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CIP 26.0908 Biological and Biomedical Sciences

Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology

IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education · 2025

中文

Total graduates

8,380

2025 · 153 schools

International share

6.1%

514 international students

Bachelor's degrees

6,948

2.0% international

Master's degrees

1,310

26.9% international

Overview

Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on the scientific study of body movement and the physiological responses to exercise. This discipline combines principles from physiology, biomechanics, and psychology to understand how the human body adapts to physical activity and how it can be optimized for performance, health, and rehabilitation.

Students in this major learn about the body's muscular, cardiovascular, and metabolic systems and how they respond to various forms of exercise. They explore topics such as energy metabolism, muscle physiology, and the effects of exercise on health and wellness. This program often includes laboratory work where students can conduct experiments and analyze data related to physical performance and health outcomes.

Career opportunities for graduates in Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology are diverse. They may pursue roles as exercise physiologists, fitness trainers, rehabilitation specialists, or wellness coaches. Many also find employment in clinical settings, working with patients recovering from injuries or managing chronic diseases through tailored exercise programs. Additionally, some graduates choose to further their education in graduate programs, leading to advanced roles in research, academia, or specialized clinical practice.

Overall, Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology plays a vital role in promoting physical activity and improving quality of life through a deeper understanding of how exercise influences health and performance. As the demand for health and fitness professionals continues to grow, this field offers promising career paths for those passionate about enhancing human movement and well-being.

Graduates by year

Graduates by degree level (first and second majors)

AssociateBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral

From 2003 to 2025, graduates grew 5,450% and the international share went from 0.7% to 6.1%.

International share (%)
Graduates by group, 2025
White
60.6%
Asian
4.6%
Hispanic
15.3%
Black
6.6%
Other
6.7%
Intl.
6.1%

Colleges that award this degree

In 2025, 153 schools awarded this degree as a first major. The table lists those in the 2027 U.S. News National or Liberal Arts rankings, plus the unranked schools with the most graduates.

