Last Updated on July 12, 2023

Earning a master’s degree in sports management is the best way to set yourself up for a high-paying job in sports. That’s because these degree programs produce graduates with industry experience who excel at making the data-driven decisions that every sports business and organization needs today. Be prepared to make an upfront financial investment. In 2023, tuition for these programs can cost anywhere from $4,680 per-year for in-state students to $40,788 for the most selective programs. However, these costs start to look quite reasonable when considering the significant increase in earning potential they bring. What’s more, through a combination of grants, scholarships, and loans, determined students are usually able to afford enrollment.

In this guide…
Why Should You Earn a Sports Management Graduate Degree?
Sports Management Courses
How do I know which Sports Management program is the best fit?
What is required for acceptance into a master’s program in sport management?
How long does it take to earn a master’s degree in sport management?
What are the graduation requirements for a master’s degree in sport management?
How much does a master’s in sport management program cost?
Delivery method – on campus, online, or hybrid
Careers in Sport Management
FAQs
Sports Management Master’s Degree Program Listings

With hundreds of graduate sport management programs to choose from, students must work to find the program that best fits their interests. Sport management master’s degrees housed in business schools will naturally have a strong focus on sport business. Other programs are housed in kinesiology or education departments, which are well suited for students who aspire to work closely with teams and athletes. Many programs have a strong tie to their athletic department and focus on collegiate athletics, while others are in large urban areas and focus on professional sport entertainment. This guide was created to help students determine which master’s in sport management program is the best fit.

The world of sport is evolving quickly, and the landscape is such that new sports – such as Esports, pickleball, and MMA – have emerged into the mainstream. Where global sports such as soccer, rugby and cricket all have professional leagues in the United States, and perhaps most importantly: where diversity is finally challenging a traditional white male bastion.

Many of us are passionate about the sport industry, and most of us would prefer a job with either the Dallas Cowboys or the University of Alabama Roll Tide over an insurance company or bank, even if the job was identical. That makes the job market extremely competitive, often with hundreds, if not thousands of applicants applying for the same positions.

While a finding a dream career in sports might be more challenging than other fields, it is possible for those who make smart choices. And in today’s world, there is no better way to position yourself for success than by earning a master’s degree in sport management.

“The sport industry is dynamic – continuously changing – and this nature provides all academics the chance to challenge themselves and learn more from the past so that we can create and inform the next generation of sport industry employees.”

Professor Chad Seifried, LSU Sport Management Graduate Coordinator

Many sports management master’s degree programs offer concentration or specialization areas that present opportunities to delve deeply into specific areas of interest. Graduate students gain real-world experience. They begin to build professional networks while still in school. This means they enter the job market with major advantages over candidates without advanced degrees.

Why Should You Earn a Sport Management Graduate Degree?

The sports industry is incredibly broad. Just like other businesses, sports organizations need to build a team of specialists to achieve their goals. And in order to manage diverse operations, managers must understand how to make them flow together.

A Sport Management master’s program prepares students with the skills needed to succeed in a variety of leadership roles. Is it important to understand the theories and fundamentals? Of course. But sport management master’s students gain real-world experience through experiential learning. This lived experience prepares them to be significantly more marketable than undergraduates without this type of experience, and when searching for sport management programs, one should always reach out to faculty at the university to gain a strong understanding of what they offer in experiences.

In the real world, most people gain experience by trial and error. You apply to a variety of jobs, hoping that something will work out. Lots of time and opportunity can be lost for those who don’t find a good fit until after they have tried several different positions.

Sport Management graduate programs allow students speak with mentors – in the form of professors and alumni – to create a short list of roles that could be a good fit. Over the course of the program, they will help you connect to individuals in similar roles so you can get a look into what life looks like from that seat on the bus. Through mentors, you will have the chance to learn a great deal about the role, ask some questions, and figure out if you are still interested. If not, you can try something else until you find something that seems like a genuine fit.

Quality sport management programs have well-structured relationships with real-world partners. These partnerships enable them to place students in departments and positions closely related to their career goals. These opportunities provide a chance to apply what you have learned during your studies in a professional context where you can also be establishing a network of professional references. Professor Charles Campisi, who recently spoke with Sports Degrees Online, explained what students should be looking for from their sport management program,

“What [does the program have to offer outside of the] classroom? Yes, you need to get the theory, but you also need to put those theories you’re learning in the classroom into practice. If you’re not doing that while you’re at school, what’s your resume going to look like so an organization is going to want to hire you when you graduate? That’s the type of thing students should be looking for: What is offered above and beyond the opportunities that should be readily available on campus at any sport management program? What’s that next level that they’re going to be able to take me to?”

