Best Colleges for Sports & Fitness

This ranking features leading schools for sports science, kinesiology, recreation, and fitness majors pursuing active, health-focused careers. Compare schools on athletic training facilities, exercise science labs, coaching certifications, and job placement rates to find the program that prepares you for a fulfilling career in sports performance, physical therapy, or wellness leadership.

192 schools ranked in this list.

RankSchool
#1Furman UniversityGreenville, SC, 29613
#2Virginia TechBlacksburg, VA, 24061
#3Indiana University--BloomingtonBloomington, IN, 47405
#4Linfield UniversityMcMinnville, OR, 97128
#5Juniata CollegeHuntingdon, PA, 16652
#6Prairie View A&M UniversityPrairie View, TX, 77446
#7Ohio Wesleyan UniversityDelaware, OH, 43015
#8University of Tennessee--KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN, 37996
#9San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, CA, 92182
#10Pepperdine UniversityMalibu, CA, 90263
#11James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, VA, 22807
#12Springfield CollegeSPRINGFIELD, MA, 01109
#13California State University--FresnoFresno, CA, 93740
#14University of North DakotaGrand Forks, ND, 58202
#15California State University--FullertonFullerton, CA, 92831
#16Husson UniversityBangor, ME, 04401
#17Coe CollegeCedar Rapids, IA, 52402
#18University of New EnglandBiddeford, ME, 04005
#19Pacific UniversityForest Grove, OR, 97116
#20St. Ambrose UniversityDavenport, IA, 52803
#21West Virginia UniversityMorgantown, WV, 26506
#22Xavier UniversityCincinnati, OH, 45207
#23Wingate UniversityWingate, NC, 28174
#24West Chester University of PennsylvaniaWest Chester, PA, 19383
#25Southern Illinois University--CarbondaleCarbondale, IL, 62901
#26DeSales UniversityCenter Valley, PA, 18034
#27Bellarmine UniversityLouisville, KY, 40205
#28Misericordia UniversityDallas, PA, 18612
#29Carson-Newman UniversityJefferson City, TN, 37760
#30Western Michigan UniversityKalamazoo, MI, 49008
#31Abilene Christian UniversityAbilene, TX, 79699
#32Baker UniversityBaldwin City, KS, 66006
#33Clarke UniversityDubuque, IA, 52001
#34Mount St. Joseph UniversityCincinnati, OH, 45233
#35Middle Tennessee State UniversityMurfreesboro, TN, 37132
#36Maryville University of St. LouisSt Louis, MO, 63141
#37Concordia University WisconsinMequon, WI, 53097
#38Marian University (IN)Indianapolis, IN, 46222
#39Azusa Pacific UniversityAzusa, CA, 91702
#40University of MemphisMemphis, TN, 38152
#41University of Central ArkansasConway, AR, 72035
#42University of Tennessee at ChattanoogaChattanooga, TN, 37403
#43The University of Texas--San AntonioSan Antonio, TX, 78249
#44Georgia Southern UniversityStatesboro, GA, 30460
#45University of Southern MississippiHattiesburg, MS, 39406
#46Texas A & M University-KingsvilleKingsville, TX, 78363
#47Tarleton State UniversityStephenville, TX, 76402
#48United States Merchant Marine AcademyKings Point, NY, 11024
#49SUNY Maritime CollegeThroggs Neck, NY, 10465
#50Vaughn College of Aeronautics and TechnologyFlushing, NY, 11369
#51University of ScrantonScranton, PA, 18510
#52John Carroll UniversityUniversity Heights, OH, 44118
#53High Point UniversityHigh Point, NC, 27268
#54Rockhurst UniversityKansas City, MO, 64110
