top sports management masters programsDo you think it is worth getting a sports management master’s online? For many people, it has worked out to be the best decision that they have made. A sports management master’s is something that can propel you into becoming a future professional who is respected in the industry. With online masters in sports management, you will be able to contribute to individuals who play sports and help them continue to make an impact in the public sector.

There are so many other reasons to specialize as a sports manager. If you are passionate about sports and business too, you should seriously think about getting in the field by first acquiring a degree online and then seeking a career that gives you the opportunity to empower others. Having a masters in sports management online will give you so many more options than another degree would. An online sports management masters provides you with the chance to work in various arenas such as a sports association, sports club, fitness center, school coaching, and sports tourism; just to name a few.

Methodology: Ranking the Best Online Sports Management Master’s Programs

For prospective sports management professionals who want the most out of their online master’s degree, Best Master’s Programs editors feature only accredited, trustworthy institutions. Programs are ranked by their tuition, student reviews, and potential salary.

1. Georgetown University

The Continuing Studies School at Georgetown University offers a master’s degree in Sports Industry Management that is ranked as one of the country’s best online masters in sports management programs. This sports management graduate degree program is available entirely online and requires degree candidates to complete 30 semester units in about one year as a full-time student or up to five years part-time. Applicants may enter the program during the spring, summer, or fall semesters. The curriculum for Georgetown University’s best online sports management masters programs includes applied ethics in sports, sports leadership/management, sports marketing strategy, and sports finance, to name a few.

Georgetown University is a research school that was founded in 1789 as Georgetown College. The school’s enrollment exceeds 18,950 students. Georgetown University’s alumni include presidents, supreme court justices, and more than one dozen foreign heads of state.

Degree: Sports Industry Management Master

2. North Carolina State University

North Carolina State University offers a Master of Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Sport Management degree (MPRTSM) program that is considered among North Carolina’s best online sports management masters programs. NC State’s best online masters in sports management programs require students to finish 31 semester credits to graduate. Students are offered an accelerated format with one course offered for seven-week terms. Students graduating from NC State’s graduate sports management degree find rewarding work as sport facility managers, community center directors, events coordinators, and park operations managers, to name a few.

North Carolina State University (North Carolina) was established as an agricultural and mechanical college in 1887. The university’s campus in Raleigh serves more than 35,950 online and on-campus students. North Carolina State University is recognized to contribute more than $6 billion to the North Carolina economy.

Degree: Master of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Sport Management

3. Louisana State University

Louisiana State University offers an MS in Sports Management that is recognized as one of Louisiana’s best online sports management masters programs. Students enrolled in Louisiana State University’s best online masters in sports management programs are required to finish 36 semester units to graduate. This graduate sports management degree program is accredited by COSMA and can be completed in twelve months. The curriculum for this degree includes classes in social issues in sports, organizational behavior, administrative problems in kinesiology, and financial issues in sports, to name a few.

Louisiana State University (LSU) was established under the Morrill Act in 1860. Louisiana State University’s student enrollment is approximately 31,650 undergraduate and graduate students. In addition, Louisiana State University is also a space-grant and sea-grant university. Louisiana State University’s origins include the fact that the school was first and foremost a military academy.

Degree: Sports Management, MS

4. Boston College

The College of Advancing Studies at Boston College offers an MS in Sports Administration that is recognized among Massachusetts’s best online masters in sports management programs. Students enrolled in Boston College’s best online sports management masters programs enter the workforce as a head coach, a sports journalist, a marketing director, or an athletic director, among others. Boston College’s core curriculum includes sports law and compliance, sports finance, sports leadership, and intro to sports management, plus an applied research project or externship, among others.

Boston College was established as a Jesuit institution of higher education in 1863. Boston College is actually a full-fledged university but maintains the college in its name to keep with its deep liberal arts history. Boston College’s men’s hockey team has won an impressive five national championships. Boston College’s student enrollment is approximately 14,450 students.

Degree: Sports Administration, MS

5. Northeastern University

The Professional Studies College at Northeastern University offers a Master of Sports Leadership that can be completed in one to one and one-half years. Northeastern University’s best online sports management masters programs have received accreditation from COSMA – one of only 18 programs in the nation with this accreditation. This best online masters in sports management degree program includes classes in ticket sales & strategies, bystander strategies to help prevent gender-based violence, and integrative, experiential learning, to name a few. Students can opt for a professional sports administration or collegiate athletics concentration.

Northeastern University (NEU) was established in Boston as a research education facility in 1898. The university’s urban campus in Beantown is home to approximately 37,250 students. Northeastern University is renowned for its unique cooperative work-study program that allows students to earn full salaries while earning their degrees.

Degree: Master of Sports Leadership

6. University of Louisville

The University of Louisville offers an MS in Sports Administration that is ranked among the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s best online masters in sports management programs. This graduate degree in sports management is fully accredited by COSMA and is a competitive program with only about 30 spots for more than 100 applications. Students enrolled in U of L’s best online sports management masters programs can complete the program in about 1.5 to two years, depending on course load and the student’s choice of internship.

The University of Louisville (Louisville) is a multi-campus university that was established as a seminary in 1798. The school’s campuses in Belknap, HSC, and Shelby are home to approximately 21,350 students. The University of Louisville offers more than 140 undergraduate and graduate degrees from its twelve colleges/schools.

Degree: Sports Administration, MS

7. Colorado State University

Colorado State University offers a Master of Sport Management (MSM) degree that offers students two concentrations in business foundations or sports marketing. Colorado State University’s best online sports management masters programs prepare students for rewarding work as athletic directors, business development specialists, facilities directors, and public relations specialists, to name a few. The core curriculum for Colorado State University’s best online masters in sports management programs includes sport media, sport law and ethics, and data analytics in sports, plus a capstone project and a sport management internship, among others.

Colorado State University (CSU) was established under the Morrill Act as an agricultural/mechanical college in 1870. The school’s urban campus in Fort Collins is home to approximately 33,750 students studying for the more than 150 academic degrees offered by Colorado State. The alumni of Colorado State University includes astronauts and former Colorado Governors.

Degree: Sports Management, MSM

8. Florida Atlantic University

Florida Atlantic University offers an MBA in Sports Management that is considered among Florida’s best online masters in sports management degree programs. Students enrolled in Florida Atlantic University’s best online sports management masters programs can complete the MBA degree in less than two years. Students must finish 40 -43 semester credits to meet program requirements, of which twelve credits are within the sport management curriculum. Classes for this degree include, in part, the global environment of management, advanced analysis of accounting data, advanced financial management, and operations management, among others.

Florida Atlantic University (FAU) was established in 1961 as a public state school. Florida Atlantic University’s campus in South Florida is home to approximately 30,550 students vying for more than 150 academic degrees offered by the university’s ten schools/colleges. Florida Atlantic University’s Boca Raton campus was once an army airbase that dates back about eight decades.

Degree: Sports Management, MBA

9. Wayne State University

Wayne State University offers an MA in Sports Administration that is ranked among Michigan’s best online masters in sports management degree programs. Wayne State University’s best online sports management masters programs require degree candidates to finish 30 semester units in coursework that includes sports marketing, sport finance, concepts of supervision and management, risk management in physical education and sport, collegiate athletic administration, principles of coaching, medical design, and equity & access in sport, plus an internship in sports administration, to name a few.

Wayne State University (WSU) was established as a public university in 1868. As a research institution of higher education, Wayne State University is home to about 26,750 students. Wayne State University operates multiple campuses in Oakland, Macomb, Jackson, and Wayne counties.

Degree: Sports Administration, MA

10. Georgia Southern University

Georgia Southern University offers an MS in Sports Management that is ranked among Georgia’s best online masters in sports management programs. Georgia Southern University’s best online sports management masters programs can be finished in only two years and offer applicants a year-round rolling admission. Classes included in Georgia Southern University’s graduate degree in sports management includes revenue generation in sport, sports facility & event management, sports law and risk management, and research/analysis in sports, to name a few.

Georgia Southern University (GSU) is a member school of the state’s university system that was established in 1906. This space-grant school operates campuses in Statesboro, Hinesville, and Savannah, with approximately 25,950 undergraduate and graduate students. Georgia Southern University became fully integrated in 1965.

Degree: Sports Management, MS

11. East Tennessee State University

East Tennessee State University offers an MS in Sports Management that is considered among Tennessee’s best online masters in sports management degree programs. Degree candidates enrolled in East Tennessee State University’s best online sports management masters programs require the completion of 33 to 36 semester credits, depending on exact study track and course load. Students explore the three principal segments of the sports industry – promotion, performance, and production. The core curriculum for this master’s degree in sports management includes legal issues in physical education, issues in sports management, the financing of sport, and sport communication and media relations, to name a few.

East Tennessee State University (East Tennessee) was founded in 1911. The Johnson City campus is home to approximately 14,250 students. East Tennessee State University College of Medicine is regularly recognized among the best rural medical school in the nation.

Degree: Sports Management, MS

12. St. Thomas University

St. Thomas University offers an MS in Sports Administration that is considered to be one of the Sunshine State’s best online masters in sports management degree programs. These best online sports management masters programs offered by St. Thomas University require students to complete 30 credit units, which can be done in only twelve months. Students graduate from St. Thomas University’s graduate sports degree program in management to find rewarding work as sports information directors, compensation directors, community services specialists, sports campus directors, or a media relations expert, to name a few.

St. Thomas University (STU) was established in 1961 with roots that reach to Cuba. The school’s campus in South Florida is home to approximately 4,150 undergraduate and graduate students. St. Thomas University offers about 50 undergraduate and graduate degree majors, plus four doctoral programs.

Degree: Sports Administration, MS

13. Northwestern State University

The Professional Studies School at Northwestern State University offers an MS in Sports Administration that is recognized among Louisiana’s best online masters in sports management degree programs. Degree candidates enrolled in Northwestern State University’s best online sports management masters programs offer a capstone or thesis as a culminating project. Classes for this graduate degree in sports administration includes front office operations, sports sales strategies, globalization of sport, and special topics in sports administration, to name a few.

Northwestern State University (NWS) was established in 1884. Northwestern State University operates several campuses in Leesville, Alexandria, and Natchitoches. The school’s rural campuses are home to about 10,950 students. Northwestern State University holds the distinction of being one of the first schools selected for NASA’s joint venture with universities.

Degree: Sports Administration, MS

14. Troy University

The Graduate Programs at Troy University offers an MS in Sports Management that is ranked as one of the best online masters in sports management degree programs in Alabama. Students enrolled in Troy’s University’s best online sports management masters programs are required to finish 35 semester units in classes that include foundations of sport and fitness management, statistical analysis and interpretation, risk management in sports, sports economics, sociological aspects of the sport, and research methods, among others. Students can elect to complete the degree with a thesis option or without.

Troy University was founded in 1887 as a state-funded teacher’s school. The college-town campuses of Troy University (plus the other 50 academic teaching sites) are home to approximately 17,950 students. Troy University has been recognized as one of the most innovative higher learning institutions in the nation.

Degree: Sports Management, MS

15. University of Southern Indiana

The College of Science, Education, and Engineering at the University of Southern Indiana offers an MS in Sports Management (MSSM) that is considered to be one of the best online sports management masters programs in Indiana. USI Online’s best online masters in sports management degree programs require the completion of 33 graduate semester hours. Students have the option of completing this COSMA-accredited program in an accelerated format. Classes included in this degree include sports facility and event management, strategic sport communication, and sports law, to name a few.

The University of Southern Indiana (Southern Indiana) was established in 1965 and is a space-grant school. The university’s suburban campus is home to approximately 10,850 students vying for more than 75 academic degree programs. The University of Southern Indiana was initially developed to be a satellite campus of the already exiting Indiana State University.

Degree: Sports Management, MS

16. University of Central Arkansas

The University of Central Arkansas offers one of Arkansas’s best online sports management masters programs with its Master of Arts (MA) degree in Sports Management. UCA’s best online masters in sports management degree programs require degree candidates to complete 30 graduate semester credits over a 20-month timeframe. Coursework for this master’s degree in sports management includes sports organization communication, leadership in sport management, financial principles in sports management, and sports law aspect, to name a few.

The University of Central Arkansas (UCA) was established as a teacher’s training college in 1907. The university’s suburban campus in Conway is home to approximately 11,950 students vying for degrees offered by the six schools/colleges. The University of Central Arkansas holds the distinction of being one of the oldest and the largest of higher learning institutions in Arkansas.

Degree: Sports Management, MA

17. Indiana State University

Indiana State University offers an MS in Sports Management that is recognized to be one of the best online sports management masters programs in the Hoosier State of Indiana. ISU’s best online masters in sports management degree programs require students to complete 35 semester units in a maximum of seven years. Classes for ISU’s master’s degree in sports management includes sport law and risk management, sports marketing, governance and compliance, sport media relations, administrative theory in sport and sport management foundations, and a research project or internship, among others.

Indiana State University (ISU) was established as a state normal school in 1865. The school’s small-city campus in Terre Haute is home to about 12,450 students. Indiana State University provides students with more than 160 undergraduate and graduate degree options.

