by our College Data Analytics Team
[Sports Studies](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/health-and-physical-education/sports-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for sports studies students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in sports studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Leading the list is National University, our #1 best value for sports studies in California. National University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of San Diego. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,284. Typical student debt for sports studies graduates is $30,426. Sports Studies graduates of National University earn a median of $44,319 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 2 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.