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Kinesiologist & Exercise Physiologist Degrees

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It can be very easy to take movement for granted when, for so many, it is second nature. Thankfully, when movement is limited or needs to be increased, kinesiologists are the first professionals most people turn to.

The entire field of kinesiology is dedicated to examining how people move, how movement affects wellbeing, and how to help people move better. This broad field encompasses a variety of different careers, including fitness trainers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and other movement-related professions. Kinesiologists are employed at hospitals, clinics, gyms, rehab centers, and long term care facilities to help patients and clients reach their mobility and fitness goals.

Job duties vary based on the education and job title. They can encompass writing fitness plans, choosing the best exercises for a client’s goals, helping with rehabilitation exercises, assessing current fitness levels, and assisting with exercises.

Education is critical towards becoming a kinesiologist. At a minimum, kinesiologists must earn an associate degree, which is suitable for careers such as a fitness trainer or a massage therapist. Those who have earned a bachelor’s in kinesiology can pursue careers such as occupational therapy assistants, chiropractors, long term care facility fitness instructors, or professional athletic trainers. Further education, such as a master’s or doctorate in physical therapy, can result in careers in physical therapy, occupational therapy, physical education teacher, or researcher.

While there isn’t an overarching certifying body for kinesiologists, certifications in specialties or chosen careers can be pursued. The American College of Sports and Medicine (ACSM) and the American Council on Exercise (ACE) both certify fitness trainers. Physical therapists are licensed by their state’s board and typically test with the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) of the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). Occupational therapists are certified by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).

Arizona State University
Health Sciences - Healthy Lifestyles & Fitness Science (BS)
University of West Alabama (Campus)
Exercise Science Comprehensive (BA/BS)
Methodist University
BS - Exercise & Sport Science
East Central University Online
BS - Kinesiology
Eastern Oregon University
Online Bachelor's - Health and Human Performance
Concordia University - Saint Paul
MS - Exercise Science
sponsored

Pay for kinesiologists is as varied as the roles they can fill. Typically the more education required for the position the higher the pay. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS May 2019), the average annual salaries for kinesiologist professions are:

  • Athletic trainer $50,540
  • Exercise physiologist $54,750
  • Fitness trainers $45,110
  • Occupational therapists $86,210
  • Physical therapists $90,170

The field of kinesiology is rapidly growing. With an aging population and an increased emphasis being placed on fitness and exercise for wellbeing, there is steady demand for professionals who know and understand movement. Between 2018 and 2028, there will be an expected 10 to 22 percent increase in jobs in kinesiology nationally.

Kinesiology offers a wide array of career options with strong earning potential and high job growth. Here are some fast facts about one of the top professions in this discipline: exercise physiology.

Kinesiologist (Exercise Physiology) fast facts
Projected Jobs Created1,500
Projected Job Growth10
Average Salary$54,750
Low Salary$34,990
Median Salary$49,170
High Salary$78,310
Entry-Level EDU Bachelor’s, Master’s Preferred
Sourced from BLS, June 2018

Accredited Degree & Certification Programs in Kinesiology

Kinesiology is a wide field and the desired career determines what type of degree is necessary. Occupational therapists, for example, can be licensed and work in their field with a master’s degree. Physical therapists, on the other hand, will need to earn a doctor of physical therapy (DPT) degree in order to practice.

Admission requirements for kinesiology programs vary based on the type of degree pursued but typical requirements include:

  • High school diploma or GED for bachelor’s programs
  • Bachelor’s degree for master’s or doctorate programs
  • Statement of purpose
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Test scores such as GRE, SAT, or ACT
  • English fluency. Many programs require an IELTS or TOEFL score for international students
  • Resume or CV
  • Official transcripts

Top programs in kinesiology, for all levels of degrees, include:

Arizona State University – College of Health Solutions

With undergraduate degrees in exercise science and kinesiology and graduate degrees in exercise and clinical exercise physiology, students have many options to choose from. Programs offered here are research-based with an emphasis on how to improve physical activity for better health outcomes. Ambitious students can even complete a five-year program and earn both a graduate and undergraduate degree. There is also a certificate program in personal fitness training.

Indiana University – School of Public Health

The master’s in science (MS) in kinesiology at the Indiana University School of Public Health offers students six tracks and two majors. Students all gain a broad foundation in kinesiology and then can specialize in ergonomics, biomechanics, exercise and sports psychology, motor control, exercise physiology, or sport and coaching science. All tracks feature a thesis or non-thesis option, depending on if students want to continue in research or have plans to immediately begin working.

University of Iowa – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences department of health and human physiology offers six bachelor’s, four master’s, and one PhD. program. Students can earn arts degrees in health promotion or recreation management and science degrees in human physiology or therapeutic recreation. All of the degree programs place an emphasis on research with the goal of creating a better understanding of sport, recreation, and health.

Pennsylvania State University – College of Health and Human Development

Studying movement and how it impacts health and wellness is at the core of the kinesiology programs at Penn State College of Health and Human Development. Offering bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degree options, this department has a degree for every level of study. They even sponsor an innovative “exercise is medicine” campaign on campus to educate all students, faculty, and staff on how to stay mobile and healthy.

Michigan State University – College of Education

The Department of Kinesiology at Michigan State College of Education intertwines research and education in each of its five graduate and undergraduate programs. This 100-year-old department is a leader in the field as a member of the American Kinesiology Association (AKA), a faculty member as president-elect of the AKA, and three faculty in the prestigious National Academy of Kinesiology. This department places an emphasis on youth and the study of physical activity across a lifespan.

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List of Kinesiologist Schools

