Best Online Sports Management Degrees of 2025

If you’re interested in becoming an athletic director, sports agent, or sports marketer, you might consider pursuing a bachelor’s degree in sports management. This degree teaches the business side of sports, like running athletic programs, improving financial problems, and managing sporting events.

Payscale data from April 2024 shows that people who graduate with a bachelor’s degree in sports management earn an average starting salary of $60,000. Some potential careers for graduates trend higher on the salary scale. Project managers earn an average salary of $79,850, and marketing managers earn an average of $72,700.

Explore this page to help you decide which educational pathway is best for your future career goals in sports management. We introduce the best online sports management degrees according to our methodology and detail what to expect from this degree, including program cost, potential salaries, and career opportunities.

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

A sports management degree could be a good choice if you want to combine your interests in sports and business into a career.

Although a bachelor’s in sports management curriculum varies between schools, these programs typically introduce learners to business ethics, analytics, communication, and operations. You’ll also cover topics specific to sports, like venue revenue management, innovation, event management, and program leadership. Some schools offer concentrations to further your understanding of a specific discipline, like sports marketing or project management.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), one year of college at a public, in-state school costs about $9,600 per year in tuition and fees alone. At out-of-state public institutions, this amount jumps to about $27,500 per year. At private schools, average tuition and fees are even higher, adding up to about $34,000 annually.

You can offset the cost of college in a few ways. You should fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to gain access to federal assistance to help pay for your degree. You can also apply for grants and scholarships that you won’t need to pay back later.

Online bachelor’s programs give you the option to enroll full time or part time, which can shorten or lengthen how long it takes to finish a degree program. Part-time students — who take fewer classes to manage other responsibilities — typically complete their programs in 5-6 years. Full-time students usually finish in four years.

Accelerated programs are the quickest way to earn a degree. The workload is more intense, but accelerated bachelor’s programs can be finished in 2-3 years.

As of April 2024, graduates with a bachelor of science in sports management earned an average of $60,000 a year, according to Payscale. However, top earners with this degree make as much as $116,000.

If you’re not sure how to choose a college for your sports management degree, consider the following helpful tips:

Having a bachelor’s degree is a great way to start your career in sports management. But if you want to fine-tune your skill set and reach a higher level, why not consider a graduate degree?

BestColleges ranked the best online master of sports management degrees. The following programs are a few to consider: