Have you considered a career in sports marketing? They are among the high-paying roles in the sports industry and you will need a bachelor’s or master’s degree to get into the position. Curated in this blog post is the list of best colleges for sports marketing to help you decide where to earn the degree.
When it is time for higher education, it is often hard and confusing for students to pick a university and this is because there are just so many of them to pick from. And any school you check usually seems suitable so making a decision is difficult. But an easy way to pick a suitable college is to check where the strength of the school lies and see if it matches what you want to study and your career prospect.
For instance, there’s a difference between the liberal arts colleges in Oregon and conservative colleges they both offer excellent academics but they go about it in different ways and methods of teaching. There are also research-intensive universities that are best for students looking to enter tech, engineering, and natural sciences fields.
Using this method to search for schools will reduce your work and help to narrow down your search. It is this same method I have used to curate the best colleges for sports marketing as discussed in this blog post. One of the things I noticed, and as you will also notice, is that the colleges that are ranked best in this field are not even among the top colleges in general but when it comes to sports marketing, they are the best.
To further expand your options on schools that are best in this field, I recently published two articles; one on the best sports management graduate programs for those who have earned a bachelor’s degree and want to earn a master’s in sports management. And the other is on the best schools for sports management where you can find overall best schools from different parts of the world.
Now, sports marketing is a lucrative career with a projected job growth of 10% from 2020 to 2030. It is a broad discipline that involves sports promotion, broadcasting, advertising, social media, ticket sales, digital platforms, and community relations. As a sports marketer, you will be in charge of managing the marketing team and also handling the advertising of a sports company like developing marketing campaigns to engage fans and attracting business sponsors for instance.
Sports marketers can become an agency and offer their services to various sports organizations or work within the advertising department of a sports company. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual average salary of a sports marketer can vary from $119,000 to $128,000 and this can go higher if you get a leadership role. To get a leadership role, you may want to consider getting an MBA degree with a specialization in sports management or general marketing.
With an MBA, you can become a senior marketing manager and earn up to $350,000 per year. It is a highly rewarding career just as I mentioned earlier and there is also room for more growth. The best colleges for sports marketing discussed in this blog post will surely help you kickstart this journey and you can gradually build your way to the top.
Having said that, let’s dive into these schools and see how they operate.
Best Colleges For Sports Marketing
- Western Illinois University
- Ohio University
- United States Sports Academy
- Southern University of New Hampshire
- The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass)
- Troy University
- Georgetown University
- Wayne State College
- Temple University
1. Western Illinois University
This is a public higher institution in Macomb, USA known for its innovative teaching, research, and service. Its academic excellence has earned it a ranking at the 39th position out of 167 regional universities in the Midwest. The school’s strength lies in business, homeland security, law enforcement, management, marketing, and journalism.
Western Illinois University offers two programs related to this field, one of the Master of Science in Sports Management and the other an integrated degree Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in Sports Broadcasting and Sport Management. Students can go for any of the programs and specialize in the marketing aspect and get training that will turn them into professionals in no time.
2. Ohio University
This is a public research university located in Athens, Ohio ranked at #182 out of 443 national universities by the US News & World Report. It is the no.1 best-value university in Ohio and 16th in the US which means that it is not an expensive place to earn a degree. Some of the popular majors the Ohio University include marketing/marketing management, finance, biology, computer engineering, and health sciences.
The school’s strength in marketing is an advantage for those who want to pursue a career in sports marketing and a place for you to consider going to gain strong expertise in the field. Students gain theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience through internships. The program leads to a Bachelor of Sports Management.
3. United States Sports Academy
What better place to get a quality education in sports marketing than at an accredited sports school? the United States Sports Academy is a private university located in Daphne, Alabama, and offers only sports programs for bachelor, master’s, and doctoral degrees.
The academy offers a Bachelor of Sports Science in Sports Management, a Master of Sports Science in Sports Management, and an International Certification in Sports Management. The curriculum of these programs all cover sports marketing and you can choose to major in it.
4. Southern University of New Hampshire
The Southern University of New Hampshire is a private postsecondary institution in the US accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education and one of the world’s fastest-growing universities with over 130,000 online students and 3,000 on campus. It is known for offering quality academics in the areas of business, management, marketing, engineering, psychology, communication, etc.
SNHU offers students an opportunity to become well-grounded sports marketers from the comfort of their homes through its innovative online Bachelor of Science in Sports Management degree. The program is also offered on campus. With its strength in marketing coupled with the sports management degree offered, you will gain cutting-edge skills and expertise as a polished sports marketer.
5. The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass)
UMass is a high-ranking public research university in the United States. It is no.68 for best universities in the US and no.26 for best public universities in the nation. The US News & World Report ranks the school 2nd for best liberal art colleges in the US. It is a prestigious school with a low acceptance rate but with a degree and teaching excellence with global recognition. It is no doubt one of the best places where you can earn a degree in sports marketing.
The university houses a department of sport management that has graduated over 5,000 alumni from different parts of the world. The department offers a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management, Master of Science in Sport Management, MBA/MS Sport Management (dual degree), and Ph.D. in Sport Management. It’s more like there is every degree here to make you a qualified sports manager/marketer.
6. Troy University
Troy University is a public university in Alabama and one of the best colleges for sports marketing. It ranks 44th out of 136 regional universities south of the US News & World Report and is known for its innovation in offering on-campus and online academic programs in servicing traditional, nontraditional, and military students.
One of the specializations of Troy University is marketing and it offers a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management. You can combine both programs and major in sports marketing, this will give you the skill of a sports manager and also a sports marketer thereby exposing you to more than one opportunity within the sports industry.
7. Georgetown University
If you are looking to gain professional skills in the global sports industry in a flexible format, then Georgetown University is the best for you. Here, you can pursue an online Master’s in Sports Industry Management degree from the comfort of your home wherever you are in the world. The program covers sports business & finance, sports leadership & management, social responsibility & globalization in sports, and strategic sports marketing.
You must have earned a bachelor’s degree before you can qualify for this program and if you want to land the role of a senior sports marketer, it’s best your bachelor’s degree is in marketing. The program is also available on-campus and you can enroll as a full-time or part-time student.
8. Wayne State College
Wayne State College is one of the best colleges for sports marketing. It ranks 95th out of 167 regional universities Midwest by the US News & World Report. It is famous for its friendly atmosphere, affordability, academic excellence, and successful graduates. Academic programs here are bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees as well as other certificates, specialist, and professional programs.
Here at Wayne State College, you can pursue either a BS or BA in sport management and concentrate on the marketing aspect to become a professional sports marketer upon graduation. Its sports management program ranked 4th in the US from 2018 to 2019.
9. Temple University
And lastly, we have Temple University among the best colleges for sports marketing. It is a prestigious college in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is famous for its excellence in marketing/marketing management, finance, accounting, advertising, radio and television, and psychology. The university is specialized in all you need to become a well-grounded sports marketer.
Housed within Temple University is the School of Sport, Tourism, and Hospitality partly dedicated to equipping students with theoretical knowledge and practical skills in sports management and marketing. Students who want to pursue an education in sports here can either earn a Bachelor of Science in Sport and Recreation Management, a Master of Science in Sports Business, or a Certificate in Sport Management.
These are the 9 best colleges for sports marketing where you can earn a widely recognized degree and a well-grounded education in the field capable to work with any organization or build a successful sports marketing agency.