Filter by state :
School City State Website grads (2018)
Indiana University-Bloomington Bloomington Indiana www.indiana.edu 452
University of Iowa Iowa City Iowa www.uiowa.edu 444
Texas State University San Marcos Texas www.txstate.edu 402
Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan www.msu.edu 351
Texas Tech University Lubbock Texas www.ttu.edu 332
The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio Texas www.utsa.edu 331
Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Brunswick New Jersey newbrunswick.rutgers.edu 328
Mississippi State University Mississippi State Mississippi www.msstate.edu 303
University of Houston Houston Texas www.uh.edu 303
Temple University Philadelphia Pennsylvania www.temple.edu 290
The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington Texas www.uta.edu 277
Iowa State University Ames Iowa www.iastate.edu 272
Grand Valley State University Allendale Michigan www.gvsu.edu 261
Texas A & M University-College Station College Station Texas www.tamu.edu 261
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville Tennessee www.utk.edu 259
Colorado State University-Fort Collins Fort Collins Colorado www.colostate.edu 257
University of Maryland-College Park College Park Maryland www.umd.edu 249
University of Memphis Memphis Tennessee www.memphis.edu 249
University of Nevada-Las Vegas Las Vegas Nevada www.unlv.edu 245
University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah www.utah.edu 245
University of North Texas Denton Texas www.unt.edu 238
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse La Crosse Wisconsin www.uwlax.edu 233
Georgia Southern University Statesboro Georgia www.georgiasouthern.edu 231
University of Northern Colorado Greeley Colorado www.unco.edu 226
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park Pennsylvania www.psu.edu 224
Appalachian State University Boone North Carolina www.appstate.edu 222
Tarleton State University Stephenville Texas www.tarleton.edu 216
University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro North Carolina www.uncg.edu 215
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Chattanooga Tennessee www.utc.edu 209
Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton Florida www.fau.edu 208
Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon oregonstate.edu 205
Towson University Towson Maryland www.towson.edu 205
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg Texas www.utrgv.edu 204
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Champaign Illinois illinois.edu 191
Stephen F Austin State University Nacogdoches Texas www.sfasu.edu 189
The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso Texas www.utep.edu 189
University of Mississippi University Mississippi www.olemiss.edu 188
University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago Illinois www.uic.edu 185
Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant Michigan www.cmich.edu 184
Sam Houston State University Huntsville Texas www.shsu.edu 182
University of Rhode Island Kingston Rhode Island www.uri.edu 177
University of Delaware Newark Delaware www.udel.edu 177
Concordia University-Chicago River Forest Illinois www.cuchicago.edu 176
University of Georgia Athens Georgia www.uga.edu 175
Liberty University Lynchburg Virginia www.liberty.edu 170
Miami University-Oxford Oxford Ohio miamioh.edu 170
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor Michigan www.umich.edu 170
Kennesaw State University Kennesaw Georgia www.kennesaw.edu 159
Texas Woman's University Denton Texas www.twu.edu 157
Eastern Illinois University Charleston Illinois www.eiu.edu 156
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Norman Oklahoma www.ou.edu 154
Salisbury University Salisbury Maryland www.salisbury.edu 147
University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu Hawaii manoa.hawaii.edu 147
SUNY College at Brockport Brockport New York www.brockport.edu 143
Coastal Carolina University Conway South Carolina www.coastal.edu 140
SUNY Cortland Cortland New York www.cortland.edu 140
Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona nau.edu 139
Arizona State University-Downtown Phoenix Phoenix Arizona www.asu.edu 134
Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis Indianapolis Indiana www.iupui.edu 134
University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe Louisiana www.ulm.edu 129
California State University-Chico Chico California www.csuchico.edu 127
Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro Tennessee www.mtsu.edu 127
Texas A & M University-Commerce Commerce Texas new.tamuc.edu 121
The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas www.utexas.edu 121
Ball State University Muncie Indiana www.bsu.edu 119
Southeastern Louisiana University Hammond Louisiana www.southeastern.edu 118
Carroll University Waukesha Wisconsin www.carrollu.edu 114
Washington State University Pullman Washington wsu.edu 113
Angelo State University San Angelo Texas www.angelo.edu 111
Colorado Mesa University Grand Junction Colorado www.coloradomesa.edu 111
Kent State University at Kent Kent Ohio www.kent.edu 111
McNeese State University Lake Charles Louisiana www.mcneese.edu 111
University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville Virginia www.virginia.edu 110
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania East Stroudsburg Pennsylvania www.esu.edu 108
University of Kansas Lawrence Kansas ku.edu 108
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Edwardsville Illinois www.siue.edu 107
Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi Corpus Christi Texas www.tamucc.edu 106
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Eau Claire Wisconsin www.uwec.edu 106
University of Toledo Toledo Ohio www.utoledo.edu 102
Winona State University Winona Minnesota www.winona.edu 102
Saint Louis University Saint Louis Missouri www.slu.edu 99
University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison Wisconsin www.wisc.edu 99
Missouri State University-Springfield Springfield Missouri www.missouristate.edu 98
Georgia College & State University Milledgeville Georgia www.gcsu.edu 97
The University of Texas at Tyler Tyler Texas www.uttyler.edu 97
Louisiana Tech University Ruston Louisiana www.latech.edu 94
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee Wisconsin uwm.edu 91
Western Michigan University Kalamazoo Michigan wmich.edu 91
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Oshkosh Wisconsin www.uwosh.edu 90
Boise State University Boise Idaho www.boisestate.edu 88
University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming www.uwyo.edu 88
Western Kentucky University Bowling Green Kentucky www.wku.edu 86
Lindenwood University Saint Charles Missouri www.lindenwood.edu 84
William Paterson University of New Jersey Wayne New Jersey www.wpunj.edu 84
Augusta University Augusta Georgia www.augusta.edu 83
Truman State University Kirksville Missouri www.truman.edu 83
Arkansas State University-Main Campus Jonesboro Arkansas www.astate.edu 81
High Point University High Point North Carolina www.highpoint.edu 79
University of Central Oklahoma Edmond Oklahoma www.uco.edu 79
West Texas A & M University Canyon Texas www.wtamu.edu 79
CUNY Queens College Queens New York www.qc.cuny.edu 78
Texas A & M University-Kingsville Kingsville Texas www.tamuk.edu 78
University of Houston-Clear Lake Houston Texas www.uhcl.edu 77
Northeastern State University Tahlequah Oklahoma www.nsuok.edu 77
University of Central Arkansas Conway Arkansas www.uca.edu 77
University of Hawaii at Hilo Hilo Hawaii hilo.hawaii.edu 75
University of Scranton Scranton Pennsylvania www.scranton.edu 75
Indiana State University Terre Haute Indiana www.indstate.edu 74
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Carbondale Illinois www.siu.edu 74
University of Southern Indiana Evansville Indiana www.usi.edu 72
Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette Indiana www.purdue.edu 71
Saginaw Valley State University University Center Michigan www.svsu.edu 71
CUNY Brooklyn College Brooklyn New York www.brooklyn.cuny.edu 70
University of North Dakota Grand Forks North Dakota und.edu 70