RankSchoolStateGraduatesInternational
#16 Rice University Texas 49 1
#27 University of Southern California California 18 6
#34 University of California-Irvine California 14 1
#34 University of Florida Florida 408 16
#34 University of Wisconsin-Madison Wisconsin 18 4
#55 University of Miami Florida 64 4
#55 Purdue University-Main Campus Indiana 172 7
#59 George Washington University D.C. 31 2
#59 Florida State University Florida 207 7
#59 University of Massachusetts-Amherst Massachusetts 164 11
#59 University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minnesota 190 6
#59 University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pennsylvania 4 1
#72 Syracuse University New York 5 1
#85 University of Delaware Delaware 4 0
#85 University at Buffalo New York 128 32
#85 Southern Methodist University Texas 25 1
#90 Baylor University Texas 3 1
#90 Gonzaga University Washington 37 2
#90 Marquette University Wisconsin 63 1
#95 University of Missouri-Columbia Missouri 24 1
#100 Auburn University Alabama 283 12
#100 University of Iowa Iowa 2 1
#100 Creighton University Nebraska 71 1
#116 University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Oklahoma 12 5
#116 Brigham Young University-Provo Utah 252 0
#121 Arizona State University-Tempe Arizona 224 5
#121 University of Denver Colorado 3 0
#121 University of South Carolina-Columbia South Carolina 246 13
#156 Kansas State University Kansas 125 1
#156 Oregon State University Oregon 7 3
#156 Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia 5 2
#169 Colorado State University-Fort Collins Colorado 2 0
#169 Michigan Technological University Michigan 1 1
#169 University of North Carolina at Charlotte North Carolina 212 4
#179 University of Utah Utah 291 13
#179 Seattle University Washington 47 3
#186 Texas Tech University Texas 285 0
#191 University of Arkansas Arkansas 170 3
#191 Adelphi University New York 11 3
#191 Washington State University Washington 146 5
#202 Sacred Heart University Connecticut 112 1
#202 East Carolina University North Carolina 120 1
#202 Ohio University-Main Campus Ohio 76 3
#208 University of Idaho Idaho 45 4
#208 University of North Texas Texas 1 0
#219 Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis Indiana 2 0
#219 University of Nevada-Reno Nevada 72 1
#219 New York Institute of Technology New York 14 0
#227 Ball State University Indiana 2 1
#227 West Virginia University West Virginia 141 1
#236 Kent State University at Kent Ohio 16 5
#236 University of Texas-Arlington Texas 20 11
#250 University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley Texas 316 4
#262 Central Michigan University Michigan 11 1
#262 Seattle Pacific University Washington 10 0
#276 California Baptist University California 35 0
#276 Marian University (IN) Indiana 2 0
#276 Western Michigan University Michigan 5 4
#288 Wichita State University Kansas 85 7
#288 Shenandoah University Virginia 47 0
#299 Southern Connecticut State University Connecticut 36 0
#299 Boise State University Idaho 127 4
#299 University of Toledo Ohio 72 3
#299 Concordia University Wisconsin Wisconsin 19 2
#308 Oakland University Michigan 14 2
#308 North Carolina Central University North Carolina 9 0
#317 Kean University New Jersey 11 3
#317 University of Mary North Dakota 3 0
#332 University of South Alabama Alabama 118 6
#332 University of Lynchburg Virginia 42 0
#342 Mississippi College Mississippi 16 12
#342 University of Akron Ohio 5 0
#342 Cleveland State University Ohio 10 1
#342 Kennesaw State University Georgia 165 6
#353 University of Houston--Clear Lake Texas 50 7
#365 Troy University Alabama 14 0
#365 Northern Kentucky University Kentucky 33 0
#365 The University of Montana Montana 67 2
#365 Gardner-Webb University North Carolina 33 0
#365 Liberty University Virginia 189 4
#365 Eastern Washington University Washington 63 1
#376 Barry University Florida 59 10
#382 University of Colorado--Colorado Springs Colorado 71 1
#382 Life University Georgia 51 10
#382 Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi Texas 25 4
#382 Dallas Baptist University Texas 45 41
LAC #41 Skidmore College New York 19 3
LAC #54 Gettysburg College Pennsylvania 50 2
LAC #68 College of St. Benedict Minnesota 27 0
LAC #74 St. John's University (MN) Minnesota 16 0
LAC #91 Augustana College Illinois 20 0
LAC #91 Ursinus College Pennsylvania 39 0
LAC #142 The College of Idaho Idaho 16 2
LAC #146 Gordon College Massachusetts 21 2
LAC #172 Brigham Young University-Idaho Idaho 151 3
— Appalachian State University North Carolina 300 3
— Long Island University New York 96 92
— The University of Tampa Florida 91 7
— College of Charleston South Carolina 84 0
— University of South Carolina-Upstate South Carolina 63 1
— Ithaca College New York 52 4
— Winston-Salem State University North Carolina 51 0
— College of St. Scholastica Minnesota 49 3
— Florida Southern College Florida 40 2
— Lionel University California 38 0
— Teachers College at Columbia University New York 35 11
— Midwestern State University Texas 31 12
— Eastern Michigan University Michigan 28 2
— Ashland University Ohio 26 0
— Augustana University South Dakota 21 0
— Northern State University South Dakota 21 1
— Illinois College Illinois 20 0
— Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion Indiana 20 0
— Fitchburg State University Massachusetts 20 0
— Taylor University Indiana 19 0
— SUNY at Fredonia New York 19 0
— Baldwin Wallace University Ohio 19 0
— Queens University of Charlotte North Carolina 18 1
— Chestnut Hill College Pennsylvania 18 0
— Murray State University Kentucky 17 0
— Montreat College North Carolina 16 0
— Ave Maria University Florida 15 0
— Texas A&M University-Central Texas Texas 14 0
— Vermont State University Vermont 13 1
— Valparaiso University Indiana 12 0

Purple: international students are 25% or more of the school's graduates.

Related jobs and pay

OccupationUS employmentMean hourly wageMean annual wage
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists 172,340 $56.18 $116,840
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary 50,190 — $102,840
Exercise Physiologists 8,560 $29.30 $60,940

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

Graduate counts: IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education, 2003–2025. Rankings: 2027 U.S. News.