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2026 Best Value Sports Studies Schools in Arizona

[Sports Studies](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/health-and-physical-education/sports-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong sports studies education at a price that pays off.

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:

• Best Value Sports Studies Schools in Arizona

2026 Best Value Sports Studies Schools in Arizona

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in sports studies, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Sports Studies Schools

1

Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ

$12,223 In-State Tuition & Fees

$21,170 Avg Student Debt

$62,668 Median Earnings (10yr)

Our analysis ranked Arizona State University the best value for a degree in sports studies in Arizona. Located in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,223, while out-of-state students pay about $33,139. Sports Studies graduates carry a median of $21,170 in student loans. Early-career sports studies graduates make about $41,428. That is a strong return on a $21,170 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.

2

Ottawa University Surprise
Surprise, AZ

$35,880 In-State Tuition & Fees

$27,000 Avg Student Debt

$55,552 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in sports studies will find it at Ottawa University Surprise, which ranked #2. Located in the suburb of Surprise, Ottawa University Surprise is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $35,880 in tuition and fees. Sports Studies graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career sports studies graduates make about $30,426. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.

View All Sports Studies Rankings >

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, 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.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.