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus Durham New Hampshire www.unh.edu 68
Colorado State University-Pueblo Pueblo Colorado www.csupueblo.edu 67
Wake Forest University Winston-Salem North Carolina www.wfu.edu 67
Rice University Houston Texas www.rice.edu 66
Salem State University Salem Massachusetts www.salemstate.edu 66
Elon University Elon North Carolina www.elon.edu 65
Montclair State University Montclair New Jersey www.montclair.edu 65
Pasadena City College Pasadena California pasadena.edu 65
Campbell University Buies Creek North Carolina www.campbell.edu 64
Mississippi College Clinton Mississippi www.mc.edu 64
New Mexico State University-Main Campus Las Cruces New Mexico www.nmsu.edu 63
Grand Canyon University Phoenix Arizona www.gcu.edu 62
Illinois State University Normal Illinois illinoisstate.edu 62
Texas A & M University-San Antonio San Antonio Texas www.tamusa.edu 62
Troy University Troy Alabama www.troy.edu 62
University of Minnesota-Duluth Duluth Minnesota www.d.umn.edu 61
Youngstown State University Youngstown Ohio ysu.edu 61
California Lutheran University Thousand Oaks California www.callutheran.edu 60
Gannon University Erie Pennsylvania www.gannon.edu 60
Saint Ambrose University Davenport Iowa www.sau.edu 60
Western Illinois University Macomb Illinois www.wiu.edu 60
Delaware State University Dover Delaware www.desu.edu 58
Sul Ross State University Alpine Texas www.sulross.edu 58
University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha Nebraska www.unomaha.edu 58
Texas A & M International University Laredo Texas www.tamiu.edu 57
Western Oregon University Monmouth Oregon www.wou.edu 57
Fort Lewis College Durango Colorado fortlewis.edu 55
Syracuse University Syracuse New York www.syracuse.edu 55
Western Washington University Bellingham Washington www.wwu.edu 55
Auburn University at Montgomery Montgomery Alabama www.aum.edu 53
Pacific University Forest Grove Oregon www.pacificu.edu 53
Pepperdine University Malibu California www.pepperdine.edu 53
Columbus State University Columbus Georgia www.columbusstate.edu 52
University of South Carolina-Aiken Aiken South Carolina www.usca.edu 52
Whittier College Whittier California www.whittier.edu 51
Bellarmine University Louisville Kentucky www.bellarmine.edu 50
George Mason University Fairfax Virginia www.gmu.edu 50
California State University-Los Angeles Los Angeles California www.calstatela.edu 49
Georgia Gwinnett College Lawrenceville Georgia www.ggc.edu 49
Marshall University Huntington West Virginia www.marshall.edu 49
Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma Washington www.plu.edu 49
Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti Michigan www.emich.edu 48
Elmhurst College Elmhurst Illinois www.elmhurst.edu 48
Hope College Holland Michigan www.hope.edu 48
Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego California www.pointloma.edu 48
University of Idaho Moscow Idaho www.uidaho.edu 47
University of Indianapolis Indianapolis Indiana uindy.edu 47
Winston-Salem State University Winston-Salem North Carolina www.wssu.edu 47
Winthrop University Rock Hill South Carolina www.winthrop.edu 47
Chapman University Orange California www.chapman.edu 46
CUNY Lehman College Bronx New York www.lehman.cuny.edu 46
Cypress College Cypress California www.cypresscollege.edu 46
University of Maryland Eastern Shore Princess Anne Maryland www.umes.edu 46
Southwest Minnesota State University Marshall Minnesota www.smsu.edu 45
Moorpark College Moorpark California www.moorparkcollege.edu 44
Morehead State University Morehead Kentucky www.moreheadstate.edu 44
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg Pennsylvania www.ship.edu 44
St. Mary's University San Antonio Texas www.stmarytx.edu 44
Westmont College Santa Barbara California www.westmont.edu 44
Lenoir-Rhyne University Hickory North Carolina www.lr.edu 43
Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus Ohio www.osu.edu 43
Citadel Military College of South Carolina Charleston South Carolina www.citadel.edu 42
Harding University Searcy Arkansas www.harding.edu 42
Jacksonville University Jacksonville Florida www.ju.edu 42
La Sierra University Riverside California lasierra.edu 42
Lander University Greenwood South Carolina www.lander.edu 42
Trine University Angola Indiana www.trine.edu 42
Chaffey College Rancho Cucamonga California www.chaffey.edu 41
County College of Morris Randolph New Jersey www.ccm.edu 41
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin Odessa Texas www.utpb.edu 41
University of San Francisco San Francisco California www.usfca.edu 41
Vanguard University of Southern California Costa Mesa California www.vanguard.edu 41
Central Connecticut State University New Britain Connecticut www.ccsu.edu 40
Belmont University Nashville Tennessee www.belmont.edu 39
Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers Florida www.fgcu.edu 39
Western State Colorado University Gunnison Colorado www.western.edu 39
College of the Canyons Santa Clarita California www.canyons.edu 38
Cumberland University Lebanon Tennessee www.cumberland.edu 38
Hampton University Hampton Virginia www.hamptonu.edu 38
Long Island University Brookville New York liu.edu/cwpost 38
North Dakota State University-Main Campus Fargo North Dakota www.ndsu.edu 38
Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale Florida www.nova.edu 38
Regis University Denver Colorado www.regis.edu 38
Rockhurst University Kansas City Missouri www.rockhurst.edu 38
University of Vermont Burlington Vermont www.uvm.edu 38
Huston-Tillotson University Austin Texas www.htu.edu 37
North Central College Naperville Illinois northcentralcollege.edu 37
Santiago Canyon College Orange California www.sccollege.edu 37
University of Mount Union Alliance Ohio www.mountunion.edu 37
University of New England Biddeford Maine www.une.edu 37
Charleston Southern University Charleston South Carolina www.charlestonsouthern.edu 36
Citrus College Glendora California www.citruscollege.edu 36
De Anza College Cupertino California www.deanza.edu 36
East Los Angeles College Monterey Park California www.elac.edu 36
Northern Michigan University Marquette Michigan www.nmu.edu 36
University of Evansville Evansville Indiana www.evansville.edu 36
Wright State University-Main Campus Dayton Ohio www.wright.edu 36
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks Reading Pennsylvania berks.psu.edu 35
Pittsburg State University Pittsburg Kansas www.pittstate.edu 35
Southwestern Oklahoma State University Weatherford Oklahoma www.swosu.edu 35
University of Montevallo Montevallo Alabama www.montevallo.edu 35
West Virginia Wesleyan College Buckhannon West Virginia www.wvwc.edu 35
Orange Coast College Costa Mesa California www.orangecoastcollege.edu 34
Benedictine University Lisle Illinois www.ben.edu 34
Frostburg State University Frostburg Maryland www.frostburg.edu 34
Minnesota State University Moorhead Moorhead Minnesota www.mnstate.edu 34
Saint Edward's University Austin Texas www.stedwards.edu 34
Springfield College Springfield Massachusetts www.springfield.edu 34
University of Dayton Dayton Ohio www.udayton.edu 34
Willamette University Salem Oregon www.willamette.edu 34
Baylor University Waco Texas www.baylor.edu 33
Berry College Mount Berry Georgia www.berry.edu 33
East Carolina University Greenville North Carolina www.ecu.edu 33
Fairmont State University Fairmont West Virginia www.fairmontstate.edu 33
Immaculata University Immaculata Pennsylvania www.immaculata.edu 33
Roanoke College Salem Virginia www.roanoke.edu 33
University of Kentucky Lexington Kentucky www.uky.edu 33
Houston Baptist University Houston Texas www.hbu.edu 32
Modesto Junior College Modesto California www.mjc.edu 32
Southwestern College Chula Vista California www.swccd.edu 32
University of Connecticut Storrs Connecticut uconn.edu 32
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Belton Texas go.umhb.edu 32
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina www.unc.edu 32
Wesley College Dover Delaware www.wesley.edu 32
Murray State University Murray Kentucky www.murraystate.edu 31
Adrian College Adrian Michigan www.adrian.edu 30
Seattle University Seattle Washington www.seattleu.edu 30
