Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Sports broadcaster education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a sports broadcaster. Sports broadcasters usually study communication, journalism, or kinesiology. 82% of sports broadcasters hold a bachelor's degree, and 10% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 493 real sports broadcaster resumes to see exactly what sports broadcaster education sections show.
The most common colleges for sports broadcasters are the West Virginia University and the West Virginia University.
There are also many online sports broadcaster courses to help get the education required to be a sports broadcaster.
What education do you need to become a sports broadcaster?
What degree do you need to be a sports broadcaster?
- Bachelor's, 82%
- Associate, 10%
- Master's, 4%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a sports broadcaster?
- Communication, 33%
- Journalism, 19%
- Kinesiology, 8%
- Business, 7%
- Other Majors, 33%
Most common colleges for sports broadcasters
| Sports broadcaster common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| West Virginia University | 7.81% |
| Rowan University | 6.25% |
| University of Rhode Island | 6.25% |
| University of Pittsburgh | 6.25% |
| Illinois State University | 4.69% |
Best majors for sports broadcasters
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Communication | 32.8% |
| 2 | Journalism | 18.8% |
| 3 | Kinesiology | 8.1% |
| 4 | Business | 7.4% |
| 5 | Liberal Arts | 3.3% |
Best colleges for sports broadcasters
The best colleges for sports broadcasters are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and Stanford University.
A sports broadcaster with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for sports broadcasters. 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 sports broadcasters.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
3. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
6. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
7. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
8. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
9. SUNY College at Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,369
Enrollment
5,229
10. SUNY College at Oswego
Oswego, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,440
Enrollment
7,039
20 best online courses for sports broadcasters
Advertising disclosure
1. Sports Performance Analytics
Sports analytics has emerged as a field of research with increasing popularity propelled, in part, by the real-world success illustrated by the best-selling book and motion picture, Moneyball. Analysis of team and player performance data has continued to revolutionize the sports industry on the field, court, and ice as well as in living rooms among fantasy sports players and online sports gambling.\n\nDrawing from real data sets in Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball...
2. Sports Turf Management: Best Practices
The Sports Turf Management: Best Practices course will cover the construction, management, and challenges in maintaining athletic fields intended for football, soccer, and baseball. You will learn the fundamental management practices for maintaining athletic fields, such as fertilization, irrigation, mowing, and pest control. An overview of athletic field construction, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of native soil versus modified soil fields, will be provided. Lastly, you will...
3. Sport Psychology for Athletes
Master the fundamentals of sport psychology to improve performance and gain a mental edge...
4. Introductory Sport Psychology
Developing sport psychology skills that you can use when you train, compete or coach...
5. Sports Marketing
Today, there is demand for people skilled in Sports Marketing. Organizations want your expertise to strength and grow customer bases and teams want to enlarge their fan base, attract new sponsors to their sport, build strong programs with existing sponsors, and run their fan conventions and other events. In addition, a wide range of companies recognize the value sports relationships have in positioning and building their brands. In this Sports Marketing MOOC, you will learn: — Ticket pricing...
6. Prediction Models with Sports Data
In this course the learner will be shown how to generate forecasts of game results in professional sports using Python. The main emphasis of the course is on teaching the method of logistic regression as a way of modeling game results, using data on team expenditures. The learner is taken through the process of modeling past results, and then using the model to forecast the outcome games not yet played. The course will show the learner how to evaluate the reliability of a model using data on...
7. Applied Sport Psychology and Leadership in Sport Certificate
Enhance your knowledge of sport psychology from an athlete or coach perspective with this comprehensive applied course...
8. Internationally Accredited Diploma in Sports Nutrition
Learn About The Fundamentals Of Sport Nutrition Science And How To Fuel Your Athlete Client...
9. Activism in Sports and Culture
Sports have become an ever-present reflection of American culture, and an important symbol of the divisions and alliances in our society. Sports and political change walk hand in hand in America. The way that athletes and institutions deal with questions of race, economic hardship, nationalism, and political ties have become central to the way that we understand ourselves and our society. And yet, there are those who would prefer their sports free of controversy and opinion. Dedicated athletes,...
10. Exploring NCAA Data with BigQuery
This is a self-paced lab that takes place in the Google Cloud console. Use BigQuery to explore the NCAA dataset of basketball games, teams, and players. The data covers plays from 2009 and scores from 1996. Watch <A HREF="https://youtu.be/xDZjcfMm-t8">How the NCAA is using Google Cloud to tap into decades of sports data</A>...
11. Sports Nutrition for Athletes and Fitness Enthusiasts
Learn all about sports nutrition with 7 hours of online video content and start training SMARTER instead of HARDER...
12. Sports Management: The Essentials Course
A Comprehensive Overview at How the Sports Industry Operates and the Challenges Facing the Modern Sports Industry Today...
13. How to do a live broadcast on Facebook
Learn how to run a live broadcast on Facebook...
14. Data Analytics in Sports Law and Management
Athletes, lawyers and team executive experts provide insight in how law and regulations intersect with data analytics and sports management techniques for best practices in the sports industry. Several courses provide the basis for how data analytics function within player evaluation, team performance, and roster management. The specialization introduces various regulatory, managerial and legal frameworks that includes athlete representation, facilities, and event management and conclude with...
15. Sports Massage: The Technique Masterclass
Learn the most effective sports massage techniques for the entire body (2 CEUs)...
16. Become a Professional Football (Soccer) Coach
The Complete Guide on how to become a Professional Football (Soccer) Coach...
17. Ashiatsu or Shiatsu Barefoot Sports Massage Therapy
Let your feet do the work for you!...
18. Sports Massage: Muscle Energy Technique Certificate Course
Grow your practice by learning sports massage the power of muscle energy techniques (2 CEUs)...
19. Sports Massage: Positional Release Certificate Course
Learn Sports Massage Positional Release Techniques to produce profound pain relief and improve bodily function (2 CEUs)...
20. The Ultimate Soccer Guide Play Like A Pro Soccer Player
Learn how to drastically improve your soccer skills, fitness, confidence, and game intelligence FASTER than ever before...
Top 10 most affordable universities for sports broadcasters
The most affordable schools for sports broadcasters are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for sports broadcasters 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 sports broadcasters.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
5. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
6. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
7. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
8. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
10. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for sports broadcasters
The hardest universities for sports broadcasters to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for sports broadcasters 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 sports broadcasters 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. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL • Private
Admissions rate
32%
SAT average
1,365
8. Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA • Private
Admissions rate
36%
SAT average
1,330
9. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,449
10. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for sports broadcasters
The easiest schools for sports broadcasters to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and holy names university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a sports broadcaster 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 sports broadcasters.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
3. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
4. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
5. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
6. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
7. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
8. Rochester University
Rochester Hills, MI • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,002
9. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
10. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
Average sports broadcaster salary by education level
| Sports broadcaster education level | Sports broadcaster salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $31,685 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $41,817 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $34,397 |
Sports broadcaster education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common arts, entertainment, sports, and media questions.
Search for sports broadcaster jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025