% graduation rate sits against a 49% to 72% spread across the 2 Mississippi schools that report one. It is also the only one here flagged in IPEDS as offering an online option.

    It admits 99% of applicants, against 97% to 99% across Mississippi. It confers 12 master's degrees a year, 75% of the 16 awarded across Mississippi at this level. Residency is worth $2,000 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $11,888 out-of-state rate.

    • Paired Coaching and Sport Performance M.S. for team leadership careers
    • Graduate assistantships waive tuition and non-resident fees
    • Up to 20 hours a week of assistantship teaching or research
    • 12 kinesiology and exercise science degrees conferred a year
    Graduation rate
    49%
    Admit rate
    99%
    In-state tuition
    $9,888
    Out-of-state tuition
    $11,888
    Cost of attendance
    $27,860
    Undergrad enrollment
    10,193
    Degrees conferred
    12

    View University of Southern Mississippi's M.S. in Kinesiology (Exercise Science Emphasis) www.usm.edu

Every Master's in Kinesiology Program in Mississippi 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 Mississippi University 72% 97% $9,612
02 University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg 49% 99% $9,888

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

What Kinesiology Careers Pay in Mississippi

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

Exercise Physiologists in Mississippi

Mississippi median
$43,060
vs national
−$16,400
Employed in MS
30
10th to 90th
$34,980 – $93,640

Exercise Physiologists in Mississippi earn a median of $43,060, $16,400 below the national median of $59,460, across 30 jobs in the state. The bottom tenth earn under $34,980 and the top tenth clear $93,640, so the median is a midpoint rather than an offer.

Every Mississippi Occupation This Field Feeds, by Median Wage

Occupation MS median vs national Jobs in MS
Physical Therapists $99,990 −$2,770 1,980
Occupational Therapists $94,930 −$5,400 1,340
Physical Therapist Assistants $61,770 −$6,610 1,150
Athletic Trainers $58,180 −$4,340 200
Exercise Physiologists $43,060 −$16,400 30
Recreational Therapists $39,560 −$22,400 140
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors $30,540 −$16,620 1,260

Of the 7 occupations in this field that BLS prices for Mississippi, Physical Therapists pays the most at $99,990 ($2,770 below its national median). It is also the largest of the 7 by employment, at 1,980 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 Mississippi.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

Other Kinesiology Degree Levels in Mississippi

This page ranks master's programs only. Mississippi 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 Mississippi’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 Mississippi, 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 Mississippi

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