Kinesiology / Exercise Science degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in kinesiology / exercise science earn a median $53,336 four years after finishing, across 602 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in physical fitness parks recreation and leisure earn $53,523, $8,526 less than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is elementary and middle school teachers (4%).
Median across 602 colleges; middle half $48,492–$58,297.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $35,750–$75,027. 9,650 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Physical Fitness Parks Recreation And Leisure"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$17,885/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs kinesiology / exercise science graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in physical fitness parks recreation and leisure actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary And Middle School Teachers | 4% | $64,170 | -0.4% | — | — |
| Exercise Trainers And Group Fitness Instructors | 3% | $47,160 | +7.3% | High school diploma or equivalent | SR |
| Registered Nurses | 3% | $97,550 | +5.6% | Bachelor's degree | SCI |
| Other Managers | 3% | — | — | — | — |
| Secondary School Teachers | 3% | $70,930 | -0.2% | — | — |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2% | $44,770 | -5.3% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
| Coaches And Scouts | 2% | $47,320 | +6.1% | Bachelor's degree | SER |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale And Manufacturing | 2% | $76,460 | — | — | — |
These 8 jobs account for 23% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Kinesiology / Exercise Science earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $48,916 (10) | $36,955 (103) |
| Arizona | — | $51,325 (233) |
| Arkansas | $52,077 (8) | — |
| California | $56,938 (33) | $59,662 (1,019) |
| Colorado | $50,682 (8) | $59,662 (284) |
| Connecticut | $73,289 (9) | — |
| Florida | $51,015 (20) | $52,793 (491) |
| Georgia | $53,212 (16) | $49,156 (336) |
| Idaho | $53,432 (4) | — |
| Illinois | $53,576 (19) | $57,721 (377) |
| Indiana | $54,844 (20) | $52,547 (229) |
| Iowa | $51,913 (19) | $46,364 (133) |
| Kansas | $48,331 (9) | $52,473 (119) |
| Kentucky | $52,441 (12) | $50,274 (149) |
| Louisiana | $50,814 (8) | — |
| Maine | $56,244 (5) | — |
| Maryland | $55,788 (9) | $59,662 (190) |
| Massachusetts | $55,629 (13) | $57,721 (201) |
| Michigan | $52,624 (21) | $48,881 (283) |
| Minnesota | $56,428 (18) | $60,915 (204) |
| Mississippi | $48,605 (8) | — |
| Missouri | $55,058 (16) | $45,686 (171) |
| Nebraska | $52,669 (9) | — |
| New Hampshire | $55,452 (5) | — |
| New Jersey | $56,950 (6) | $62,049 (233) |
| New York | $57,036 (19) | $59,662 (373) |
| North Carolina | $46,322 (31) | $50,762 (487) |
| North Dakota | $57,408 (4) | — |
| Ohio | $53,469 (43) | $50,762 (326) |
| Oklahoma | $46,214 (13) | — |
| Oregon | $57,299 (9) | $59,662 (106) |
| Pennsylvania | $58,360 (28) | $54,991 (347) |
| South Carolina | $47,715 (13) | $51,778 (191) |
| South Dakota | $56,400 (5) | — |
| Tennessee | $48,413 (21) | $47,481 (253) |
| Texas | $53,756 (46) | $57,721 (1,002) |
| Utah | $54,902 (6) | $40,610 (180) |
| Vermont | $54,456 (3) | — |
| Virginia | $52,746 (16) | $59,662 (255) |
| Washington | $50,235 (7) | $53,523 (215) |
| West Virginia | $48,858 (7) | — |
| Wisconsin | $53,940 (14) | $48,881 (151) |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where kinesiology / exercise science graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 28 in Florida, 24 in Virginia, 47 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of VirginiaVA | $81,110 | $23,250 |
| 2 | Chapman UniversityCA | $75,108 | — |
| 3 | William & MaryVA | $68,992 | $21,413 |
| 4 | Sonoma State UniversityCA | $67,351 | $19,628 |
| 5 | Saint Mary's College of CaliforniaCA | $66,265 | $24,300 |
| 6 | Roanoke CollegeVA | $65,112 | $27,000 |
| 7 | Pepperdine UniversityCA | $65,100 | $23,336 |
| 8 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCA | $64,579 | $16,666 |
| 9 | Shenandoah UniversityVA | $64,373 | $27,000 |
| 10 | George Mason UniversityVA | $63,672 | $25,033 |
| 11 | James Madison UniversityVA | $63,065 | $21,500 |
| 12 | National UniversityCA | $62,748 | — |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Kinesiology / Exercise Science degree questions
How much do Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates make?
Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates earn a median $53,336 four years after finishing, across 602 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $48,492 to $58,297; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in physical fitness parks recreation and leisure, the median is $53,523 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Kinesiology / Exercise Science degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in physical fitness parks recreation and leisure earn a median $53,523: $8,526 less than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $17,885 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in physical fitness parks recreation and leisure, the most common jobs are elementary and middle school teachers (4%), exercise trainers and group fitness instructors (3%), registered nurses (3%). Elementary And Middle School Teachers earn a U.S. median $64,170.
How much do Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates earn in Florida?
Across 20 Florida colleges reporting, Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates earn a median $51,015 four years after graduating; at ages 25-34, Floridians with this field of degree earn $52,793.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
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Cite this: “Kinesiology / Exercise Science degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/kinesiology-exercise-science.