Sports coach
Sports coaches help people improve their performance and enjoyment in a sport, from beginners and school teams to professional athletes.
What can you do with a sports science degree?
Also called: Sport and exercise science · Kinesiology · Exercise science · Human movement science
Updated How we use data
Quick answer
A sports science degree studies how the body performs and responds to exercise, and how psychology, nutrition and coaching affect performance and health. It combines laboratory work with practical sessions. Graduates become sports coaches, fitness and conditioning specialists and physical education teachers, and with further training they can become physiotherapists, dietitians or paramedics.
Careers with a sports science degree
Sports science graduates work in sport, fitness, health and education. Some become sports coaches, strength and conditioning coaches or performance analysts with clubs, schools and sports organisations. Many train as physical education teachers in secondary schools. Others use the degree as a starting point for health professions, taking further study to become physiotherapists, dietitians or paramedics. There are also roles in health promotion, sports development and research. Jobs in elite sport are few and competitive, so many graduates build careers in community sport and health.
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Physiotherapist
Physiotherapists help people move better, manage pain and recover from injury, illness, surgery or disability, using exercise, hands-on treatment and advice.
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Dietitian
Dietitians use the science of nutrition to assess and treat diet-related health problems and help people eat well.
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Secondary school teacher
Secondary school teachers teach one or two subjects to students aged about eleven or twelve to eighteen and prepare them for national exams.
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Paramedic
Paramedics respond to emergency calls, assess patients at the scene, give urgent treatment and take them safely to hospital when needed.
Other roles graduates go into: Performance analyst · Personal trainer · Strength and conditioning coach · Sports development officer · Exercise physiologist · Fitness centre manager
What you study and the skills you gain
Typical topics
- Exercise physiology
- Biomechanics and movement analysis
- Sport and exercise psychology
- Sports nutrition
- Coaching and skill development
- Strength and conditioning
- Exercise for health and rehabilitation
- Research methods and data analysis
Skills you gain
- Measuring and analysing physical performance
- Designing training and exercise programmes
- Using laboratory and fitness testing equipment
- Coaching and motivating individuals and groups
- Interpreting scientific research
- Communicating health advice clearly
How the degree differs around the world
This subject has different names around the world, including sport and exercise science, kinesiology and human movement science. In the UK and much of Europe, a bachelor's degree usually takes three years, while in the United States, Canada and some other countries it usually takes four years. Some programmes focus on laboratory science, others on coaching, physical education or health. The degree is not usually a licensed qualification on its own, although some programmes are accredited by professional bodies. Routes into teaching, physiotherapy or clinical exercise work need further approved training.
How do sports science graduates do?
Earnings and employment by country
The OECD compares graduates by field of study. This subject falls under “Services”. The first column compares the median earnings of tertiary-educated adults in this field with all tertiary-educated adults (100 = average).
| Country | Earnings index (all graduates = 100) | Employment rate, this field | Employment rate, all graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | 100 (2023) | 93.2% (2024) | 89.3% |
| Romania | 96 (2023) | 85.9% (2024) | 91.5% |
| Sweden | 92 (2023) | 87.7% (2024) | 89.6% |
| Estonia | 90 (2023) | 88.7% (2024) | 89.2% |
| Slovenia | 87 (2020) | 89.8% (2024) | 90.8% |
| Finland | 87 (2022) | 88.9% (2024) | 88.8% |
| Denmark | 87 (2023) | 86.3% (2021) | 87.8% |
| Canada | 86 (2020) | 77.2% (2021) | 80.4% |
| Australia | 85 (2020) | 89.9% (2024) | 88.4% |
| Luxembourg | 85 (2023) | 83.8% (2024) | 85.7% |
| United Kingdom | 84 (2020) | 88.1% (2021) | 84.6% |
| Mexico | 84 (2023) | 79.1% (2024) | 81.5% |
| Latvia | 83 (2023) | 83.8% (2024) | 87.7% |
| South Korea | 82 (2023) | — | — |
| United States | 79 (2023) | 84.9% (2017) | 84.3% |
| Switzerland | 78 (2023) | 87.6% (2024) | 89.5% |
| Costa Rica | 77 (2023) | 80.5% (2024) | 79.2% |
| Portugal | 75 (2020) | 90.8% (2024) | 90.7% |
| Austria | 71 (2023) | 85.3% (2024) | 86.4% |
| Chile | 63 (2023) | 83.6% (2022) | 85.7% |
| Netherlands | — | 92.0% (2024) | 90.6% |
| Iceland | — | 91.2% (2016) | 93.6% |
| Poland | — | 90.2% (2024) | 91.6% |
| Belgium | — | 88.3% (2024) | 88.5% |
| Slovakia | — | 88.3% (2024) | 90.5% |
| France | — | 88.0% (2024) | 87.3% |
| Czechia | — | 87.9% (2024) | 88.4% |
| Germany | — | 87.2% (2024) | 88.7% |
| Lithuania | — | 86.6% (2024) | 90.4% |
| Croatia | — | 85.6% (2024) | 89.7% |
| Ireland | — | 85.3% (2021) | 86.9% |
| Spain | — | 81.3% (2024) | 83.9% |
| Peru | — | 79.6% (2024) | 81.7% |
| Italy | — | 79.4% (2024) | 84.7% |
| Greece | — | 72.7% (2024) | 82.3% |
| Türkiye | — | 71.0% (2016) | 72.9% |
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance. Adults aged 25–64 with tertiary education; latest year available, full-time earners where published. Values are for the whole field of study, not this subject alone.
