Sports Management Degree Programs in Fayetteville, AR (2026)

Quick answer: The Fayetteville metro employs about 460 coaches and scouts (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through the athletic organizations you want to work for.

Compare sports management programs enrolling now:

Licensing

Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. No license gates sports management. Coaching layers its own certifications by sport and level, and the programmatic accreditor is the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA). What consistently hires is operational track record - events run, programs grown, seasons administered.

See the Arkansas licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with the athletic organizations you want to work for.

Schools Near You

Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.

How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention. Advertising plays no part.

This page lists 10 schools within 200 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 10 of them carry a score.

Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%

Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.

#1

Harding University

Searcy, AR 148.3 miles away BOC Score 63.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 69.9% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 18
  • Annual completions: 147
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $53,024 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

Ouachita Baptist University

Arkadelphia, AR 148.4 miles away BOC Score 58.6
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 66.0% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 7
  • Annual completions: 30
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $49,862 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Arkansas State University

Jonesboro, AR 195.6 miles away BOC Score 51.5
Tuition $8,090 - $25,082
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 82.3%
  • Graduation rate: 55.3%
  • Programs offered: 33
  • Annual completions: 524
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $56,631 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

University of Central Arkansas

Conway, AR 118.0 miles away BOC Score 45.8
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 53.4% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 15
  • Annual completions: 363
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $52,203 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Little Rock, AR 138.8 miles away BOC Score 42.7
Tuition $9,748 - $22,519
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 58.8%
  • Graduation rate: 41.5%
  • Programs offered: 30
  • Annual completions: 353
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $58,470 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#8

Henderson State University

Arkadelphia, AR 148.1 miles away BOC Score 29.8
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 37.6% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 16
  • Annual completions: 104
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $47,583 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

What Coaches and Scouts Earn in Fayetteville

Coaches and Scouts in the Fayetteville area earn a median $43,740 per year, below the national median of $47,320 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Sports Management Pay in Fayetteville, AR

MetricFayetteville metroArkansasNational
Median annual wage$43,740$38,930$47,320
10th percentile$28,600$25,720$28,790
25th percentile$30,580$29,150$35,330
75th percentile$56,530$49,080$64,710
90th percentile$98,650$78,010$98,860
Employment4602,070248,950
Location quotient1.04-1.00

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR metropolitan statistical area.

What the Numbers Say About This Market

The Fayetteville median of $43,740 is below the national median of $47,320, and above the Arkansas statewide median of $38,930 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

The metro’s location quotient of 1.04 means coaches and scouts are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.

Sport employment maps onto institutions - districts, colleges, municipalities and gym chains - with the concentrated tiers clustering around major programs and franchises.

Other Arkansas Metro Areas

Metro areaMedian annual wageEmployment
Little Rock$36,710800
Jonesboro$38,220120

Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.


Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do coaches and scouts make in Fayetteville?

The median annual wage for coaches and scouts in the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR metro area is $43,740, below the national median of $47,320 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

How many coaches and scouts work in the Fayetteville area?

The Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR metro area employs about 460 coaches and scouts (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Do coaches and scouts in Fayetteville need a license?

Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. No license gates sports management. Coaching layers its own certifications by sport and level, and the programmatic accreditor is the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA). What consistently hires is operational track record - events run, programs grown, seasons administered. Confirm current requirements with the athletic organizations you want to work for.

Can I study sports management online from Fayetteville?

The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies the athletic organizations you want to work for.

Is Fayetteville a better market than the rest of Arkansas?

The Fayetteville metro median is $43,740 against a statewide median of $38,930 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.

Sources

  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Coaches and Scouts (SOC 27-2022), national, state and metropolitan estimates
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.