Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation
What you'll do in college
These majors—including athletic training, exercise science, kinesiology, and physical therapy preparatory programs—combine rigorous coursework in anatomy, biomechanics, exercise physiology, and injury prevention with extensive hands-on clinical experience. You'll learn to evaluate musculoskeletal injuries, design rehabilitation protocols, conduct fitness assessments, and apply therapeutic techniques like taping, manual therapy, and corrective exercise. Many programs require clinical rotations with collegiate or high school athletic teams, rehabilitation clinics, and sports performance centers, where you'll work directly with injured athletes and patients recovering from surgery. Expect to balance science-heavy classes with long hours in the training room.
What you'll do after college
Graduates pursue careers as athletic trainers, exercise physiologists, strength and conditioning coaches, or rehabilitation specialists in professional and collegiate sports, hospitals, outpatient clinics, military settings, and corporate wellness programs. Many use the degree as a stepping stone to graduate programs in physical therapy (DPT), occupational therapy, or physician assistant studies. Athletic trainers are increasingly in demand in secondary schools and industrial workplaces focused on injury prevention. The work is physical, rewarding, and often built around helping people return to the activities they love.
Pay varies by setting—professional sports and hospital-based roles tend to pay more—but the field is growing steadily as awareness of sports injuries, concussion management, and preventive care expands.
Famous graduates
- Bob Anderson — Pioneering sports medicine physician and author of 'Stretching'; B.S. in Physical Education from California State University, Fullerton
- Sue Falsone — First female head athletic trainer in major North American professional sports (LA Dodgers); B.S. in Athletic Training from the University of Delaware
Selectivity vs. earnings
By acceptance rate
By SAT median
Majors in this category
| Major | Colleges | Degrees ▼ | Male/Female | Intl | 5yr Earn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation | 896 | 49,083 | 43% / 57% | 2% | $57,841 |
| Kinesiology | 255 | 14,775 | 44% / 56% | 2% | $55,875 |
| Exercise Science | 439 | 14,173 | 44% / 56% | 2% | $56,340 |
| Exercise Science and Kinesiology | 54 | 4,671 | 38% / 62% | 1% | $57,585 |
| Physical Education | 276 | 2,937 | 59% / 41% | 2% | $54,166 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 25 | 1,879 | 48% / 52% | 1% | $57,209 |
| Physical Education Teaching and Coaching | 93 | 1,823 | 50% / 50% | 1% | $57,543 |
| Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology | 11 | 1,079 | 35% / 65% | 2% | $68,576 |
| Rehabilitation Science | 23 | 764 | 23% / 77% | 2% | $67,596 |
| Athletic Training | 112 | 754 | 37% / 63% | 2% | $74,126 |
| Exercise Physiology | 25 | 697 | 40% / 60% | 1% | $61,270 |
| Exercise and Sport Science | 7 | 628 | 43% / 57% | 1% | $56,248 |
| Respiratory Care | 46 | 595 | 21% / 79% | 5% | $81,529 |
| Health Teacher Education | 37 | 593 | 32% / 68% | 2% | $56,964 |
| Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist | 11 | 373 | 25% / 75% | 3% | $84,972 |
| Physical Fitness Parks Recreation and Leisure | 5 | 262 | 71% / 29% | 2% | $54,990 |
| Sports Studies | 22 | 252 | 71% / 29% | 2% | $54,913 |
| Exercise and Wellness | 1 | 213 | 51% / 49% | 1% | $53,363 |
| Applied Physiology and Kinesiology | 1 | 206 | 37% / 63% | 1% | $57,247 |