#55Augustana UniversitySioux Falls, SD, 57197
#56Carroll UniversityWaukesha, WI, 53186
#57Berry CollegeMount Berry, GA, 30149
#58Milligan UniversityMilligan, TN, 37682
#59Catawba CollegeSalisbury, NC, 28144
#60Wisconsin Lutheran CollegeMilwaukee, WI, 53226
#61West Virginia Wesleyan CollegeBuckhannon, WV, 26201
#62St. Mary's University of San AntonioSan Antonio, TX, 78228
#63University of Wisconsin--La CrosseLa Crosse, WI, 54601
#64Trine UniversityAngola, IN, 46703
#65Barton CollegeWilson, NC, 27893
#66Lees-McRae CollegeBanner Elk, NC, 28604
#67Marietta CollegeMarietta, OH, 45750
#68Bismarck State CollegeBismarck, ND, 58506
#69Newberry CollegeNewberry, SC, 29108
#70McMurry UniversityAbilene, TX, 79697
#71John Brown UniversitySiloam Springs, AR, 72761
#72California State University--Monterey BaySeaside, CA, 93955
#73Texas Lutheran UniversitySeguin, TX, 78155
#74Loras CollegeDubuque, IA, 52001
#75Culver-Stockton CollegeCanton, MO, 63435
#76University of Nebraska at KearneyKearney, NE, 68849
#77Sonoma State UniversityRohnert Park, CA, 94928
#78Blue Mountain Christian UniversityBlue Mountain, MS, 38610
#79Howard Payne UniversityBrownwood, TX, 76801
#80The University of Tennessee at MartinMartin, TN, 38238
#81Elizabeth City State UniversityElizabeth City, NC, 27909
#82Franklin CollegeFranklin, IN, 46131
#83University of Virginia's College at WiseWise, VA, 24293
#84William Peace UniversityRaleigh, NC, 27604
#85Dean CollegeFranklin, MA, 02038
#86Anderson University (SC)Anderson, SC, 29621
#87Bethel CollegeNorth Newton, KS, 67107
#88University of Arkansas--Pine BluffPine Bluff, AR, 71601
#89McPherson CollegeMcPherson, KS, 67460
#90Johnson C. Smith UniversityCharlotte, NC, 28216
#91Aquinas CollegeGrand Rapids, MI, 49506
#92Bridgewater CollegeBridgewater, VA, 22812
#93Monmouth CollegeMonmouth, IL, 61462
#94Ripon CollegeRipon, WI, 54971
#95University of Louisiana at LafayetteLafayette, LA, 70504
#96Massachusetts Maritime AcademyBuzzards Bay, MA, 02532
#97College of Saint MaryOmaha, NE, 68106
#98Saint Mary-of-the-Woods CollegeWoods, IN, 47876
#99LeTourneau UniversityLongview, TX, 75607
#100Vanguard University of Southern CaliforniaCosta Mesa, CA, 92626
#101Nebraska Wesleyan UniversityLincoln, NE, 68504
#102McDaniel CollegeWestminster, MD, 21157
#103Buena Vista UniversityStorm Lake, IA, 50588
#104Endicott CollegeBeverly, MA, 01915
#105Manhattanville UniversityPurchase, NY, 10577
#106University of Mount UnionAlliance, OH, 44601
#107Judson UniversityElgin, IL, 60123
#108Dickinson State UniversityDickinson, ND, 58601
#109Bethel University (IN)Mishawaka, IN, 46545
#110Welch CollegeGallatin, TN, 37066
#111Midway UniversityMidway, KY, 40347
#112SUNY BrockportBrockport, NY, 14420
#113Delaware State UniversityDover, DE, 19901
#114Jacksonville UniversityJacksonville, FL, 32211
#115Coastal Carolina UniversityConway, SC, 29528
#116Quincy UniversityQuincy, IL, 62301
#117Mississippi University for WomenColumbus, MS, 39701
#118Stephen F. Austin State UniversityNacogdoches, TX, 75965
#119North Park UniversityChicago, IL, 60625
#120University of Tennessee SouthernPulaski, TN, 38478
#121Virginia State UniversityPetersburg, VA, 23806
#122Keystone CollegeLa Plume, PA, 18440
#123Concordia University ChicagoRiver Forest, IL, 60305
#124Utah Tech UniversityGeorge, UT, 84770
