Kinesiology Degree Programs

Pennsylvania · Master's ranking

Best Kinesiology Master's Programs in Pennsylvania

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
$7,716 to $21,989
Avg graduation rate
64%
Median wage (BLS)
$59,460

What Master's in Kinesiology Programs in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus leads the state with a score of 89.1, which is national rank 18 out of 177. One of the 4 also lands in the national top 25.

In-state tuition runs from $7,716 to $21,989 across the 4 programs with a published rate. The 4 schools with a published graduation rate average 64%. Average admit rate across the 4 schools publishing one is 82%. Together they conferred 168 master's degrees in the field in the latest IPEDS completions year.

All 4 are public institutions. One is flagged as offering an online option.

All 4 Master's in Kinesiology Programs in Pennsylvania, 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: Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

    Kinesiology

    University Park, PA · Public · city campus

    Our score

    1st of 4 in Pennsylvania

    National rank 18 of 177

    Graduation rate is the input doing the most work in this score: 86%, 28 points above the 58% median for the level.

    Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus leads Pennsylvania at 89.1, ahead of the other 3 programs ranked here. In-state tuition of $20,066 is in the dearer quarter of the state, where the published range runs $7,716 to $21,989. Its 86% graduation rate sits against a 43% to 86% spread across the 4 Pennsylvania schools that report one. It admits 61% of applicants, against 61% to 94% across Pennsylvania.

    It confers 4 master's degrees a year, 2% of the 168 awarded across Pennsylvania at this level. Residency is worth $21,146 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $41,212 out-of-state rate. Nationally it is 18th of the 177 master's programs scored at this level.

    • Public university
    • 61% admit rate
    • 50,737 total enrollment
    Graduation rate
    86%
    Admit rate
    61%
    In-state tuition
    $20,066
    Out-of-state tuition
    $41,212
    Cost of attendance
    $41,338
    Undergrad enrollment
    42,604
    Degrees conferred
    4

    View PSU's Kinesiology www.psu.edu

  2. Rank 2: Temple University

    Master's in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

    Philadelphia, PA · Public · city campus

    Our score

    2nd of 4 in Pennsylvania

    National rank 46 of 177

    Temple houses this field inside an R1 research enterprise anchored by the Center for Obesity Research and Education and five other named labs in the Barnett College of Public Health.

    Temple University places 2nd of 4 in Pennsylvania at 80.1, with 1 program scoring above it. In-state tuition of $21,989 is the highest in the state, where the published range runs $7,716 to $21,989. Its 75% graduation rate sits against a 43% to 86% spread across the 4 Pennsylvania schools that report one.

    It admits 80% of applicants, against 61% to 94% across Pennsylvania. It confers 2 master's degrees a year, 1% of the 168 awarded across Pennsylvania at this level. Residency is worth $15,800 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $37,789 out-of-state rate.

    • R1 Carnegie research classification
    • Health Disparities Research Laboratory
    • Siminoff Research Group
    • $21,989 in-state tuition
    • 2 degrees conferred yearly in this field
    Graduation rate
    75%
    Admit rate
    80%
    In-state tuition
    $21,989
    Out-of-state tuition
    $37,789
    Cost of attendance
    $46,506
    Undergrad enrollment
    21,457
    Degrees conferred
    2

    View Temple University's Master's in Exercise Science and Kinesiology www.temple.edu

  3. Rank 3: Pennsylvania Western University

    M.S. in Exercise Science and Health Promotion

    California, PA · Public · town campus · online option

    Our score

    3rd of 4 in Pennsylvania

    National rank 134 of 177

    PennWest's online master's finishes in as little as 11 months and admits 94% of applicants, exchanging competitive selectivity for speed and open access.

    Pennsylvania Western University places 3rd of 4 in Pennsylvania at 66.6, with 2 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $7,716 is the lowest in the state, where the published range runs $7,716 to $21,989. Its 52% graduation rate sits against a 43% to 86% spread across the 4 Pennsylvania schools that report one. It is also the only one here flagged in IPEDS as offering an online option.

