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2023 Best Value Colleges for Exercise Science and Kinesiology (Income $0-$30k)

342 Ranked Colleges
32,740 Degrees Awarded
$6,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 32,740 people earned their degree in exercise science and kinesiology, making the major the 22nd most popular in the United States.

For this year’s “Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 342 colleges that offer a degree in exercise science and kinesiology. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality exercise science and kinesiology programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the exercise science and kinesiology program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Exercise Science and Kinesiology Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Exercise Science Rankings Other Ranking Categories

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for exercise science students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Exercise Science and Kinesiology (Income $0-$30k)

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 140 degrees to qualified ’s exercise science students in 2020-2021.

U-M also took the #1 spot in our “Best Exercise Science and Kinesiology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $2,670 for exercise science students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read more about Exercise Science and Kinesiology at U-M

2
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Rice University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Houston, Texas, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 58 diplomas to qualified ’s exercise science students in 2020-2021.

Rice did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Exercise Science and Kinesiology Schools” list. It costs about $4,443 for Exercise Science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Rice University.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Exercise Science and Kinesiology at Rice University

3

Out of the 342 schools in the Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school awarded 104 diplomas to qualified ’s exercise science students in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Exercise Science and Kinesiology Schools” list. It costs about $3,981 for exercise science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UW - Madison.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Exercise Science and Kinesiology at University of Wisconsin - Madison

4
IU Bloomington crest
Indiana University - Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana University - Bloomington. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 447 ’s exercise science degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at IU Bloomington, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Exercise Science and Kinesiology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Bloomington is $5,752 for Exercise Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Exercise Science and Kinesiology at IU Bloomington

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 175 ’s exercise science degrees in 2020-2021.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Exercise Science and Kinesiology Schools” list. It costs about $4,858 for Exercise Science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UIUC.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on Exercise Science and Kinesiology at UIUC

6

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a large public school situated in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It awarded 15 ’s exercise science degrees in 2020-2021.

UNC Chapel Hill excels when it comes to exercise science quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $3,753 for exercise science students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Exercise Science and Kinesiology at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

7

University of Maryland - College Park ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. UMCP is located in College Park, Maryland and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 239 ’s exercise science degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMCP, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Exercise Science and Kinesiology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Maryland - College Park is $6,067 for Exercise Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Exercise Science and Kinesiology at UMCP

8

California State University - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. Cal State LA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 70 ’s exercise science degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $1,887 for exercise science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Los Angeles.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Exercise Science and Kinesiology at California State University - Los Angeles

9
American Military University crest
American Public University System
Charles Town, West Virginia

American Public University System ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Charles Town, West Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s exercise science degrees to 388 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at American Military University, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Exercise Science and Kinesiology Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend American Public University System is $9,660 for Exercise Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%.

Read more about Exercise Science and Kinesiology at American Military University

10

Citadel Military College of South Carolina did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Charleston, South Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s exercise science degrees to 50 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our exercise science students whose families make $0-$30k list, The Citadel has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Exercise Science and Kinesiology Schools” ranking. It costs about $7,451 for Exercise Science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend The Citadel.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Citadel Military College of South Carolina Exercise Science and Kinesiology Report

11
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Purdue is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 129 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Purdue is also in the top of our “Best Exercise Science and Kinesiology Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Purdue is $5,995 for Exercise Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Exercise Science and Kinesiology at Purdue

12
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UGA is a large public school situated in Athens, Georgia. It awarded 163 ’s exercise science degrees in 2020-2021.

UGA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Exercise Science and Kinesiology Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Georgia is $8,303 for Exercise Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on Exercise Science and Kinesiology at University of Georgia

13
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Michigan State is a large public school situated in East Lansing, Michigan. It awarded 419 ’s exercise science degrees in 2020-2021.

