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252 Best Bachelor's Sports & Recreation Universities in the United States

Columbia University tops our list of 252 Bachelor's Sports & Recreation universities in the United States at #14 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. University of Minnesota - Crookston (QS World #203) and University of Virginia, Charlottesville (QS World #275) complete the top three. The universities on this list offer 346 matching courses between them.

252 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
126Ranked
ES East Stroudsburg State University of Pennsylvania logo
#1,038 in United States United States

East Stroudsburg State University of Pennsylvania

Public University · 4 courses in Bachelor's Sports & Recreation

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#1,038 in United States · by research impact
37,143 citations · h-index 78
140Ranked
UT University of Tennessee, Martin logo
#1,098 in United States United States
#1,098 in United States · by research impact
30,347 citations · h-index 75

Related subjects

How these universities are ranked

8 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #14 (Columbia University) to #491 (State University of New York at Buffalo); they are listed first, in that order. The rest are ordered by research impact. Columbia University has the largest research record in this group, with 48,319,824 citations and an h-index of 1,736. 5 universities have neither a QS position nor a research record yet and appear at the end, marked "Not yet ranked".

Public, private and where they are

The split is 248 public to 4 private institutions. By location, Puerto Rico (2), New York (1) and Colorado (1) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is Columbia University, founded in 1754. Columbia University is the largest, with 33,000 students.

Inside the course list

Within the subject, the largest areas are Sports & Recreation (326), Exercise Science (11), Sports Management (4) and Recreation Management (4). The usual length is 4 years and 2 years. 99% are full-time and 2 can be studied online. Start dates lean to Fall (100% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (100% of courses with a stated intake). University of Tennessee, Martin offers the widest choice, with 7 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 12 of these universities. University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez is the least expensive at USD 5,274 a year and Columbia University the most at USD 66,000; the middle of the range is about USD 22,326. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best university in the United States for Bachelor's Sports & Recreation?

Columbia University (QS World #14), University of Minnesota - Crookston (QS World #203) and University of Virginia, Charlottesville (QS World #275) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university for Bachelor's Sports & Recreation in the United States?

Of those with published fees, University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez is the least expensive at about USD 5,274 a year. Fees are indicative — confirm on the university's site.

How many public universities offer Bachelor's Sports & Recreation in the United States?

248 public and 4 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Bachelor's Sports & Recreation course take in the United States?

Most listed courses run 4 years, with 2 years the next most common.

When do Bachelor's Sports & Recreation courses start in the United States?

Fall is the main intake — 100% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Spring is the second.

Can I study Bachelor's Sports & Recreation online with a university in the United States?

2 of these courses are listed as online.

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