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Athletic instructor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an athletic instructor. Athletic instructors usually study kinesiology, psychology, or business. 73% of athletic instructors hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 219 real athletic instructor resumes to see exactly what athletic instructor education sections show.
The most common colleges for athletic instructors are the University of Toledo and the University of Toledo.
There are also many online athletic instructor courses to help get the education required to be an athletic instructor.
What education do you need to become an athletic instructor?
What degree do you need to be an athletic instructor?
- Bachelor's, 73%
- Associate, 13%
- Master's, 6%
- High School Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become an athletic instructor?
- Kinesiology, 16%
- Psychology, 12%
- Business, 12%
- Communication, 8%
- Other Majors, 52%
Most common colleges for athletic instructors
| Athletic instructor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Toledo | 11.11% |
| Illinois State University | 8.33% |
| American University | 8.33% |
| Manhattan College | 5.56% |
| Graceland University | 5.56% |
Best majors for athletic instructors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kinesiology | 15.5% |
| 2 | Psychology | 11.7% |
| 3 | Business | 11.7% |
| 4 | Communication | 7.8% |
| 5 | Criminal Justice | 5.8% |
Best colleges for athletic instructors
The best colleges for athletic instructors are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and University of Southern California.
An athletic instructor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for athletic instructors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become athletic instructors.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
7. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
8. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
9. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
20 best online courses for athletic instructors
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Top 10 most affordable universities for athletic instructors
The most affordable schools for athletic instructors are California State University - Bakersfield, baruch college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for athletic instructors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for athletic instructors.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
2. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
8. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
9. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
10. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for athletic instructors
The hardest universities for athletic instructors to get into are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for athletic instructors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for athletic instructors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
8. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
9. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
26%
SAT average
1,427
10. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for athletic instructors
The easiest schools for athletic instructors to get into are Wayland Baptist University, barry university, and felician university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an athletic instructor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for athletic instructors.
1. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
4. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
5. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
6. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
7. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
8. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
9. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
10. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
Average athletic instructor salary by education level
| Athletic instructor education level | Athletic instructor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $52,076 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $38,633 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $52,617 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $42,170 |
Athletic instructor education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025