University of Northwestern-St Paul Saint Paul Minnesota www.unwsp.edu 30
Cerritos College Norwalk California www.cerritos.edu 29
Cuesta College San Luis Obispo California www.cuesta.edu 29
El Camino Community College District Torrance California www.elcamino.edu 29
Franklin College Franklin Indiana www.franklincollege.edu 29
Hartnell College Salinas California www.hartnell.edu 29
LaGrange College Lagrange Georgia www.lagrange.edu 29
Linfield College-McMinnville Campus McMinnville Oregon www.linfield.edu 29
Reedley College Reedley California www.reedleycollege.edu 29
Southern Adventist University Collegedale Tennessee www.southern.edu 29
Adams State University Alamosa Colorado www.adams.edu 28
Carthage College Kenosha Wisconsin www.carthage.edu 28
Marian University Indianapolis Indiana www.marian.edu 28
Rose State College Midwest City Oklahoma www.rose.edu 28
Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara California www.sbcc.edu 28
Santa Monica College Santa Monica California www.smc.edu 28
Southwestern University Georgetown Texas www.southwestern.edu 28
University of the Incarnate Word San Antonio Texas www.uiw.edu 28
John Carroll University University Heights Ohio jcu.edu 27
Bakersfield College Bakersfield California www.bakersfieldcollege.edu 27
Clovis Community College Fresno California www.cloviscollege.edu 27
Longwood University Farmville Virginia www.longwood.edu 27
Manchester University North Manchester Indiana www.manchester.edu 27
Simmons University Boston Massachusetts www.simmons.edu 27
University of Tulsa Tulsa Oklahoma utulsa.edu 27
Endicott College Beverly Massachusetts www.endicott.edu 26
Long Beach City College Long Beach California www.lbcc.edu 26
Norfolk State University Norfolk Virginia www.nsu.edu 26
University of Alabama in Huntsville Huntsville Alabama www.uah.edu 26
University of Mary Bismarck North Dakota www.umary.edu 26
Carson-Newman University Jefferson City Tennessee www.cn.edu 25
Lipscomb University Nashville Tennessee www.lipscomb.edu 25
Los Medanos College Pittsburg California www.losmedanos.edu 25
San Diego Mesa College San Diego California www.sdmesa.edu 25
Skyline College San Bruno California skylinecollege.edu 25
Texas Lutheran University Seguin Texas www.tlu.edu 25
Biola University La Mirada California www.biola.edu 24
Cabrillo College Aptos California www.cabrillo.edu 24
Capital University Columbus Ohio www.capital.edu 24
Dutchess Community College Poughkeepsie New York www.sunydutchess.edu 24
Ventura College Ventura California www.venturacollege.edu 24
Catawba College Salisbury North Carolina www.catawba.edu 23
Colby-Sawyer College New London New Hampshire www.colby-sawyer.edu 23
College of San Mateo San Mateo California www.collegeofsanmateo.edu 23
Dixie State University Saint George Utah dixie.edu 23
Grove City College Grove City Pennsylvania www.gcc.edu 23
West Liberty University West Liberty West Virginia westliberty.edu 22
Barry University Miami Florida www.barry.edu 22
Bemidji State University Bemidji Minnesota www.bemidjistate.edu 22
Central Washington University Ellensburg Washington www.cwu.edu 22
Fullerton College Fullerton California www.fullcoll.edu 22
Gavilan College Gilroy California www.gavilan.edu 22
Lewis University Romeoville Illinois www.lewisu.edu 22
Lincoln Memorial University Harrogate Tennessee www.lmunet.edu 22
Mercer County Community College West Windsor New Jersey www.mccc.edu 22
Missouri Valley College Marshall Missouri www.moval.edu 22
Rocky Mountain College Billings Montana www.rocky.edu 22
University of Arkansas Fayetteville Arkansas www.uark.edu 22
University of Pittsburgh-Bradford Bradford Pennsylvania www.upb.pitt.edu 22
University of Puget Sound Tacoma Washington www.pugetsound.edu 22
University of West Alabama Livingston Alabama www.uwa.edu 22
West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Chester Pennsylvania www.wcupa.edu 22
Albion College Albion Michigan www.albion.edu 21
Belhaven University Jackson Mississippi www.belhaven.edu 21
Briar Cliff University Sioux City Iowa www.briarcliff.edu 21
College of the Desert Palm Desert California collegeofthedesert.edu 21
Georgian Court University Lakewood New Jersey georgian.edu 21
Glendale Community College Glendale California www.glendale.edu 21
Monmouth College Monmouth Illinois www.monmouthcollege.edu 21
Our Lady of the Lake University San Antonio Texas www.ollusa.edu 21
Plymouth State University Plymouth New Hampshire www.plymouth.edu 21
University of Jamestown Jamestown North Dakota www.uj.edu 21
Walsh University North Canton Ohio www.walsh.edu 21
Huntingdon College Montgomery Alabama www.huntingdon.edu 20
Lake Superior State University Sault Ste Marie Michigan www.lssu.edu 20
Manchester Community College Manchester New Hampshire www.mccnh.edu 20
MidAmerica Nazarene University Olathe Kansas www.mnu.edu 20
North Carolina Wesleyan College Rocky Mount North Carolina www.ncwc.edu 20
Southwest Baptist University Bolivar Missouri www.sbuniv.edu 20
University of South Florida-Main Campus Tampa Florida www.usf.edu 20
American River College Sacramento California www.arc.losrios.edu 19
Brigham Young University-Hawaii Laie Hawaii www.byuh.edu 19
McKendree University Lebanon Illinois www.mckendree.edu 19
Southeastern University Lakeland Florida www.seu.edu 19
Allan Hancock College Santa Maria California www.hancockcollege.edu 18
Antelope Valley College Lancaster California www.avc.edu 18
Ave Maria University Ave Maria Florida www.avemaria.edu 18
Avila University Kansas City Missouri www.avila.edu 18
Bethel University Saint Paul Minnesota www.bethel.edu 18
Bob Jones University Greenville South Carolina www.bju.edu 18
DePauw University Greencastle Indiana www.depauw.edu 18
Golden West College Huntington Beach California www.goldenwestcollege.edu 18
Merced College Merced California www.mccd.edu 18
Point University West Point Georgia point.edu 18
Schreiner University Kerrville Texas www.schreiner.edu 18
The Master's University and Seminary Santa Clarita California www.masters.edu 18
Anderson University Anderson Indiana anderson.edu 17
Anderson University Anderson South Carolina www.andersonuniversity.edu 17
Aquinas College Grand Rapids Michigan www.aquinas.edu 17
Augsburg University Minneapolis Minnesota www.augsburg.edu 17
Cleveland State University Cleveland Ohio www.csuohio.edu 17
Freed-Hardeman University Henderson Tennessee www.fhu.edu 17
Jarvis Christian College Hawkins Texas www.jarvis.edu 17
Nebraska Wesleyan University Lincoln Nebraska www.nebrwesleyan.edu 17
Occidental College Los Angeles California www.oxy.edu 17
Rowan College at Gloucester County Sewell New Jersey www.rcgc.edu 17
Saddleback College Mission Viejo California www.saddleback.edu 17
Saint Augustine's University Raleigh North Carolina www.st-aug.edu 17
Seattle Pacific University Seattle Washington www.spu.edu 17
Sinclair Community College Dayton Ohio www.sinclair.edu 17
University of Southern Maine Portland Maine www.usm.maine.edu 17
University of Wisconsin-River Falls River Falls Wisconsin www.uwrf.edu 17
William Jessup University Rocklin California www.jessup.edu 17
William Penn University Oskaloosa Iowa www.wmpenn.edu 17
Austin Community College District Austin Texas www.austincc.edu 16
Bluefield College Bluefield Virginia www.bluefield.edu 16
Hanover College Hanover Indiana www.hanover.edu 16
Maryville College Maryville Tennessee www.maryvillecollege.edu 16
Michigan Technological University Houghton Michigan www.mtu.edu 16
Northwestern College Orange City Iowa www.nwciowa.edu 16
Olivet Nazarene University Bourbonnais Illinois www.olivet.edu 16
Oxnard College Oxnard California www.oxnardcollege.edu 16
Rio Hondo College Whittier California www.riohondo.edu 16
Seton Hill University Greensburg Pennsylvania www.setonhill.edu 16
St Olaf College Northfield Minnesota wp.stolaf.edu 16
United States Military Academy West Point New York www.westpoint.edu 16
University of Mount Olive Mount Olive North Carolina www.umo.edu 16
Whitworth University Spokane Washington www.whitworth.edu 16
Bryan College-Dayton Dayton Tennessee www.bryan.edu 15
Cornell College Mount Vernon Iowa www.cornellcollege.edu 15
Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan www.cornerstone.edu 15
Dordt College Sioux Center Iowa www.dordt.edu 15
Hudson Valley Community College Troy New York www.hvcc.edu 15
Irvine Valley College Irvine California www.ivc.edu 15
King's College Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania www.kings.edu 15
Lasell College Newton Massachusetts www.lasell.edu 15
Ottawa University-Ottawa Ottawa Kansas www.ottawa.edu 15
Peru State College Peru Nebraska www.peru.edu 15
Randolph College Lynchburg Virginia www.randolphcollege.edu 15
Saint Joseph's College of Maine Standish Maine www.sjcme.edu 15
San Diego Christian College Santee California sdcc.edu 15
San Jose City College San Jose California www.sjcc.edu 15
Santa Rosa Junior College Santa Rosa California www.santarosa.edu 15
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Magnolia Arkansas www.saumag.edu 15
University of Dubuque Dubuque Iowa www.dbq.edu 15
University of Mobile Mobile Alabama www.umobile.edu 15
Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee Wisconsin wlc.edu 15
Butte College Oroville California www.butte.edu 14
DeSales University Center Valley Pennsylvania www.desales.edu 14
Folsom Lake College Folsom California www.flc.losrios.edu 14
George Fox University Newberg Oregon www.georgefox.edu 14
Georgetown College Georgetown Kentucky www.georgetowncollege.edu 14
Hamline University Saint Paul Minnesota www.hamline.edu 14
Hardin-Simmons University Abilene Texas www.hsutx.edu 14
Ohio Northern University Ada Ohio www.onu.edu 14
Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach Florida www.pba.edu 14
Shasta College Redding California www.shastacollege.edu 14
Shaw University Raleigh North Carolina www.shawu.edu 14
Texas Wesleyan University Fort Worth Texas www.txwes.edu 14
University of Sioux Falls Sioux Falls South Dakota www.usiouxfalls.edu 14
West Valley College Saratoga California www.westvalley.edu 14
Augustana University Sioux Falls South Dakota www.augie.edu 13
Cabrini University Radnor Pennsylvania www.cabrini.edu 13
Castleton University Castleton Vermont www.castleton.edu 13
Central Baptist College Conway Arkansas www.cbc.edu 13
Hastings College Hastings Nebraska www.hastings.edu 13
Lee University Cleveland Tennessee www.leeuniversity.edu 13
Loras College Dubuque Iowa www.loras.edu 13
Ohio Wesleyan University Delaware Ohio www.owu.edu 13
Santa Ana College Santa Ana California www.sac.edu 13
Transylvania University Lexington Kentucky www.transy.edu 13
Alabama A & M University Normal Alabama www.aamu.edu 12
Blue Mountain College Blue Mountain Mississippi www.bmc.edu 12
Concordia University-Nebraska Seward Nebraska www.cune.edu 12
Davis & Elkins College Elkins West Virginia www.dewv.edu 12
Diablo Valley College Pleasant Hill California www.dvc.edu 12
Dickinson State University Dickinson North Dakota www.dickinsonstate.edu 12
Grand View University Des Moines Iowa www.grandview.edu 12
Hannibal-LaGrange University Hannibal Missouri www.hlg.edu 12
Kansas Wesleyan University Salina Kansas www.kwu.edu 12
Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale Florida www.keiseruniversity.edu 12
Lewis-Clark State College Lewiston Idaho www.lcsc.edu 12
Manchester Community College Manchester Connecticut www.manchestercc.edu 12
Marian University Fond Du Lac Wisconsin www.marianuniversity.edu 12
Missouri Baptist University Saint Louis Missouri www.mobap.edu 12
Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City Oklahoma www.okcu.edu 12
Presentation College Aberdeen South Dakota www.presentation.edu 12
Raritan Valley Community College Branchburg New Jersey www.raritanval.edu 12
San Diego Miramar College San Diego California www.sdmiramar.edu 12
Simpson College Indianola Iowa www.simpson.edu 12
Texas Southern University Houston Texas www.tsu.edu 12
Tusculum University Greeneville Tennessee www.tusculum.edu 12
Union College Barbourville Kentucky www.unionky.edu 12
University of North Alabama Florence Alabama www.una.edu 12
Wittenberg University Springfield Ohio www.wittenberg.edu 12
Aurora University Aurora Illinois aurora.edu 11
Central Christian College of Kansas McPherson Kansas www.centralchristian.edu 11
East Tennessee State University Johnson City Tennessee www.etsu.edu 11
Eastern University Saint Davids Pennsylvania www.eastern.edu/about/student-consumer-information 11
Emmanuel College Franklin Springs Georgia www.ec.edu 11
Evangel University Springfield Missouri www.evangel.edu 11
Foothill College Los Altos Hills California foothill.edu 11
Greensboro College Greensboro North Carolina www.greensboro.edu 11
Holy Names University Oakland California www.hnu.edu 11
John Brown University Siloam Springs Arkansas www.jbu.edu 11
Kean University Union New Jersey www.kean.edu 11
Malone University Canton Ohio www.malone.edu 11
Prairie State College Chicago Heights Illinois www.prairiestate.edu 11
Sacramento City College Sacramento California www.scc.losrios.edu 11
Southern Nazarene University Bethany Oklahoma snu.edu 11
Valparaiso University Valparaiso Indiana www.valpo.edu 11
Wingate University Wingate North Carolina www.wingate.edu 11
Brevard College Brevard North Carolina www.brevard.edu 10
Dakota State University Madison South Dakota dsu.edu 10
Defiance College Defiance Ohio www.defiance.edu 10
Delaware Technical Community College-Terry Dover Delaware www.dtcc.edu 10
Hillsdale College Hillsdale Michigan www.hillsdale.edu 10
Los Angeles Harbor College Wilmington California www.lahc.edu 10
Methodist University Fayetteville North Carolina www.methodist.edu 10
Monterey Peninsula College Monterey California www.mpc.edu 10
Northeastern Illinois University Chicago Illinois www.neiu.edu 10
Oklahoma Wesleyan University Bartlesville Oklahoma www.okwu.edu 10
Pfeiffer University Misenheimer North Carolina www.pfeiffer.edu 10
Shawnee State University Portsmouth Ohio www.shawnee.edu 10
Smith College Northampton Massachusetts www.smith.edu 10
St Philip's College San Antonio Texas www.alamo.edu/spc 10
Trinity International University-Illinois Deerfield Illinois www.tiu.edu 10
Alderson Broaddus University Philippi West Virginia ab.edu 9
Bacone College Muskogee Oklahoma www.bacone.edu 9
Bethel College-Indiana Mishawaka Indiana www.betheluniversity.edu 9
Columbia University in the City of New York New York New York www.columbia.edu 9
Imperial Valley College Imperial California www.imperial.edu 9
Ithaca College Ithaca New York www.ithaca.edu 9
Kentucky Wesleyan College Owensboro Kentucky kwc.edu 9
Lamar University Beaumont Texas www.lamar.edu 9
McMurry University Abilene Texas ww2.mcm.edu 9
Mission College Santa Clara California www.missioncollege.edu 9
Ohio Dominican University Columbus Ohio www.ohiodominican.edu 9
Oklahoma Baptist University Shawnee Oklahoma www.okbu.edu 9
Onondaga Community College Syracuse New York www.sunyocc.edu 9
Salem College Winston-Salem North Carolina www.salem.edu 9
Sierra College Rocklin California www.sierracollege.edu 9
Southern Wesleyan University Central South Carolina www.swu.edu 9
Urbana University Urbana Ohio www.urbana.edu 9
Benedictine College Atchison Kansas www.benedictine.edu 8
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Bloomsburg Pennsylvania www.bloomu.edu 8
Buena Vista University Storm Lake Iowa www.bvu.edu 8
Canada College Redwood City California canadacollege.edu 8
Chabot College Hayward California www.chabotcollege.edu 8
Chowan University Murfreesboro North Carolina www.chowan.edu 8
Crafton Hills College Yucaipa California www.craftonhills.edu 8
Eureka College Eureka Illinois www.eureka.edu 8
Feather River Community College District Quincy California www.frc.edu 8
Fresno City College Fresno California www.fresnocitycollege.edu 8
Los Angeles Mission College Sylmar California www.lamission.edu 8
Los Angeles Pierce College Woodland Hills California www.piercecollege.edu 8
Southwestern Adventist University Keene Texas www.swau.edu 8
Sterling College Sterling Kansas www.sterling.edu 8
SUNY Morrisville Morrisville New York www.morrisville.edu 8
Texas Christian University Fort Worth Texas www.tcu.edu 8
Trinity Christian College Palos Heights Illinois www.trnty.edu 8
Triton College River Grove Illinois www.triton.edu 8
