What can you do with a Kinesiology and Exercise Science degree from San Diego State University?

First, some facts. Of the Kinesiology and Exercise Science graduates from San Diego State University we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:


These are estimates based on AI analysis of 21 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Slightly below average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 62%, Kinesiology and Exercise Science graduates from San Diego State University have a slightly lower likelihood (-5%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 62%
Average relevance score across all fields: 67%

And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.

× Chart

Also, after graduating, 42% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests you may need more than just a Bachelors degree to be competitive as a Kinesiology and Exercise Science graduate.

See the details:

View a random Kinesiology and Exercise Science graduate from San Diego State University and our analysis:


Relevance score: 100%

We think this person has gone into a career highly relevant to their degree.

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2021 from San Diego State University with a Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science. Also pursued further education since (see below).

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Volunteer
Select Medical Physical Therapy
Mar 2021 - Jun 2021
Volunteering at Select Medical Physical Therapy directly involves applying knowledge from Kinesiology and Exercise Science, such as understanding human movement and rehabilitation techniques.

Volunteer
Justine Sherman & Associates, Inc.
Aug 2021 - Aug 2021
Volunteering at Justine Sherman & Associates, Inc. likely requires the application of Kinesiology principles in a physical therapy or exercise-related context, making it highly relevant.

Volunteer
Physical Therapy Network Solutions
Aug 2021 - Oct 2021
By volunteering at Physical Therapy Network Solutions, the individual is able to use their background in Kinesiology to assist in rehabilitation practices, which is directly aligned with their degree.

FURTHER DEGREES DONE SINCE GRADUATING
Postgraduate Degree
Chapman University
2022 - 2022
ABOUT

In high school, I demonstrated four years of loyalty and dedication with the girls Varsity Basketball team that won consecutive championships my first two years. I received our divisions CIF Most Valuable Player my sophomore year. I became the team captain for my last two years that taught me valuable leadership skills that I still use today. Now in college, I am a senior, majoring in Kinesiology, Pre- Physical Therapy. I am one of the nine people chosen from the incoming Class of 2021 to received the Presidential Scholars Scholarship for all four years. This led me to become the Communications officer for the Presidential Scholars Leadership Association and the Teachers Assistant for the Class of 2022 Presidential Scholars. I also am a member of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, previous President of the SDSU Red Cross Club and enrolled in the Weber Honors College at San Diego State University. Recently, I am fortunate enough to represent Kaplan Test Prep and work alongside them as Student Brand Ambassador.

What jobs can you get with a Kinesiology and Exercise Science degree from San Diego State University?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:


When looking at the career paths of graduates from San Diego State University with degrees in Kinesiology and Exercise Science, it seems like many have found themselves working in physical therapy-related roles, which are directly relevant to their studies. Jobs like Physical Therapist, Physical Therapy Aide, and Student Physical Therapist make up a significant portion of their positions, demonstrating a strong connection between the education they received and their job responsibilities. These roles typically utilize the knowledge and skills gained from their education, such as understanding human movement, rehabilitation techniques, and exercise principles.

However, not every job holds the same relevance to Kinesiology and Exercise Science. Many graduates have taken roles in fields like customer service, administration, and coaching, which may not directly require their specialized knowledge. Positions such as Office Administrator, Customer Service Representative, and Sales Specialist seem to stray away from the core elements of kinesiology. While these jobs may utilize some transferable skills like communication or organization, they don’t fully leverage the expertise related to physical health or exercise science. Overall, it’s a mixed bag—while many are directly applying what they learned, there’s a noticeable portion of graduates who have ventured into roles that don’t tap into their education as deeply as one might expect.

Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Kinesiology and Exercise Science graduates (this is across all Kinesiology and Exercise Science graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to San Diego State University):

What kind of career trajectories do Kinesiology and Exercise Science graduates from San Diego State University have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

Looking at the career trajectories of graduates from San Diego State University's Kinesiology and Exercise Science programs, it seems like those who pursued hands-on roles in physical therapy and athletic training are generally doing well in relevant fields. Many individuals kick off their careers as student physical therapists or aides, often working their way up to actual licensed physical therapists within a few years. This is pretty common for graduates, as they tend to pursue physical therapy as a primary path, enabling them to build valuable experience and skills. The majority who stick with this line of work seem to advance to higher positions, like clinic or center directors, within five to ten years.

On the flip side, while some graduates have taken a more diverse range of jobs in areas like sales or administrative roles, those paths seem less connected to Kinesiology. For instance, a few have moved into roles that don’t utilize their exercise science background at all, such as customer service or logistics. However, it looks like most graduates who stay focused on clinical or supportive jobs in physical therapy are more likely to find fulfilling careers that relate directly to their studies. Overall, for those who are dedicated to the field, there are definitely good career opportunities that arise from a degree in Kinesiology from SDSU.

