Sports Management Degree Programs in Peoria, IL (2026)

Quick answer: The Peoria metro employs about 210 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 Illinois 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 102 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

Lewis University

Romeoville, IL 99.3 miles away BOC Score 73.8
Tuition $39,200 - $47,313
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 71.3%
  • Graduation rate: 64.6%
  • Programs offered: 30
  • Annual completions: 440
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $66,586 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

Aurora University

Aurora, IL 95.5 miles away BOC Score 66.4
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 59.3% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 8
  • Annual completions: 212
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $64,521 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, IL 92.8 miles away BOC Score 65.0
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 49.2% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 8
  • Annual completions: 495
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $64,583 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, IL 37.4 miles away BOC Score 62.4
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 4
  • Annual completions: 21
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $69,265 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

Illinois College

Jacksonville, IL 78.0 miles away BOC Score 58.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 2
  • Annual completions: 11
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $50,691 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#6

Western Illinois University

Macomb, IL 59.5 miles away BOC Score 54.5
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 15
  • Annual completions: 570
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $57,453 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#7

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, IL 95.0 miles away BOC Score 54.0
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 60.5% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 13
  • Annual completions: 119
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $64,769 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#8

Millikin University

Decatur, IL 71.3 miles away BOC Score 51.8
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 57.0% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 12
  • Annual completions: 26
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $54,115 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#9

Eureka College

Eureka, IL 18.3 miles away BOC Score 37.6
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 41.1% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 5
  • Annual completions: 19
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $49,625 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#10

Blackburn College

Carlinville, IL 102.0 miles away BOC Score 36.8
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 55.1% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 8
  • Annual completions: 11
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $46,015 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

What Coaches and Scouts Earn in Peoria

Coaches and Scouts in the Peoria area earn a median $44,480 per year, below the national median of $47,320 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Sports Management Pay in Peoria, IL

MetricPeoria metroIllinoisNational
Median annual wage$44,480$49,120$47,320
10th percentile$31,200$31,200$28,790
25th percentile$31,200$35,210$35,330
75th percentile$63,780$82,750$64,710
90th percentile$81,490$122,720$98,860
Employment2108,840248,950
Location quotient0.78-1.00

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Peoria, IL metropolitan statistical area.

What the Numbers Say About This Market

The Peoria median of $44,480 is below the national median of $47,320, and below the Illinois statewide median of $49,120 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

The metro’s location quotient of 0.78 means coaches and scouts are less 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 Illinois Metro Areas

Metro areaMedian annual wageEmployment
Chicago$50,3506,780
Champaign$66,150230
Rockford$31,770220
Bloomington$53,210140
Kankakee$49,240100

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 Peoria?

The median annual wage for coaches and scouts in the Peoria, IL metro area is $44,480, below the national median of $47,320 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

How many coaches and scouts work in the Peoria area?

The Peoria, IL metro area employs about 210 coaches and scouts (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Do coaches and scouts in Peoria 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 Peoria?

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 Peoria a better market than the rest of Illinois?

The Peoria metro median is $44,480 against a statewide median of $49,120 (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/.