University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls Iowa www.uni.edu 8
Alice Lloyd College Pippa Passes Kentucky www.alc.edu 7
Barton College Wilson North Carolina www.barton.edu 7
Chatham University Pittsburgh Pennsylvania www.chatham.edu 7
Gateway Community College New Haven Connecticut www.gatewayct.edu 7
Jefferson College of Health Sciences Roanoke Virginia www.jchs.edu 7
Lewis and Clark Community College Godfrey Illinois www.lc.edu 7
Los Angeles Valley College Valley Glen California www.lavc.edu 7
Union University Jackson Tennessee www.uu.edu 7
Warner Pacific University Portland Oregon www.warnerpacific.edu 7
Westminster College Fulton Missouri www.wcmo.edu 7
Asbury University Wilmore Kentucky www.asbury.edu 6
Becker College Worcester Massachusetts www.becker.edu 6
Cedarville University Cedarville Ohio www.cedarville.edu 6
College of Lake County Grayslake Illinois www.clcillinois.edu 6
College of the Sequoias Visalia California www.cos.edu 6
DePaul University Chicago Illinois www.depaul.edu 6
East Texas Baptist University Marshall Texas www.etbu.edu 6
Eastern Mennonite University Harrisonburg Virginia emu.edu 6
Georgia State University Atlanta Georgia www.gsu.edu 6
Iowa Wesleyan University Mount Pleasant Iowa www.iw.edu 6
Lake Tahoe Community College South Lake Tahoe California www.ltcc.edu 6
Los Angeles Trade Technical College Los Angeles California www.lattc.edu 6
Montana State University Bozeman Montana www.montana.edu 6
Moraine Valley Community College Palos Hills Illinois www.morainevalley.edu 6
Mount Vernon Nazarene University Mount Vernon Ohio www.mvnu.edu 6
Normandale Community College Bloomington Minnesota www.normandale.edu 6
North Hennepin Community College Brooklyn Park Minnesota www.nhcc.edu 6
Oral Roberts University Tulsa Oklahoma oru.edu 6
Regis College Weston Massachusetts www.regiscollege.edu 6
Sheridan College Sheridan Wyoming www.sheridan.edu 6
William Woods University Fulton Missouri www.williamwoods.edu 6
Brigham Young University-Provo Provo Utah www.byu.edu 5
Columbia College Sonora California www.gocolumbia.edu 5
Concordia University-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor Michigan www.cuaa.edu 5
Fresno Pacific University Fresno California www.fresno.edu 5
Greenville University Greenville Illinois www.greenville.edu 5
Louisiana College Pineville Louisiana www.lacollege.edu 5
Midwestern State University Wichita Falls Texas www.mwsu.edu 5
New England College Henniker New Hampshire www.nec.edu 5
Northeast Lakeview College Universal City Texas www.alamo.edu/nlc 5
Northern Vermont University Johnson Vermont www.northernvermont.edu 5
San Diego State University San Diego California www.sdsu.edu 5
Southern Connecticut State University New Haven Connecticut www.southernct.edu 5
Three Rivers Community College Norwich Connecticut www.threerivers.edu 5
Union College Lincoln Nebraska www.ucollege.edu 5
Warner University Lake Wales Florida www.warner.edu/undergraduate-programs 5
Wilmington College Wilmington Ohio www.wilmington.edu 5
College of Western Idaho Nampa Idaho cwi.edu 4
Ancilla College Donaldson Indiana www.ancilla.edu 4
Andrews University Berrien Springs Michigan www.andrews.edu 4
Campbellsville University Campbellsville Kentucky www.campbellsville.edu 4
Cedar Crest College Allentown Pennsylvania www.cedarcrest.edu 4
Cerro Coso Community College Ridgecrest California cerrocoso.edu 4
Dean College Franklin Massachusetts www.dean.edu 4
Grace College and Theological Seminary Winona Lake Indiana www.grace.edu 4
Mount Wachusett Community College Gardner Massachusetts mwcc.edu 4
Mountwest Community and Technical College Huntington West Virginia www.mctc.edu 4
Norwich University Northfield Vermont www.norwich.edu 4
Ouachita Baptist University Arkadelphia Arkansas www.obu.edu 4
Piedmont College Demorest Georgia www.piedmont.edu 4
Redlands Community College El Reno Oklahoma www.redlandscc.edu 4
San Joaquin Delta College Stockton California www.deltacollege.edu 4
Solano Community College Fairfield California www.solano.edu 4
Webster University Saint Louis Missouri www.webster.edu 4
Bucks County Community College Newtown Pennsylvania www.bucks.edu 3
Crown College Saint Bonifacius Minnesota www.crown.edu 3
Drury University Springfield Missouri www.drury.edu 3
Grayson College Denison Texas grayson.edu 3
Hendrix College Conway Arkansas www.hendrix.edu 3
Huntington University Huntington Indiana www.huntington.edu 3
Laramie County Community College Cheyenne Wyoming www.lccc.wy.edu 3
Lehigh Carbon Community College Schnecksville Pennsylvania www.lccc.edu 3
Mendocino College Ukiah California www.mendocino.edu 3
Northeast Community College Norfolk Nebraska www.northeast.edu 3
Randall University Moore Oklahoma www.ru.edu 3
San Diego City College San Diego California www.sdcity.edu 3
Taft College Taft California www.taftcollege.edu 3
The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa Alabama www.ua.edu 3
University of Providence Great Falls Montana www.uprovidence.edu 3
University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras San Juan Puerto Rico www.uprrp.edu 3
University of Southern California Los Angeles California www.usc.edu 3
Viterbo University La Crosse Wisconsin www.viterbo.edu 3
Waubonsee Community College Sugar Grove Illinois www.waubonsee.edu 3
Western Wyoming Community College Rock Springs Wyoming www.westernwyoming.edu 3
Wilson College Chambersburg Pennsylvania www.wilson.edu 3
College of DuPage Glen Ellyn Illinois www.cod.edu 2
College of the Redwoods Eureka California www.redwoods.edu 2
CUNY Bronx Community College Bronx New York www.bcc.cuny.edu 2
Dakota Wesleyan University Mitchell South Dakota www.dwu.edu 2
Elizabeth City State University Elizabeth City North Carolina www.ecsu.edu 2
Florida International University Miami Florida www.fiu.edu 2
Goshen College Goshen Indiana www.goshen.edu 2
Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis Indiana www.ivytech.edu 2
LeTourneau University Longview Texas www.letu.edu 2
Mt San Jacinto Community College District San Jacinto California www.msjc.edu 2
Northeastern University Boston Massachusetts www.northeastern.edu 2
Palomar College San Marcos California www.palomar.edu 2
Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester New York www.rit.edu 2
The College of Idaho Caldwell Idaho www.collegeofidaho.edu 2
The University of West Florida Pensacola Florida uwf.edu 2
University of Houston-Victoria Victoria Texas www.uhv.edu 2
University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez Mayaguez Puerto Rico www.uprm.edu 2
University of the Sciences Philadelphia Pennsylvania www.usciences.edu 2
Lassen Community College Susanville California www.lassencollege.edu 1
Azusa Pacific University Azusa California www.apu.edu 1
Bay Mills Community College Brimley Michigan www.bmcc.edu 1
Bergen Community College Paramus New Jersey www.bergen.edu 1
Coker College Hartsville South Carolina coker.edu 1
College of Saint Mary Omaha Nebraska www.csm.edu 1
Contra Costa College San Pablo California www.contracosta.edu 1
El Paso Community College El Paso Texas www.epcc.edu 1
Evergreen Valley College San Jose California www.evc.edu 1
Glendale Community College Glendale Arizona www.gccaz.edu 1
Hiram College Hiram Ohio www.hiram.edu 1
Inver Hills Community College Inver Grove Heights Minnesota www.inverhills.edu 1
Keene State College Keene New Hampshire www.keene.edu 1
Lebanon Valley College Annville Pennsylvania www.lvc.edu 1
Macomb Community College Warren Michigan www.macomb.edu 1
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington Abington Pennsylvania abington.psu.edu 1
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine Media Pennsylvania brandywine.psu.edu 1
Rowan College at Burlington County Mount Laurel New Jersey www.rcbc.edu 1
Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud Minnesota www.stcloudstate.edu 1
Texas A & M University-Texarkana Texarkana Texas www.tamut.edu 1
University of Saint Mary Leavenworth Kansas www.stmary.edu 1
Victor Valley College Victorville California www.vvc.edu 1
Yuba College Marysville California yc.yccd.edu 1
2017-2018 School Data from IPEDS (Sourced in November, 2019)

