Sport Management Career Opportunities

EKU Online > Bachelor of Science in Sport Management > Sport Management Career Opportunities

Turn Your Passion for Sports into a Rewarding Career

Careers in sports management are unlimited and will encompass a wide variety of interests, passions and career goals. The discipline is broken into three segments:

  • Sport Entertainment
  • Sport Product
  • Sport Support Organizations

This program will prepare students in a unique way for a career in the rapidly changing arena of sport.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of entertainment and sports occupations is projected to grow 13 percent through 2031, faster than the average for all occupations.  Strong demand from the public for entertainment, as well as the increasing popularity of sports, will contribute to job growth for  entertainment and sports occupations. The median annual wage for entertainment and sports occupations was $49,470 in May 2021, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations.

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Increase earnings and advancement opportunities

Career Success Starts with a College Degree

Regardless of U.S. labor market conditions one constant holds true: Education boosts earnings and reduces unemployment.

According to the Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities (APLU) the earnings gap between college graduates and those with less education continues to widen. In 2021, median income for recent graduates reached $52,000 a year for bachelor’s degree holders aged 22–27. For high school graduates the same age, median earnings were $30,000 a year.

Those with a bachelor’s degree earn, on average, 75% more over the course of their lifetime.* In addition to increased earning potential, a bachelor’s degree can provide opportunities for promotion or entry into a new career.

*Georgetown University Center on Education and Workforce

People with a bachelor’s degree earn on average

+0%
more over their lifetime than those with only a high school diploma

Popular Sport Management Careers

Athletic Director

Local Estimated Base Salary
$73,544/year
updated April 2023
Organizations for Athletic Directors in Kentucky
Holy Cross High School
$65,000
Midway University
$53,200
Northern Kentucky University
$49,100

Sport Center Manager

Local Estimated Base Salary
$35,917/year
updated April 2023
Organizations for Sports Center Managers in Kentucky
Louisville Metro Government
$53, 768
Round one Entertainment
$46,059
The Sports & Social Club
$36,700

Event Coordinator

Local Estimated Base Salary
$42,316/year
updated April 2023
Organizations for Event Coordinators in Kentucky
DISYS
$89,488
First Service Residential
$62,943
Hyatt
$59,773

*Local job opportunities data is based on estimated base pay and figures from Indeed.com.

Industry Employment Opportunities Include

  • Game day coordinators
  • Athletic administrator
  • Event coordinator
  • Sports marketing
  • Facility operations manager
  • Financial and contract analyst
  • Guest relations manager
  • Corporate partnerships manager
  • Training manager

EKU Communication Program in the Workforce

Where Have EKU Sport Management Graduates Worked?
  • Chicago Blackhawks
  • Worldwide Cyclery
Choose a Program with a focus on Best Practices

Sport management education experts agree that students in the best programs complement their sport management classes with business courses. In addition, sport management programs should offer classes  focusing on sports’ societal impacts, ethics, finance, marketing, communications, governance and policy, legal aspects, and some form of a research class in a capstone. Most programs also include an internship and some type of practical learning component. EKU’s sport management program follows all of these curriculum best practices to ensure our students are well prepared to enter the field.

EKU Online Career Services

Career planning is tough, but with EKU you don’t have to tackle the process alone.

The EKU Office of Academic and Career Services is a one-stop shop for all of your career and professional development needs. We offer a variety of services to current online EKU students and alumni to help you with your career development, decision-making and job search.

Services include:

  • Creating/Updating Your Resume and Cover Letter
  • Interviewing Tips and Coaching
  • Career Documents Review
  • Job Search
  • “I can confidently say that — as someone who doesn’t even live in the United States — EKU’s online program has been extremely accommodating and flexible. I can discuss advising appointments over email, and I can have my textbooks shipped to my address overseas.” – Sydney Garner Lewis
  • “After the birth of our first child, I knew I needed to go back and finish what I started,” said McKenzie. “I was happy that I could pick up where I left off at EKU even though I lived in a different state.” – EKU Online student and mom
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