Michigan State also took the #24 spot in our “Best Exercise Science and Kinesiology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State University is $6,927 for Exercise Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Exercise Science and Kinesiology at Michigan State

14
Mt. SAC crest
Mt. San Antonio College
Walnut, California

With a ranking of #14, Mt. San Antonio College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Mt. SAC is a large school located in Walnut, California that handed out 69 ’s exercise science degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Mt. SAC is $2,412 for Exercise Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Exercise Science and Kinesiology at Mt. San Antonio College

15
Wake Forest University crest
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Wake Forest University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and it awarded 69 ’s exercise science degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, Wake Forest University is in the top on our “Best Exercise Science and Kinesiology Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Wake Forest University is $10,401 for Exercise Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Wake Forest University Exercise Science and Kinesiology Report

16
Brooklyn College crest
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. Brooklyn, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s exercise science degrees to 63 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $1,547 for Exercise Science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Brooklyn College.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Brooklyn College Exercise Science and Kinesiology Report

17

Texas A&M University - College Station did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. Texas A&M University - College Station is a large public school situated in College Station, Texas. It awarded 308 ’s exercise science degrees in 2020-2021.

Texas A&M College Station also took the #3 spot in our “Best Exercise Science and Kinesiology Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Texas A&M College Station is $11,220 for Exercise Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Exercise Science and Kinesiology at Texas A&M University - College Station

18
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Virginia is located in Charlottesville, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 117 ’s exercise science degrees to qualified students.

University of Virginia also took the #16 spot in our “Best Exercise Science and Kinesiology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Virginia - Main Campus is $12,476 for exercise science students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Exercise Science and Kinesiology at University of Virginia - Main Campus

19

With a ranking of #19, The University of West Florida did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Pensacola, Florida, and it awarded 71 ’s exercise science degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $4,288 for Exercise Science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend The University of West Florida.

Read full report on Exercise Science and Kinesiology at The University of West Florida

20

Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Ohio State is a large school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 33 ’s exercise science degrees in 2020-2021.

Ohio State also took the #23 spot in our “Best Exercise Science and Kinesiology Schools” ranking. It costs about $7,068 for Exercise Science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Ohio State Exercise Science and Kinesiology Report

21

The University of Texas at Austin came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Austin, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s exercise science degrees to 196 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our exercise science students whose families make $0-$30k list, UT Austin has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Exercise Science and Kinesiology Schools” ranking. It costs about $13,753 for Exercise Science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UT Austin.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UT Austin Exercise Science and Kinesiology Report

21

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UT Rio Grande Valley is a public institution located in Edinburg, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 394 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UT Rio Grande Valley is $2,191 for exercise science students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Exercise Science and Kinesiology at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

23

University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Tampa, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s exercise science degrees to 29 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for USF Tampa is $4,176 for Exercise Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Exercise Science and Kinesiology at University of South Florida - Main Campus

24
Wazzu crest
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington

With a ranking of #24, Washington State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Washington State University is a large school located in Pullman, Washington that handed out 97 ’s exercise science degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wazzu, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Exercise Science and Kinesiology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wazzu is $7,689 for Exercise Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Exercise Science and Kinesiology at Washington State University

25

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. Knoxville, Tennessee is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s exercise science degrees to 241 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Knoxville, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Exercise Science and Kinesiology Schools” ranking. It costs about $10,433 for Exercise Science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend The University of Tennessee - Knoxville.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Exercise Science and Kinesiology Report

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
28
29
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana
30
UD crest
University of Delaware
Newark, Delaware
31
QC crest
Queens College
Queens, New York
32
Towson crest
Towson University
Towson, Maryland
33
34
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
35
36
UH crest
University of Houston
Houston, Texas
37
38
39
Middle Tennessee State University crest
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
40
Ole Miss crest
University of Mississippi
University, Mississippi
41
42
Lehman crest
Lehman College
Bronx, New York
43
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina
44
45
46
FAU crest
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida
47
Central Michigan crest
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan
48
49
NKU crest
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, Kentucky
50
Rutgers New Brunswick crest
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Exercise Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO
52 SUNY Cortland Cortland, NY

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

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