Professor Charles Campisi, Baldwin Wallace University

A Master’s Degree in Sport Management can prepare students to specialize in a variety of areas. Event and facility management, merchandizing, sports analytics, and the many positions involved with team operations and management – just to name a few. Graduates may work at the collegiate, amateur, or professional level, and they might even find themselves managing important relationships between brands and strategic partners. 

Sport Management Graduate Courses

Sport management is a multi-disciplinary field. A degree in sport management might include courses related to ethics, communications, law, marketing, analytics, policy, and event and facility management. The programs will also familiarize graduates with services, events, and organizations related to the industry of sports. Many programs offer thesis and non-thesis options to suit students particularly interested in research or practical careers in the field. 

How do I know which Sport Management program is the best fit?

These days, more schools offer a master’s degree in sport management than ever before. There is no question that it is great to have options. However, too many choices as made the task of choosing much more difficult. Programs vary a great deal in terms of cost, strengths, and quality, so expect to invest time into getting familiar with your options.

Sports Degrees Online highly suggests taking the time to compile features and statistics in a spreadsheet where they can easily be compared side by side. The days of choosing a program for its name and prestige alone are over. If you don’t do your homework, you may miss out on the chance to find a program that suits your needs and interests best. Spending a little extra time upfront doing due diligence can save you time, money, and headaches later on. Many people find it helpful to narrow your list to four to eight of your top schools starting with your top choice and working your way down to a couple “safety” choices – schools that may not be your top choices, but where you’d be happy to attend and feel pretty confident you will be accepted.

A great first start is to look at where the program is housed, and what courses they have in their curriculum. You’ll notice big differences based on whether a program is in the College of Education, the College of Hospitality, or the College of Business. The curriculum might even be more informative. What courses do they offer and who teaches those courses?

As you begin to narrow down your list, be sure to pay special attention to the emphasis on learning opportunities outside standard lecture and classroom time.

According to Umass Amherst Professor Steve McKelvey, who recently spoke with Sports Degrees Online,

“If you are in a good sports management program, then you are getting a lot of opportunity to do experiential learning projects that specifically touch the sports industry,”

Professor Steve McKelvey, Umass Amherst

Many programs have extensive requirements for learning in applied settings which provide graduates with invaluable real world experience and access to career mentors. Even when remote, these experiences can take learning to a whole different level while facilitating connections and opening doors in the professional world.

While you should expect that sport management master’s degree programs will always provide you will a well-balanced curriculum, it is good to pay special attention to the program faculty and their previous experience. Sport management programs tend to be housed in either business departments or kinesiology/exercise science departments, so depending on your career goals, you may want to keep that in mind while making your decision. Bob Heere, of the University of North Texas worded it like this:

“The first question applicants should ask me, but never do, is how many of our students are working full-time in the sport entertainment industry after graduation. Every program can anecdotally name a student that works for a prestigious organization, but that doesn’t tell the story. 100% of our graduates are full-time employed, and 70% of them are working the sport entertainment industry, 83% of them have received a promotion or new job offer after they started in our program. Those are the numbers we are most proud of, because ultimately, that’s why students join a graduate program.”

Professor Bob Heere, University of North Texas

What is required for acceptance into a master’s program in sport management?

Most schools and universities require a bachelor’s degree with a GPA over 3.0 to be considered for a masters in sport management. Undergraduate fields of study are not restricted to be accepted into most programs, though some schools do have some prerequisite courses.  Some programs do require standardized test scores (GRE or GMAT), though waivers remain for the 2022-2023 school year at most schools. Prior professional experience in the sports industry can be taken into consideration if your GPA history is below 3.0, and is generally preferred but not required. Some programs are highly competitive while others are able to accept the majority of their applicants.

How long does it take to earn a master’s degree in sport management?

Most schools offer the master’s degree in sport management in one year of full time study, and it is quite common for many schools to offer popular alternative schedules as well. Many schools also have a two year option to study the master’s degree on a part-time basis. Depending on the institution, many programs also include preferred placement for internships or work on capstone projects with local professional sports teams. These opportunities can be a great way to leverage existing networks to pursue attractive positions that could potentially be a good fit for you. While these components often add months to your degree experience, the experience and connections they provide is incredibly valuable and well worth the investment of time.

What are the graduation requirements for a master’s degree in sport management?

Program graduation requirements can vary a great deal between different schools, with some programs placing great emphasis on capstone or thesis projects and others focusing on exams and collaborative projects. Generally speaking, most programs require 30-36 credits for a master’s in sport management. Be careful when reviewing programs associated with a business school. At some universities, these are dual degrees where the sport management courses are actually taken outside of the business school, which means more credit hours!

For those who are afraid to commit to a full master’s program, a graduate certificate in sport management might be an intriguing option, usually requiring four core courses (12 credits).

Some students might be looking for an even more in-depth sport management master’s program that will also provide them with a rock solid foundation in advanced business administration. For those students, an MBA in Sport Management program might be an intriguing option. However, keep in mind that many Master’s in Sport Management programs are actually very similar to MBA programs listed on this page, so be sure to focus more on program details than simply the titles.

How much does a master’s in sport management degree program cost?

Tuition for a master’s degree in sports management can vary widely between schools, and programs generally fall within the $20,000 – $55,000 range for a one-year (plus summer/internship) degree.  Of course, if you are considering an on-campus program, you will also need to account for your housing and living expenses for the duration of your program.  Many schools offer financial aid packages for qualifying students, so it is always worth asking about any help that might exist. If you have applied for financial aid, any schools that have accepted you will offer you a financial aid package. In some cases, you may be able to request that they take a second look at your application and ask for more financial aid.

Master’s in Sport Management Degree Concentrations

Since Sport Management covers such a broad area, many students choose to further specialize their degree by pursuing a “concentration” within their graduate degree. Below are a few of the more popular concentrations within Sports Management.

Sports and Business Analytics – The world of sports is evolving quickly toward decisions and strategy that is data-driven. Many sport management programs include some courses, while others offer the chance to add analytics as a concentration area. Before you get cold feet about committing to learning about analytics, remember that it is very different than other kinds of math that might have been challenging for you earlier in your academic career. If you don’t want to commit to learning code programs R or Python, it is still strongly advised for students to get familiar with how analytics work, how to visualize data, and how data is used in decision making about how analytics wor

Sports Law – As very high-profile parts of popular culture, teams, athletes, vendors, and sponsors need the guidance of legal experts on a regular basis. Within the sports law umbrella are partnerships and negotiations–for everything from transportation and logistics to branding and sponsorships. Athletes need legal representation in the form of agents while teams–and the leagues in which they play–must have solid agreements in place to ensure smooth, equitable operations. Sports law is an exciting niche within the sport management world that offers very attractive salaries for those who excel in this area, as well as high level involvement with your favorite teams and leagues.

Sports and Media – Driving the strong, sustained growth of the multibillion-dollar sports industry is a complex media ecosystem involving TV networks, radio stations, podcasts, websites, and print media. There are rewarding opportunities for broadcast media personalities, producers, and technicians; writers, editors, and content creators, marketing professionals, graphic designers, partnership managers, and many more rolls and functions. Product placement, sponsorships, and the many charitable fundraisers supported by sports teams all require precise planning and execution by highly educated and dedicated sports media professionals. Sports Media is where you’ll find the most opportunities within the sports industry, so earning a master’s degree with this concentration is a smart play. In an industry of three to four hour games where the fastest growing area of consumption in the industry is highlights and short form content, there are certainly challenges to be overcome in this area.

Sports and Event Management – Sports and event management focuses on the logistics of hosting major events with tens of thousands of fans and personnel that are at the core of the sports business. Graduates in this concentration will be well prepared to step into significant roles related to planning, promoting and executing major games, tournaments, and other events. From the flow of crowds to the halftime entertainment to risk management, sports event management professionals must know their fanbase and how to make game day a safe, exciting, and smooth experience for all. This concentration will help you develop your ability to lead and manage multiple large teams of staff members, plan meticulously, think on your feet, and keep fans coming back for more. 

Leadership in Sports – For those who plan to reach the top tier of coaching, team management, or athletic direction, leadership in sports is the ideal concentration within sport management. To become a top decision maker who brings out the best in others, you’ll need to set your sights high and equip yourself with the academic foundation of a Master’s Degree tailored to high level management in a collegiate, semi-professional, or professional organization. A leadership in sports concentration will set you apart from the rest of the pack as you pursue your path to the top of a sports organization.