Hybrid & Online Programs in Kinesiology

Students who need greater flexibility in their studies can choose to complete an online or hybrid program. These programs allow students the ability to complete coursework on their own schedule without having to relocate. Also, hybrid and online programs allow students to continue to work while completing their studies or maintain a family/studies balance.

Top online and hybrid kinesiology programs include:

University of Louisiana at Lafayette – School of Kinesiology

The School of Kinesiology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette offers an online health and wellness degree. This bachelor’s in science program provides a path towards becoming a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). While the program typically takes four years to complete, it can be accelerated. Graduates are prepared to implement wellness programs in workplaces, develop community fitness programs to improve health, and evaluate existing programs for efficacy.

The University of Texas at Tyler – College of Nursing and Health Sciences

Faculty at The University of Texas at Tyler College of Nursing and Health Sciences are published in prestigious journals such as the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, the National Medical Association, and the International Journal of Exercise Authors.

Because of the strong publishing tradition at UTT, students have access to cutting-edge research and developments in kinesiology. Courses here are offered in a traditional face-to-face format, online, or a combination of the two offering students the flexibility to pursue their studies as they see fit.

California University Pennsylvania – College of Education and Human Services

A master’s in science in exercise science and health promotion and a professional certificate can be earned in as little as a year at California University Pennsylvania College of Education and Human Services. This 100 percent online program prepares students for careers in athletics, physical fitness, healthcare, and corporate wellness.

Fresno Pacific University – School of Natural Sciences

Work and study can happen simultaneously for students earning an online master of arts in kinesiology at Fresno Pacific University School of Natural Sciences. This program has an emphasis on physical education and prepares graduates to be educators in fitness and exercise for all grade levels, including college. An undergraduate degree in kinesiology is required for admission but may be substituted for proof of work experience in physical fitness education.

The University of Kansas, Edwards Campus

The University of Kansas (Edwards Campus) offers online and in-person bachelor’s in exercise science. Graduates of this program have the skills to write nutrition plans, help preserve mobility in elderly patients, assist military personnel in readiness fitness, coach in strength and conditioning for athletes, and help treat and prevent chronic diseases through exercise.

