The “Sunshine State” has to be one of the best in the country for recreation: golf, tennis, baseball, football, soccer, cycling, beach and water sports, even hockey. You name it, they’ve got it in Florida. Better yet, they’ve got it all year: with winter temps in the 70s and summer temps just slightly warmer, only SoCal rivals Florida for year-round sports and recreation opportunities. The headquarters of the PGA of America, PGA Tour, and WPGA are all located here, and about half of MLB teams have their spring training in Florida. With 2,000 miles of sea coast, thousands of lakes and rivers, and extensive wood and marshlands, Florida is one of the region’s premier destinations for outdoorsmen looking to hunt, fish, camp, and kayak; its Parks Service is a three-time Gold Medal winner, featuring 174 state parks, including Everglades National Park, and 800,000 acres of trails. Further, as the home to some of the country’s largest universities, Florida schools’ athletic programs are among the most competitive in the NCAA. Several have top-notch sports degrees, as well. Check out our favorite locations, universities, and degree programs for sports management below!
Planning Your Education
Currently there are 20 universities in the state of Florida offering online programming in sports management degree fields located throughout the state. while this level of choice and convenience is great, potential students should be counseled to know that there are many potential ways to enter into sports management fields. Many degree types can give students a variety of unique edges on competition, but it’s for students to choose which degree type is the best for entering into a sports management field or role of their choice. For an in-depth treatment of this subject, check out our degrees page. Or if you already know what degree types your interested in, check out our directory of sports management degrees in Florida.
Types of Degrees Surveyed:
- Sports Management
- Coaching Education
- Nutrition
- Recreation Management
- Kinesiology
- Communications and Public Relations
- Physical Education
- Health and Wellness
- Sports Psychology
- Business Administration: Sports Management
Degree Levels Surveyed:
- Associates
- Bachelors
- Masters
- Doctoral Degrees
- Graduate and Undergraduate Certifications
Career Opportunities
Number of Jobs
About 4% of the country’s sports management professionals work in Florida. While many mid- and senior-level positions are likely to remain filled, the state offers excellent opportunities at the entry-level across a wide range of fields, most of which are full-time positions. According to Indeed.com, Orlando, Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville, and Tallahassee currently have the most available openings — each of which have major professional organizations and university athletic programs — but jobs are available throughout the state. Some other areas to look might include sports academies (particularly golf, tennis, and baseball in Florida), country clubs, hospitals, hotels, health and fitness clubs, and sports agencies, to name a few.
Earning Percentiles for Sports Management Professionals in Florida
While the number of sports management jobs has slightly declined in the last few years, mean salary has actually risen 11% since 2006. Mid-level paying positions offer just under $90k per year, while upper-tier salaries pay well into the six-figures, comparing favorably against nationwide numbers for leadership positions in spectator sports (just below $120k). Further, we should consider that Florida ranks 37th in the country for median household income — in other words, low — which makes the state’s relatively high sports management salaries even more impressive, and suggests that those positions are less subject to the wage depressions that might affect other professions in the state.
Need more inspiration to pursue sports management-related opportunities in Florida today? Check out the range of job opportunities below!
Top Sports Management Degree Programs: FL
While there are a variety of top schools offering a range of sports management-related degrees online in Florida, students will first and foremost want to consider the exact degree type they're interested in pursuing. We've chosen out our three "recommended" schools for Florida below, but aspiring students should keep in mind that not each of these universities will necessarily have a program of study that can lead directly to the particular sports management career of your choice. If you're already set on pursuing sports management-related schooling in the state of Florida, we advise you to not only consult out ranking of top schools below, but also peruse our database of all sports management-related programs in Florida below. While there are additional benefits of pursuing an online degree in your own state (in-state tuition, and the ability to take classes or intensives in person), future students should also note that there are many online programs available nationwide, and consult our wide-ranging rankings for the top online sports management schools in the nation.
With that said, there are many top Florida-based programs available entirely online. We've selected our top three through equally weighting two metrics: the number of sports-management related degrees available online through the institution, and the academic prestige of the given institution.
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A Top Public University
| Saint Leo University | St. Leo, FL | Online SM Degrees: 2 | |
 (352) 588-8200 33701 State Road 52, St Leo, FL 33574
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| University of Central Florida | Orlando, FL | Online SM Degrees: 1 | |
 (407) 823-2000 4000 Central Florida Blvd, Orlando, FL 32816
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| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University | Daytona Beach, FL | Online SM Degrees: 1 | |
 (386) 226-6100 600 S Clyde Morris Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32114
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| University of North Florida | Jacksonville, FL | Online SM Degrees: 1 | |
 (904) 620-1000 1 UNF Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32224
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| Florida Atlantic University | Boca Raton, FL | Online SM Degrees: 1 | |
 (561) 297-3000 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton, FL 33431
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| Florida A&M University | Tallahassee, FL | Online SM Degrees: 1 | |
 (850) 599-3000 1601 S Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Tallahassee, FL 32301
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