Delivery method – on campus, online, or hybrid

Since the arrival of the global pandemic, delivery of education has changed in signifiant ways. Whereas just a few years ago online degree programs were viewed as inferior alternatives to on-campus programs, that stigma is now a thing of the past. In today’s world, many of the most competitive universities in the country are racing to offer as many online or hybrid master’s programs as possible. This includes sport management master’s programs with requirements that mirror their on campus program offerings, meaning that graduates of either delivery method walk away with the same diploma.

As described above, a key part of the master’s in sport management program experience involves activities outside the classroom like networking, mentoring, and internship opportunities. Even though online programs have improved their ability to deliver these experiences in a remote setting, there is no question that on-campus and hybrid programs are able to deliver these components most effectively – and most consistently – since they have often developed the relationships and connections with their partners over a number of years.

This is not to say that online programs can’t deliver effective networking and internship experiences, because some of them manage to do this quite well. For those who already have access to a professional network to plug into – whether from a previous internship or job – this model can actually work very well, even from a distance. Be sure to ask plenty of questions about what the structure of these internship and networking opportunities looks like, and note how involved successful alumni are with the graduate program. Since those connections can often lead to unique opportunities to get your foot in the door, an engaged alumni network can be an incredibly valuable asset.

Some students find the ability to meet with their professors and their cohort in-person – at least a few times each semester – to be an incredibly valuable part of a master’s program. It is simply impossible to replicate the on-campus learning experience – with discussion-based learning and shared experiences – and how much growth can occur amongst a like-minded cohort. The networking and in-person connections that many universities provide through their sports programs, internships, and mentorship with nearby professional and minor league teams is very unique. While there are other ways to find these opportunities, the ease of which many programs plug into them at some universities is certainly a selling point. The chance to collaborate in-person with other like-minded individuals who share your passion for the sports industry is also an incentive for studying on campus.

However, many working professionals with busy lives would never be able to dedicate a full year to living on campus to get a master’s degree. Since online degrees offer both synchronous and asynchronous studying, they enable students who would normally never have the time to complete their coursework. Recent advances in technology have brought major improvements in the quality of virtual interaction with professors and classmates, meaning there is less of a distinction between the on-campus and virtual experience. And importantly, many online degree programs cost just a fraction of what some of the top-tier schools charge for their master’s in sport management programs.

Careers in Sport Management

In an industry as large as sports, The number of careers within the field of Sport Management is almost endless. While some positions work directly with athletes, many others work either behind the scenes or in the front office. Graduates of Master’s in Sport Management programs have a considerable advantage when it comes to entering the professional world. According to UMass Professor Steve McKelvey…

“If you’re a sports management [graduate], it’s just going to give you the ease of access to the industry, the network and the alumni network, projects and so forth. And all of this, learning within the context of the uniqueness of the sports and sport industry.”

Sports Degrees Online also recently spoke with Dr. Rebecca Achen, Professor of Sport Management at Pacific University. Professor Achen provided some stellar advice for those who are transitioning into the professional world:

“Embrace the idea that life is always about learning. You aren’t going to graduate and magically know all the things you are going to need to know. While you are a student and getting ready to enter the professional realm, it’s important to find journals, websites, podcasts and email lists and join them so you know what is happening in the sports industry. You will be sitting in an interview and they will ask you, “how have you seen the sports teams adapt to the Covid pandemic and how could you implement that our institution?” If you don’t stay up to date on the trends then you’ll struggle to answer that. Embrace the idea of being a lifelong learner now and get into that habit of listening to a weekly journal or podcast as soon as you can.

“In addition, do things that force you out of your comfort zone and aren’t necessarily in your job description. We all struggle to find what we want to do with our lives but it’s a lot easier to find out what you don’t want to do. Stepping outside your comfort zone, volunteering with a different department even if it’s not your particular job responsibility, can help you find your way a little quicker. Whereas if you put your head down and only do what’s asked of you, you may miss out on those opportunities to find more about yourself through those experiences.”

Dr. Rebecca Achen, Pacific University

For more information and resources on potential careers, check out our Sports Management Careers Resource.

Related Sport Management Expert Interviews to Explore:

Sport Management Master’s Degree Program Listings

Sport Management Master’s Program FAQs