School City State Website grads (2018)
American Public University System Charles Town West Virginia www.apus.edu 313
Georgia Southern University Statesboro Georgia www.georgiasouthern.edu 231
University of Northern Colorado Greeley Colorado www.unco.edu 226
University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro North Carolina www.uncg.edu 215
Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton Florida www.fau.edu 208
Towson University Towson Maryland www.towson.edu 205
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg Texas www.utrgv.edu 204
California Baptist University Riverside California www.calbaptist.edu 202
The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso Texas www.utep.edu 189
Sam Houston State University Huntsville Texas www.shsu.edu 182
Concordia University-Chicago River Forest Illinois www.cuchicago.edu 176
Liberty University Lynchburg Virginia www.liberty.edu 170
Texas Woman's University Denton Texas www.twu.edu 157
University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu Hawaii manoa.hawaii.edu 147
Concordia University-Saint Paul Saint Paul Minnesota www.csp.edu 141
University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington North Carolina www.uncw.edu 140
University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe Louisiana www.ulm.edu 129
Angelo State University San Angelo Texas www.angelo.edu 111
McNeese State University Lake Charles Louisiana www.mcneese.edu 111
Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi Corpus Christi Texas www.tamucc.edu 106
University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg Mississippi www.usm.edu 97
University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming www.uwyo.edu 88
Texas A & M University-Kingsville Kingsville Texas www.tamuk.edu 78
Sul Ross State University Alpine Texas www.sulross.edu 58
University of Central Missouri Warrensburg Missouri www.ucmo.edu 56
Auburn University at Montgomery Montgomery Alabama www.aum.edu 53
Logan University Chesterfield Missouri www.logan.edu 52
Lenoir-Rhyne University Hickory North Carolina www.lr.edu 43
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin Odessa Texas www.utpb.edu 41
Southern Utah University Cedar City Utah www.suu.edu 37
San Antonio College San Antonio Texas www.alamo.edu/sac 34
University of Connecticut Storrs Connecticut uconn.edu 32
Columbus State Community College Columbus Ohio www.cscc.edu 30
LaGrange College Lagrange Georgia www.lagrange.edu 29
Baker University Baldwin City Kansas www.bakeru.edu 25
Mercy College Dobbs Ferry New York www.mercy.edu 23
University of the Southwest Hobbs New Mexico www.usw.edu 21
University of Louisville Louisville Kentucky www.louisville.edu 14
East Mississippi Community College Scooba Mississippi www.eastms.edu 7
United States Sports Academy Daphne Alabama www.ussa.edu 7
Clarendon College Clarendon Texas www.clarendoncollege.edu 5
Midwestern State University Wichita Falls Texas www.mwsu.edu 5
University of Western States Portland Oregon www.uws.edu 3
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Stillwater Oklahoma go.okstate.edu 2
Lakeland University Plymouth Wisconsin www.lakeland.edu 2
Southeastern Oklahoma State University Durant Oklahoma www.se.edu 2
Pennsylvania State University-World Campus University Park Pennsylvania www.worldcampus.psu.edu 1
2017-2018 School Data from IPEDS (Sourced in November, 2019)

Core & Elective Courses in Kinesiology Programs

Kinesiology courses train students to understand and analyze movement. Skills gained in these programs vary based on the level of degree pursued. Depending on the specialization, graduates of a master’s level program will have the ability to:

  • Educate clients on wellness
  • Write exercise programs to improve health
  • Help patients recover from injury with therapy
  • Coach professional athletes on movement to improve performance
  • Teach physical education classes to groups of students
  • Help prevent and treat diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease through physical movement
  • Analyze client movement to recommend exercise to improve mobility

Course requirements vary based on school, degree, and specialization. However, there is a core set of courses that are typically required. These include:

  • Biology
  • Anatomy and physiology
  • Math
  • Chemistry
  • Nutrition
  • Health promotion
  • Science of exercise
  • Corporate wellness
  • Injury prevention
  • Psychology
  • Coaching
  • Wellness

Because working as a kinesiologist often entails working directly with clients or patients, most kinesiology programs have an internship, practicum, or clinical experience requirement.

Accreditation of Kinesiology Degree Programs

It is important to attend an accredited program for numerous reasons. First, it guarantees that the program has reached a minimum standard of quality of education. Secondly, it makes transferring between programs easier as the courses completed are more likely to have equivalencies and be recognized by other institutions. Third, it can make the path for certification and licensure much quicker.

There are two main kinds of certification- programmatic and regional or national. Programmatic certification is for a specific course of study and can be for a department or just a single program. Regional or national accreditation is typically for an entire school, college, or university. For example, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) are all regional accrediting bodies Students should look for both to ensure the highest quality program.

Programmatic accreditation is done based on the kind of kinesiology degree obtained. Top programmatic accreditors include:

  • Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE)
  • Committee on Accreditation for the Exercise Sciences (CoAES)
  • Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)
  • The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)

Career Outlook

With such a variety of careers for kinesiologists, there is a wide variety of pays and career outlooks. Here are the top kinesiologist positions and projected growth from 2018 to 2028:

  • Occupational therapists: $84,270 (median annual salary) and 18 percent job growth
  • Exercise physiologist: $49,270 (median annual salary) 10 percent job growth
  • Fitness trainers and instructors: $39,820 (median annual salary) and 13 percent job growth
  • Athletic trainer: $47,510 (median annual salary) and 19 percent job growth
  • Physical therapists: $87,930 (median annual salary) and 22 percent job growth

According to the BLS (May 2019), the detailed salary percentiles for exercise physiologists are:

  • 10th percentile: $34,990
  • 25th percentile: $41,530
  • 50th percentile (median): $49,170
  • 75th percentile: $61,650
  • 90th percentile: $78,310

This highest paying states currently are California, New York, Connecticut, Oregon, and Massachusetts.

Career Facts Kinesiologist (Exercise Physiology)
Related CareersChiropractor, massage therapist, nurse, respiratory therapist, sports administrator
Common Job TitlesFitness trainer, athletic trainers, occupational therapist, physical therapist, physical education teacher
Technology & EquipmentFree weights, elastic therapy bands, dumbells, medicine balls, gym equipment such as stationary bikes and treadmills, oximeters, body fat composition scales, blood pressure monitors, dynamometers for measuring force, measuring devices such as measuring tape and goniometers, stethoscope
Sourced from BLS, June 2018

Licensing & Certification in Kinesiology

Some kinesiologist careers require certification and licensure while others do not. For some careers, there are certifications that may be obtained to increase credibility and employability.

Exercise physiologists are only required to be licensed in the State of Louisiana. For all other states, licensing and certification is optional. Most exercise physiologists are certified through the American Society of Exercise Physiologists (ASEP). In order to be eligible to take the test, applicants are required to have completed a bachelor’s degree. Continuing education is required to maintain certification.

Occupational therapists are required to be certified and licensed in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. Applicants must graduate from an Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) in order to be eligible to take the certification exam. Examinations are done through the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Licensing is done on a state by state basis and may require fieldwork in addition to education and a passing exam score.

Physical therapists can obtain certification through the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). While licensure is mostly done on a state by state basis, there has been a compact enacted by 27 states standardizing requirements and allowing for reciprocity in participating states. Certification can be obtained by passing the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE). Applicants must check with their jurisdiction to learn about education requirements.

Athletic trainers are required to be licensed in all but four states. Licensing requirements vary by state, but most require certification from the National Athletic Trainer Association (NATA). Applicants must graduate from a Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) accredited program and pass the NATA Board of Certification (BOC) exam. Prospective athletic trainers should check with their local boards to ensure they meet all the requirements prior to applying for licensure.

Kimmy Gustafson
Kimmy Gustafson Writer

Kimmy Gustafson is a freelance writer with a passion for sharing stories of bravery. Her love for world-traveling began when her family moved to Spain when she was six and since then, she has lived overseas extensively, visited six continents, and traveled to over 25 countries. She is fluent in Spanish and conversational in French. When not writing or parenting she can be found kiteboarding, hiking, or cooking.

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