The 38th largest state in the country, the “Hoosier State” is called that for a reason: basketball reigns supreme here — from Bobby Knight to Reggie Miller — and will continue that way, barring some cultural tectonic shift. That said, Indianans don’t limit themselves to basketball alone. There’s Notre Dame football, Indianapolis Colts football, the Indianapolis 500, Nascar and Formula One racing, and much, much more. The NCAA headquarters is here, and high school athletics are an annual public draw. For the outdoors enthusiast, consider this: 28 state parks, 15 state forests, and 15 state wildlife areas; plus Hoosier National Forest, George Rogers Clark National Historical Park, and Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge, among others. So whether you’re bunkered in for a cold winter or enjoying warm summer afternoons, Indiana sports remain a year-round affair, making it a great spot for anyone interested in sports-related careers. For a review of some of the top sports management degrees available in-state, check out our favorite locations, universities, and degree programs below!
Planning Your Education
Currently there are 8 universities in the state of Indiana 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 Indiana.
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
With about 7,800 sports management professionals, Indiana makes up 2% of the sector’s national workforce. Most available positions are full-time, but part-time, commission, contract, temp, and internship roles are also available for those interested. Predictably, Indianapolis is the main employer, followed by Fort Wayne, Carmel, Evansville, Avon, Lafayette, Terre Haute, and South Bend, according to Indeed.com. The Colts (NFL) and Pacers (NBA) are Indiana’s major professional franchises, but more than a dozen other minor league organizations are based in the state, plus a significant auto racing presence, buoyed by the famous Indy 500 Race. Still, Indiana remains best known for its storied collegiate programs, particularly at Notre Dame and Indiana University — each of which have inspired two of the most famous sports films of all time, “Rudy” and “Hoosiers.” What’s more, Indianapolis is home to the NCAA headquarters, which oversees 450,000 student-athletes per year.
Earning Percentiles for Sports Management Professionals in Indiana
Indiana ranks 35th in the country for median household income, and sports management salaries seem to fall in that trend, generally lower than many other states’ scales. For comparison, the mean salary for spectator sports nationwide is $117,000; even Indiana’s 90th percentile for sports management only earns about $108k per year; it’s 50th percentile earns about $58k. That said, there are several reasons for optimism. First, salaries have risen as much as 8% in recent years. Second, sports management workers are still making, on average, $20k more than other professions offer, and Indiana is much more affordable compared to major sports states like New York, California, and Illinois. Considering the wealth of top-tier higher ed centers in the area, offering a variety of undergraduate and graduate degrees in the field, plus a range of potential employers, Indiana represents a solid opportunity for aspiring sports management professionals.
Need more inspiration to pursue sports management-related opportunities in Indiana today? Check out the range of job opportunities below!
Top Sports Management Degree Programs: IN
While there are a variety of top schools offering a range of sports management-related degrees online in Indiana, 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 Indiana 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 Indiana, 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 Indiana 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 Indiana-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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IN Sports Management Degree Database
| Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis | Indianapolis, IN | Online SM Degrees:5 | |
 ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (317) 274-5555 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
GRADUATE DEGREES
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5th-ranked "Up and Coming" school
| Ball State University | Muncie, IN | Online SM Degrees:1 | |
 ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (765) 289-1241
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| Ottawa University Jeffersonville | Jeffersonville, IN | Online SM Degrees:1 | |
 ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (812) 280-7269
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| Indiana Institute of Technology | Fort Wayne, IN | Online SM Degrees:1 | |
 ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (260) 422-5561
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| Indiana University East | Richmond, IN | Online SM Degrees:1 | |
 ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (765) 973-8200
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| University of Southern Indiana | Evansville, IN | Online SM Degrees:1 | |
 ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (812) 464-8600
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