Graduate earnings in the UK
The UK government links tax records to university records to measure what graduates earn. These figures are for “Sport and exercise sciences” first-degree graduates who were employed in the 2023–24 tax year.
| Time since graduating | Median | Lower quartile | Upper quartile | In work or study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| After 1 year | £22,000 | £16,500 | £26,400 | 91.6% |
| After 3 years | £27,100 | £22,000 | £31,500 | 91.0% |
| After 5 years | £30,700 | £24,900 | £36,600 | 91.0% |
| After 10 years | £37,300 | £27,800 | £47,600 | 89.1% |
Source: UK Department for Education, Graduate labour market outcomes (LEO), tax year 2023–24. Earnings are annual and include only graduates in sustained employment.
Is a sports science degree right for you?
It may suit you if
- You love sport or exercise and want to understand the science behind performance.
- You enjoy a mix of laboratory work, practical sessions and working with people.
- You like the idea of helping people become healthier or perform better.
Think twice if
- You expect to work with professional athletes, as these jobs are few and very competitive.
- You dislike biology, chemistry or statistics, which are part of most programmes.
- You want a direct route into a regulated health profession, as a physiotherapy or dietetics degree may suit you better.
Further study
Many graduates take further study to specialise. A master's degree is common for roles in strength and conditioning, sports nutrition, sport psychology and performance analysis. Some take accelerated master's degrees to qualify as physiotherapists or dietitians, or a teaching qualification to teach physical education. Coaching awards from sports governing bodies are also valuable, and a PhD leads to research and university teaching.
Questions about studying sports science
What jobs can you get with a sports science degree?
Graduates work as sports coaches, strength and conditioning coaches, performance analysts, personal trainers, sports development officers and physical education teachers. With further study, many move into health careers such as physiotherapist, dietitian or paramedic. Others work in health promotion, fitness management, sports media or research.
Can I become a physiotherapist with a sports science degree?
Yes, but not directly, because sports science does not qualify you to register as a physiotherapist. In countries such as the UK and Australia, you can take an accelerated master's in physiotherapy after a sports science degree. In the United States and Canada, physiotherapy is only taught after a first degree, and sports science or kinesiology is a common preparation.
Is sports science a good degree?
It can be, especially if you plan your next steps. The degree teaches useful science, data and coaching skills, and there is growing interest in exercise for health. However, jobs in professional sport are limited, and many graduates need further qualifications or experience to reach their chosen career. Coaching, volunteering and work placements during the degree make a big difference.
What is the difference between sports science and kinesiology?
They are closely related. Kinesiology is the usual name in the United States and Canada for the study of human movement, while sports science or sport and exercise science is more common in the UK, Europe and Australia. Both cover physiology, biomechanics and the psychology of movement, although kinesiology programmes often include more on health and rehabilitation.
Related subjects
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Physiotherapy
A physiotherapy degree trains you to help people move, recover and manage pain after injury, illness or surgery, using exercise, hands-on treatment and advice.
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Biology
A biology degree teaches how living things work, from molecules and cells to whole organisms and ecosystems.
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Psychology
A psychology degree is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour: how people think, feel, learn, develop and relate to each other.
Sources
- OECD — Education at a Glance, labour-market outcomes — Earnings and employment by field of study, adults 25–64
- UK Department for Education — Graduate labour market outcomes (LEO) — CAH CAH03-02-01 — Sport and exercise sciences
- UNESCO — ISCED-F 2013 — ISCED-F 1014
How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). What can you do with a sports science degree? Jobs and salaries. https://coursetojob.com/subjects/sports-science/ (accessed September 26, 2026)