#125Saint Martin's UniversityLacey, WA, 98503
#126Lynn UniversityBoca Raton, FL, 33431
#127Doane UniversityCrete, NE, 68333
#128Wilmington CollegeWilmington, OH, 45177
#129Austin Peay State UniversityClarksville, TN, 37044
#130Oklahoma Baptist UniversityShawnee, OK, 74804
#131University of Saint JosephWest Hartford, CT, 06117
#132University of Southern IndianaEvansville, IN, 47712
#133Anderson University (IN)Anderson, IN, 46012
#134Mount Marty UniversityYankton, SD, 57078
#135University of GuamMangilao, GU, 96923
#136North Greenville UniversityTigerville, SC, 29688
#137Angelo State UniversitySan Angelo, TX, 76909
#138Hope International UniversityFullerton, CA, 92831
#139Ashland UniversityAshland, OH, 44805
#140Williams Baptist UniversityWalnut Ridge, AR, 72476
#141University of Saint MaryLeavenworth, KS, 66048
#142Eastern Oregon UniversityLa Grande, OR, 97850
#143Texas A&M University--San AntonioSan Antonio, TX, 78224
#144Defiance CollegeDefiance, OH, 43512
#145Plymouth State UniversityPlymouth, NH, 03264
#146Livingstone CollegeSalisbury, NC, 28144
#147Minot State UniversityMinot, ND, 58707
#148Erskine CollegeDue West, SC, 29639
#149Voorhees UniversityDenmark, SC, 29042
#150Utah Valley UniversityOrem, UT, 84058
#151Madonna UniversityLivonia, MI, 48150
#152Louisiana Christian UniversityPineville, LA, 71359
#153Pennsylvania Western UniversityCalifornia, PA, 15419
#154University of DubuqueDubuque, IA, 52001
#155Nichols CollegeDudley, MA, 01571
#156Goldey-Beacom CollegeWilmington, DE, 19808
#157MidAmerica Nazarene UniversityOlathe, KS, 66062
#158Ohio Dominican UniversityColumbus, OH, 43219
#159Vermont State UniversityJohnson, VT, 05656
#160East Stroudsburg UniversityEast Stroudsburg, PA, 18301
#161Cameron UniversityLawton, OK, 73505
#162Missouri Western State UniversitySt Joseph, MO, 64507
#163Oral Roberts UniversityTulsa, OK, 74171
#164Benedict CollegeColumbia, SC, 29204
#165Tiffin UniversityTiffin, OH, 44883
#166Georgian Court UniversityLakewood, NJ, 08701
#167Schreiner UniversityKerrville, TX, 78028
#168York College of PennsylvaniaYork, PA, 17403
#169Lasell UniversityNewton, MA, 02466
#170Shaw UniversityRaleigh, NC, 27601
#171Rocky Mountain CollegeBillings, MT, 59102
#172University of Science and Arts of OklahomaChickasha, OK, 73018
#173Washington Adventist UniversityTakoma Park, MD, 20912
#174Hardin-Simmons UniversityAbilene, TX, 79698
#175Shorter UniversityRome, GA, 30165
#176Methodist UniversityFayetteville, NC, 28311
#177Wilson CollegeChambersburg, PA, 17201
#178Culinary Institute of AmericaHyde Park, NY, 12538
#179Tusculum UniversityGreeneville, TN, 37743
#180East Central UniversityAda, OK, 74820
#181St. Thomas Aquinas CollegeSparkill, NY, 10976
#182Lindenwood UniversitySaint Charles, MO, 63301
#183University of the CumberlandsWilliamsburg, KY, 40769
#184Southeastern UniversityLakeland, FL, 33801
#185Concordia University, St. PaulSt Paul, MN, 55104
#186Bethel University (TN)McKenzie, TN, 38201
#187Bethune-Cookman UniversityDaytona Beach, FL, 32114
#188Northwood UniversityMidland, MI, 48640
#189Otis College of Art and DesignLos Angeles, CA, 90045
#190New England CollegeHenniker, NH, 03242
#191LIM CollegeNew York, NY, 10017
#192Albany College of Pharmacy and Health SciencesAlbany, NY, 12208