| Health and Exercise Science | 1 | 175 | 31% / 69% | 2% | $65,507 |
| Physical Therapy | 10 | 167 | 31% / 69% | 0% | $78,456 |
| Exercise Science and Health Promotion | 1 | 157 | 46% / 54% | 1% | $50,026 |
| Rehabilitation Sciences | 6 | 130 | 19% / 81% | 3% | $62,556 |
| Outdoor Education | 19 | 128 | 54% / 46% | 0% | |
| Physical Fitness Technician | 7 | 121 | 50% / 50% | 0% | $56,387 |
| Movement Science | 1 | 121 | 34% / 66% | 2% | $76,574 |
| Pre-Physical Therapy | 12 | 111 | 32% / 68% | 2% | |
| Pre-Physical Therapy Studies | 11 | 93 | 37% / 63% | 0% | $82,537 |
| Health and Human Performance | 2 | 88 | 32% / 68% | 0% | $50,403 |
| Physical Education and Sport Science | 1 | 88 | 14% / 86% | 1% | $76,161 |
| Health and Physical Education | 18 | 74 | 53% / 47% | 0% | $49,714 |
| Kinesiology and Health | 1 | 67 | 43% / 57% | 1% | $70,816 |
| Recreation and Sport Science | 1 | 64 | 73% / 27% | 2% | $48,911 |
| Exercise and Health Sciences | 1 | 60 | 53% / 47% | 0% | $55,347 |
| Rehabilitation Services | 5 | 59 | 19% / 81% | 0% | $55,152 |
| Sport Sciences | 1 | 49 | 35% / 65% | 2% | $69,202 |
| Movement and Exercise Science | 1 | 45 | 49% / 51% | 2% | $58,669 |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | 14 | 44 | 50% / 50% | 7% | $61,094 |
| Rehabilitation and Human Services | 3 | 42 | 17% / 83% | 0% | $59,881 |
| Recreation Studies | 4 | 41 | 37% / 63% | 0% | $47,466 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 11 | 39 | 18% / 82% | 0% | $59,816 |
| Rehabilitative Health Sciences | 1 | 38 | 21% / 79% | 0% | $89,629 |
| Rehabilitation Counseling | 8 | 37 | 11% / 89% | 0% | $53,108 |
| Movement Therapy and Movement Education | 1 | 37 | 30% / 70% | 0% | |
| Kinesiology - Exercise Science | 1 | 36 | 44% / 56% | 6% | |
| Biomechanics | 2 | 28 | 29% / 71% | 0% | |
| Exercise and Movement Science | 1 | 28 | 82% / 18% | 0% | $56,360 |
| Physical Therapy/Therapist | 2 | 23 | 13% / 87% | 0% | $81,862 |
| Fitness Management | 3 | 22 | 73% / 27% | 5% | $49,428 |
| Fitness Specialist | 1 | 19 | 68% / 32% | 5% | $57,975 |
| Physical Education and Health | 1 | 19 | 79% / 21% | 0% | $42,295 |
| Physical Education and Sports Science | 1 | 19 | 74% / 26% | 0% | |
| Health, Human Performance, and Leisure Studies | 1 | 16 | 62% / 38% | 0% | |
| Rehabilitation | 1 | 16 | 6% / 94% | 0% | |
| Massage Therapy | 1 | 13 | 8% / 92% | 0% | |
| Physical Therapy Assistant | 2 | 12 | 42% / 58% | 0% | $46,896 |
| Movement Therapy | 1 | 12 | 83% / 17% | 0% | |
| Physical Fitness | 3 | 11 | 73% / 27% | 0% | $57,154 |
| Kinesiotherapy/Kinesiotherapist | 2 | 10 | 40% / 60% | 20% | |
| Health and Sport Science | 1 | 10 | 10% / 90% | 0% | |
| Recreation and Fitness | 1 | 9 | 78% / 22% | 22% | $49,929 |
| Respiratory Therapy Technician/Assistant | 1 | 7 | 0% / 100% | 0% | |
| Human Kinetics and Sport Studies | 1 | 4 | 100% / 0% | 0% | |
| Teacher Education: Physical Education | 1 | 4 | 75% / 25% | 0% | $55,501 |
| Parks and Recreation | 2 | 3 | 33% / 67% | 0% | |
| Athletic Training/Trainer | 1 | 3 | 67% / 33% | 0% | |
| Kinesiology and Physical Education | 1 | 3 | 67% / 33% | 0% | $65,391 |
| Personal Fitness Training | 1 | 3 | 33% / 67% | 0% | $41,218 |
| Exercise Biology | 1 | 1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $65,974 |
| Fitness and Wellness Technology | 1 | 1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $53,186 |
| Physical Education/Teacher Education | 1 | 1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $71,870 |
| Sport Studies | 1 | 1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $41,749 |