How hard is a Kinesiology and Exercise Science degree from San Diego State University?

Honestly, a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science, whether at San Diego State University or somewhere else, can be a mixed bag in terms of difficulty. It’s not considered one of the hardest degrees out there, but it definitely has its challenges, especially if you’re not super into biology or anatomy. You’ll be diving into subjects like human movement, exercise physiology, and biomechanics, which can get pretty technical. If you’re passionate about fitness and sports, it might feel more engaging and less like a slog. But expect to put in some solid study time, especially when it comes to lab work and exams. Overall, it’s definitely doable for most students as long as you're ready to commit to the coursework!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 4 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science.

Do Kinesiology and Exercise Science graduates from San Diego State University tend to make good money?

So, looking at these graduates from San Diego State University's Kinesiology and Exercise Science program, it kind of seems like their earnings have been all over the place. Some of them really hit the jackpot with solid roles as physical therapists, who typically make a decent salary, like the grad who worked at BEST LIFE PHYSICAL THERAPY. On the flip side, others started out in more entry-level jobs like customer service and admin roles, which generally don’t pay that well. You've got a couple of folks who seem to be climbing the ladder with leadership positions in healthcare, which is promising for their future income. Overall, if they stick to the physical therapy or health management paths, they could make good money long term, but it’s clear not everyone is on that track just yet.

What buzzwords do Kinesiology and Exercise Science graduates use to describe themselves?

Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science (this is across all Kinesiology and Exercise Science graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to San Diego State University). This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for Kinesiology and Exercise Science?

Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science (ordered by the average relevance score of their Kinesiology and Exercise Science graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:

College Score Count
California State University, Long Beach 85 13
Concordia University-St. Paul 82 11
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 80 10
Illinois State University 80 10
Liberty University 77 12
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona 76 13
University of North Carolina at Greensboro 76 21
Texas Woman's University 76 13
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 75 10
Saginaw Valley State University 75 12
Michigan State University 74 38
Central Michigan University 74 10
California State University San Marcos 74 14
Iowa State University 73 17
Washington State University 73 15
Appalachian State University 73 17
Western Washington University 73 11
Rutgers University 73 13
The University of Southern Mississippi 73 11
Salisbury University 73 17
Angelo State University 73 11
Penn State University 72 32
Grand Valley State University 72 22
University of Louisville 72 14
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 71 10
Indiana University Bloomington 70 42
Texas Tech University 70 33
California State University-Long Beach 70 14
West Chester University of Pennsylvania 70 14
University of Rhode Island 69 30
Sonoma State University 69 11
Temple University 68 25
University of North Carolina at Charlotte 68 22
Longwood University 68 13
James Madison University 67 15
University of Delaware 66 21
California State University, Northridge 66 28
Towson University 65 25
Auburn University 64 24
The University of Texas at San Antonio 64 35
Bowling Green State University 63 11
University of Massachusetts Amherst 63 11
Louisiana State University 62 40
San Diego State University 62 21
University of Nevada-Las Vegas 62 25
University of Louisiana at Lafayette 62 12
Oregon State University 61 21
Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) 61 14
Tarleton State University 61 12
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi 61 11
Virginia Commonwealth University 60 22
Western Kentucky University 60 12
State University of New York College at Cortland 60 17
Truman State University 60 10
University of Utah 59 21
University of Illinois at Chicago 59 16
Rutgers UniversityNew Brunswick 59 13
University of North Texas 58 27
San Francisco State University 58 27
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo 58 14
California State University, Fullerton 58 39
University of Maryland 58 19
University of South Carolina 58 17
Stephen F. Austin State University 58 20
Purdue University 57 11
University of Michigan 56 12
San Jose State University 56 18
Florida Atlantic University 56 10
Kansas State University 56 15
Northern Illinois University 56 13
Utah State University 56 10
Louisiana Tech University 56 11
Arizona State University 55 24
Texas A&M University 55 25
University of Houston 55 25
Miami University 55 13
College of Charleston 55 12
Georgia State University 54 16
University of Kentucky 54 25
Georgia Southern University 54 41
The University of Texas at Austin 53 21
The University of Texas at Arlington 53 30
California State University, Fresno 53 18
California State University, Monterey Bay 53 17
Colorado Mesa University 53 12
The University of Alabama 52 12
Sam Houston State University 52 27
University of Maryland College Park 52 17
California Baptist University 52 11
Brigham Young University 51 26
Texas State University 51 17
California State University-Northridge 51 10
California State University-Fullerton 51 10
Eastern Illinois University 51 19
Mississippi State University 50 21
California State University-Sacramento 49 25
University of Tennessee, Knoxville 49 21
San Diego State University-California State University 49 13
University of Arkansas 47 18
University of Mississippi 45 16