Top 10 Sports Management Schools in the Midwest that Offer Undergraduate Degree Programs?
Looking for sports management degrees in the Midwest? Let’s find you some of the best ones.
A sports management degree in the Midwest can be the right start for a long career in sports management. When you talk about sports management, it’s essential to understand that it has vast career possibilities. Out of the many sports administration jobs,
Sports managers only make up about 9.9% of them. That means there are 90.01% of other various possibilities that include:
- Coaches and scouts;
- Sports management teams;
- Sports marketing teams;
- Broadcasting and journalism;
- And facilities and turf management.
That’s why it’s important to find the best colleges for sports management in the Midwest. Not only to start your career off on the right foot but to understand key intricacies in every sports department. Moreover, you’ll get to know which are the best degree programs that you want to pursue to match your aspirations.
So, let’s get started and find some of the top undergraduate sports management programs in the Midwest.
Three Tips to Select the Right Sports Management Schools for Your Undergraduate Degree
Often high school students think selecting a business college is just a matter of selecting the nearest sports management school near you. While that is a good starting point, there are many other things to consider before you reach the right choice.
First off, research and more research about the type of subjects you want to select and the type of college you want to study in. With the Internet at your disposal, finding the right school for a sports management undergraduate program is not difficult.
Second, if you live somewhere in the Midwest, the choice is easier because the states are within traveling distance and accessible. However, don’t cross off out of the Midwest options. Sometimes online sports management degree programs are as good as on campus depending on the subject you want to take.
Last, find the cost associated with pursuing your undergraduate degree. Consider the cost of attending 3-4 years of an undergraduate degree program. Cost of living, commute and accommodation if you are not in your town.
Apart from the above, it is also prudent to know whether you are going for a profession that needs physical presence or an in-office job. This means attending regular on-ground training, events, and practical exams. In such a case, selecting a sports management school near you is an obvious choice.
Top 10 Sports Management Schools in The Midwest for Undergraduate Programs
Now that intricacies are out of the way let’s dive right into it and talk about the top 10 sports management programs
1. University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, Michigan
University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is one of the top Universities in the state. This Midwest university has many great programs, and one of them is the sports program called:
The B.A. in Sports Management degree offers great leniency and prepares you for administration and management challenges in sports as a business. That’s why it has courses like
- Sports Economics and Public Policy
- Sports Marketing Analytics
- Sport Tourism
Thus, it’s one of the best sports management colleges in Michigan that offers a great undergraduate sports program.
2. Ohio University – Athens, Ohio
Ohio University is perhaps the jewel of Ohio when it comes to educational institutes. That’s because it offers amazing undergraduate programs, and one of them falls under the sports category:
The Bachelor of Sport Management is the best program to learn how to handle sports as a business. You can tell that by its curriculum that focuses on the following:
- Sports Data Strategy and Innovation
- Spots Ticket Sales and Revenue Streams
- And Sports Facility and Event Management
That’s why it’s one of the best programs for learning how to handle sports as a business.
3. University of Iowa – Iowa City, Iowa
The University of Iowa is one of the leading universities in the state of Iowa. And this is hands down the best option for sports management school in Iowa for anyone looking to find a sports management undergrad degree in Iowa. That’s because the course they get here is:
The B.S. In Sports and Recreation Management is a Bachelor of Science degree that focuses on teaching sports as a business and growing sports organizations. That’s why the courses here look like this:
- Contemporary Issues in Sports
- Managerial Operations in Sport and Recreation
- Communications and Public Relations in Sport
This is why it’s one of the sports management colleges in Iowa, as it has a solid program for undergrad students.
4. University of Minnesota – Minneapolis, Minnesota
The University of Minnesota is another great option and perhaps the best university in Minnesota today. This Minneapolis-based institution has one of the most popular sports degree programs in called:
The B.S. Sports Management focuses largely on the management and administration aspects of sports. That’s why the courses look like this:
- Directed Study in Sport Management
- Sport Law
- Sport Marketing
- Ethics and Values in Sport
That means the students who hold this degree can become athlete managers, sports team directors, turf managers, etc., and that’s why it’s one of the leading sports management degrees in Minnesota today.
5. University of Louisville – Louisville, Kentucky
The University of Louisville is one of the top institutions of the beautiful Kentucky. It has outstanding undergraduate courses, and one of them belongs in the sports management category:
The B.S. in Sports Administration focuses on administrating sports as a business. This degree also gives you the option to take it online, and it focuses on courses such as:
- Sport Marketing
- Sport Governance
- Sociology of Sport
- Sport Management and Leadership
And that’s why it’s another great program in the Midwest for sports management.