Degree: Sports Management, MS

18. Belhaven University

Belhaven University offers an MBA in Sports Administration that is recognized as one of the best online masters in sports management degree programs in Mississippi. Belhaven University’s best online masters in sports management degree program requires degree candidates to complete 42 semester credits to meet the degree’s requirements. The curriculum for Belhaven University’s MBA sports administration degree program includes ethical problems in business, venue management, and regulatory issue in sports, marketing management, the legal environment of business, and current trends in sports administration, to name a few.

Belhaven University (BU) was established in 1883 and is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. Belhaven operates multiple campuses in Jackson, Memphis, Chattanooga, Dalton, and Madison. Belhaven University began as a merger of two local schools, a synodical college, and an all-women’s educational institute.

Degree: Sports Administration, MBA

19. Western Kentucky University

Western Kentucky University offers an MS in Recreation & Sports Administration that is considered to be one of the best online sports management masters programs in Kentucky.Western Kentucky University’s best online masters in sports management degree program offers an academic concentration in Athletic Administration and Coaching. Students enrolled in this master’s degree program will receive a complimentary two-year membership in the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. Coursework for Western Kentucky University’s graduate sports management degree includes legal issues in recreation and sport, fiscal practices in sports, public relations, and sports medicine administration, plus a practicum, among others.

Western Kentucky University (Western Kentucky) was established in 1906 by the state as a teacher’s college and business school. Western Kentucky University maintains multiple campuses in Kentucky – in Bowling Green, Owensboro, and Fort Knox. Western Kentucky University’s main campus overlooks the picturesque Barren River Valley.

Degree: Recreation and Sports Administration, MS

20. Southern Connecticut State University

Southern Connecticut State University offers an MS in Sport & Entertainment Management that is ranked among Connecticut’s best online sports management masters programs. Students enrolled in Southern Connecticut State University’s best online masters in sports management degree program must finish 36 semester units to graduate and can opt for one of three academic concentrations – athletics administration, entertainment management, or sports management. Degree candidates can select to complete a practicum with a special project or a thesis and related seminar to finish this graduate degree program.

Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) was established in 1893 as a normal school but is currently a member school of Connecticut’s university system. AS a space-grant school, Southern Connecticut State University is home to approximately 8,350 students. Southern Connecticut State University offers the only program in Connecticut dedicated to education for those on the autism spectrum.

Degree: Sport and Entertainment Management, M.S.

21. Morehead State University

Morehead State University offers one of Kentucky’s best online sports management master’s programs with its MA in Sports Management. Coursework for Morehead State University’s best online masters in sports management degree program includes sports relations, financing the sport enterprise, leadership & ethics in sport and physical activity, and sports governance, plus a research project or internship in sports management, to name a few.

Morehead State University (MSU) was established in 1887 as a public institution of higher education developed to train teachers in Kentucky. The university’s rural campuses in Morehead, Ashland, Sterling, Prestonsburg, and West Liberty are home to approximately 9.550 students. Morehead State University is organized into four colleges/schools and has ranked 40th of all southern regional universities by US News and World Report.

Degree: Sports Management, MA

22. Wilmington University

Wilmington University offers Delaware’s best online sports management master’s programs with its Master of Science in Management (MSM) degree program. This best online master’s in sports management degree program from Wilmington University offers several academic concentrations, of which sport management is one. Wilmington University offers MSM degree candidates the opportunity to work with the US Olympic Committee when hosted by the training center. Students must complete 36 semester credits in as little as twelve months. This graduate degree is available entirely online and in six locations of Wilmington University.

Wilmington University (WU) was established in 1968 as a private college. The university’s suburban campus in New Castle (plus another fourteen locations in Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland) is home to approximately 12,050 students. The student to faculty ratio for Wilmington University is an impressive 17 to 1.

Degree: Management, MS

23. Jacksonville University

Jacksonville University offers an MS in Sports Management that is considered to be one of the best online sports management masters programs in the Sunshine State. Jacksonville University’s best online masters in sports management degree program requires degree candidates to finish 12 classes for a total of 36 semester units. Additionally, Jacksonville University’s graduate degree in sports management can be completed in about one year. Students graduate from the degree program and enter the workforce as managers in professional or collegiate organizations, community agencies, event management, or public relations sports specialists, to name a few.