    It admits 94% of applicants, against 61% to 94% across Pennsylvania. It confers 151 master's degrees a year, 90% of the 168 awarded across Pennsylvania at this level. Residency is worth $3,858 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $11,574 out-of-state rate.

    • professional certifications convert into credit
    • coursework in wellness assessment and program design
    • fully online delivery format
    • $7,716 in-state tuition
    • 151 kinesiology degrees conferred yearly
    Graduation rate
    52%
    Admit rate
    94%
    In-state tuition
    $7,716
    Out-of-state tuition
    $11,574
    Cost of attendance
    $28,956
    Undergrad enrollment
    7,586
    Degrees conferred
    151

    View Pennsylvania Western University's M.S. in Exercise Science and Health Promotion www.pennwest.edu

  4. Rank 4: East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

    M.S. in Clinical Exercise Physiology

    East Stroudsburg, PA · Public · town campus

    Our score

    4th of 4 in Pennsylvania

    National rank 154 of 177

    East Stroudsburg's CAAHEP-accredited Master of Science in Clinical Exercise Physiology posts a 100% certification exam pass rate and clinical rotations at 11 area medical networks, well ahead of Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania's 65.9 score.

    East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania places 4th of 4 in Pennsylvania at 62.9, with 3 programs scoring above it. In-state tuition of $7,716 is the lowest in the state, where the published range runs $7,716 to $21,989. Its 43% graduation rate sits against a 43% to 86% spread across the 4 Pennsylvania schools that report one.

    It admits 92% of applicants, against 61% to 94% across Pennsylvania. It confers 11 master's degrees a year, 7% of the 168 awarded across Pennsylvania at this level. Residency is worth $7,716 a year here, the gap between the in-state rate and the $15,432 out-of-state rate.

    • 300+ hours of clinical rotation
    • Human Performance Lab with a BOD POD
    • 45-credit program completed in one year
    • eight affiliated medical centers
    • $7,716 in-state tuition
    Graduation rate
    43%
    Admit rate
    92%
    In-state tuition
    $7,716
    Out-of-state tuition
    $15,432
    Cost of attendance
    $29,929
    Undergrad enrollment
    4,891
    Degrees conferred
    11

    View East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania's M.S. in Clinical Exercise Physiology www.esu.edu

Every Master's in Kinesiology Program in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park 86% 61% $20,066
02 Temple University Philadelphia 75% 80% $21,989
03 Pennsylvania Western University California 52% 94% $7,716
04 East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania East Stroudsburg 43% 92% $7,716

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

What Kinesiology Careers Pay in Pennsylvania

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

Exercise Physiologists in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania median
$48,040
vs national
−$11,420
Employed in PA
640
10th to 90th
$38,900 – $67,820

Exercise Physiologists in Pennsylvania earn a median of $48,040, $11,420 below the national median of $59,460, across 640 jobs in the state. The bottom tenth earn under $38,900 and the top tenth clear $67,820, so the median is a midpoint rather than an offer.

Every Pennsylvania Occupation This Field Feeds, by Median Wage

Occupation PA median vs national Jobs in PA
Physical Therapists $101,380 −$1,380 11,710
Occupational Therapists $98,440 −$1,890 6,560
Physical Therapist Assistants $62,580 −$5,800 4,270
Athletic Trainers $61,060 −$1,460 1,870
Recreational Therapists $58,940 −$3,020 720
Coaches and Scouts $48,730 +$1,410 8,170
Exercise Physiologists $48,040 −$11,420 640
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors $45,250 −$1,910 11,580

Of the 8 occupations in this field that BLS prices for Pennsylvania, Physical Therapists pays the most at $101,380 ($1,380 below its national median). It is also the largest of the 8 by employment, at 11,710 jobs in the state. 1 of the 8 with a national comparison pays above its national median here.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

Other Kinesiology Degree Levels in Pennsylvania

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

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