6. University of Kansas – Lawrence, Kansas
The University of Kansas offers some of the top undergrad sports management degrees in the Midwest. There’s no wonder that their sports bachelor program stands out, and it’s called:
This Bachelor in Sports Management program is great because of an all-inclusive curriculum that includes:
- Sport Facilities and Event Management
- Sports Finance and Economics
- Sport Communication
- Sport Marketing
Thus, another great program for those near Kansas.
7. Concordia University Chicago – River Forest, Illinois
Concordia University Chicago is one of the leading educational institutes in Illinois. So, it’s no surprise it has the top sports undergrad degree in the Midwest called:
Now, students can opt for either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management. However, both programs focus on the following:
- Business Law
- Accounting
- Management
- Marketing
That’s why they’re ideal for learning sports as a business and heading towards careers in sports, such as promoters, managers, etc.
8. Indiana State University – Terre Haute, Indiana
Indiana State University is the leading university in beautiful Indiana. But it’s the programs here that make it a haven for undergrad students—and that’s because of the Midwest undergraduate university program for sports management like this:
The Bachelor of Science in Sports Management focuses on key management topics in sports with a curriculum that offers:
- Foundations of Sport Management
- Technology in Sport Industry
- Contemporary Issues in Sport
As you can see, it focuses on managing sports, marketing, and finding the resolve to common issues. Thus, making it yet another great sports management undergrad program in the Midwest.
9. Missouri Baptist University – St. Louis, Missouri
Missouri Baptist University is one of the top-ranked universities in the U.S.—and the best option for undergraduate options in the Ozark State. And the sports program here is called:
The Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management leads the way for students who wish to become involved in sports organization management, marketing, broadcasting, etc. And that is because of courses like this:
- Sport Facility Management
- Sport Marketing
- Governance and Leadership in Sport
These courses indicate the path that this degree can lead students on and should attract those who wish to be managers or marketers in sports.
10. University of Wisconsin-Parkside – Somers, Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin in Parkside has one of the best sports programs in the Midwest as well as all of the United States. That’s why their undergrad degree stands out?
The B.S In Sports Management makes this institute one of the top sports management schools in Wisconsin. That’s because the program has all the key essentials for understanding sports as a business, including:
- Ethics and Issues in Sport Management
- Legal Issues in Sport Management
- Sport Business and Finance
- Sports Sales and Customer Service
And that’s why it’s one of the best sports programs in all of the U.S.—not just the Midwest.
3 Reasons To Choose Sports Management Programs
There are many great reasons to pick a sports management undergrad program in the Midwest. But to keep things simple, you can narrow it down to a few major reasons a lot of people head into these programs. Here are three of those reasons:
- Dive into your passion: If you love sports, then a sports management degree allows you to combine your passion with a career path, making your work more enjoyable.
- Versatile career options: Sports management programs open doors to various career opportunities in the sports industry, and that includes sports marketing as well as event management, and general sports administration.
- Industry-specific knowledge: These programs provide specialized knowledge in areas such as sports coaching or broadcasting. And some degrees also provide sports law rules to give you a competitive edge in the sports industry.
That’s why choosing a sports degree program is a good idea but also a lucrative and wise decision in terms of career longevity.
Sports Management Jobs and Salaries In The Midwest
Sports management is prevalent in the Midwest because of a lot of sports opportunities. Chicago Cubs, Minnesota Vikings, Michigan Wolverines Football, etc., are all some of the top sports teams in the Midwest.
However, as prevalent as it is, some of the states in the Midwest are ahead of others. For instance, Arkansas is the highest-paying Midwest state in terms of the annual mean wage for sports jobs—at $72.000 per year. Whereas Indiana is the highest in terms of job location quotient, with around 1.24.
Now, in the United States, the job outlook for sports management is increasing as we speak. BLS suggests that in the USA, around 13% of new job opportunities will arise. In other words, around 9500 new jobs each year.
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
That’s why Midwest might just be the best place to get started in sports management today.
Conclusion
These are the top-rated sports management universities in the Midwest that offer some of the best undergraduate programs that you can find today. That’s why it’s important to find the one nearest to you or the one that’s most affordable out of all of these choices.
All university logos from: Wikipedia
Feature image: Unsplash.om
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