Jacksonville University (JU) was established in 1934 as a two-year junior college by William Port, who ran the school that began with only sixty students. JU became a four-year granting university in 1956. Jacksonville University’s urban campus is home to approximately 3,060 students. Jacksonville University offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree options from its six colleges/institutes.

Degree: Sports Management, MS

24. Adams State University

Adams State University offers one of the best online sports management master’s programs in Colorado with its Master of Arts (MA) degree in Sports Management. Students enrolled in Adams State University’s best online masters in sports management degree program complete classes in sports law, managerial accounting, sports marketing, event management, field-based research, and strategic management & leadership in sport, plus a practicum, among others. Adams State University’s graduate degree in sports management can be completed over 24 months, which includes four semesters and two summer terms.

Adams State University (ASU) was established as a normal school in 1921. The school’s 80+ acre campus in San Luis Valley is home to about 3,350 students. Adams State University is also a registered space-grant institution of higher education.

Degree: Sports Management, MA

25. Southern New Hampshire University

Southern New Hampshire University offers an MS in Sport & Entertainment Management that is considered to be one of New Hampshire’s best online sports management masters programs.Southern New Hampshire University offers a flexible course schedule that requires the completion of 36 semester units. Degree candidates for SNHU’s best online masters in sports management degree program can complete this graduate sports management degree in about fifteen months. Additionally, Southern New Hampshire University allows up to twelve credits to be transferred if they meet the school’s eligibility requirements. Classes include sports and society, media and marketing, finance/economics, and a sports management capstone project.

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is a private school that was established in 1932 as a business school. Including its online student enrollment, Southern New Hampshire University has a student body that nears 91,000 students. Southern New Hampshire University is considered one of the fastest-growing institutions of higher learning in the nation due to its online educational options.

Degree: Sports Management, MS

Is a Master’s in Sports Management Worth It?

If you want to know whether to pursue a degree in sports management, the question “is a masters in sports management worth it,” has a resounding yes as the answer. If you want to improve your financial status, then you would do well pursuing this type of degree. Yes, it pays well. We will get into that shortly. Sports management allows individuals to learn many of the most existing, innovative and technologically advanced practices as it relates to sports marketing. This will permit you to be so much more impactful while you execute various sponsorship and brand strategies.

These are crucial to the industry and if you are successful, it will put you in a good light among your peers. Additionally, while pursuing a master’s degree in sports management, you will get to learn about some of these innovative strategies so you can become an authority in the industry and field; leading professional sports team effectively and getting concrete results to enhance your reputation.

It is safe to say that the question “is a masters degree in sports management worth it,” gets a positive answer because of different variables. With your degree, and possibly a good internship, you will soon discover the ways you can understand, analyze and use financial statements of sports organizations to create strategies to grow their bottom line. You will be able to advance new projects to help the professional team and its organization.

How Much Can I Make with a Master’s in Sports Management?

The average yearly salary is roughly between $66K and $90K. However, the pay grade can vary, but this is based on the type of job, the location and the company you work for. The pay scale also depends on the type of degree you have in the field. If it is a bachelor’s degree, of course, your pay grade would be less. And, that is where the master’s degree may be worth it. Having a higher education certainly makes a difference in boosting your annual salary. Sports management salary with masters should be something that you consider really seriously if you want to secure your financial future.

Let’s now talk more about the masters in sport management salary for different jobs within the industry. If you become a sports coach or athletic director in a college or in a high school and you have an advanced degree, you could earn a starting sports management masters salary of $50K. When you add a few years of experience in the same job and move on to another job, you would be earning more.

For example, if you were to work as a head coach at a high school and moved on to become an athletic director at a top University, you could have a masters in sports management salary of approximately $100K. That is double what you would have earned in an entry level position. If you were to work at a larger university as an athletic director, your sport management masters salary could be as much as $500K; depending on the popularity of the team and the school. This is the benefit of having a master’s degree in sports management. There is so much potential to earn one of these masters in sports management salaries.

How Do I Choose a Sports Management Master’s Program?

It is easy to choose this type of degree as long as you consider schools that offer sport management accreditation. In addition to sports management accreditation, you should choose a program that gives you a variety of options that you will have once you graduate from the program. There are other things you should consider too such as:

  • Flexibility of the program
  • Tuition cost
  • Reputation of program
  • Internship possibilities
  • Commission on sport management accreditation

Choose one of the best accredited sports management masters programs that you can complete online. In completing one of these programs, you will be more competitive, marketable and have the ability to improve your earning potential.

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