Sports Management Degree Programs in Charlotte, NC (2026)

Quick answer: The Charlotte metro employs about 2,290 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 North Carolina 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 70 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

Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte, NC 1.3 miles away BOC Score 55.1
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 63.6% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 6
  • Annual completions: 25
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $70,176 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem, NC 69.8 miles away BOC Score 52.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
  • 601 S. Martin Luther King Jr Dr Winston-Salem, NC 27110-0001
  • (336) 750-2000
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 11
  • Annual completions: 185
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $56,396 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Catawba College

Salisbury, NC 38.7 miles away BOC Score 52.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 6
  • Annual completions: 34
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $49,190 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Wingate University

Wingate, NC 26.8 miles away BOC Score 51.1
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 6
  • Annual completions: 126
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $58,916 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

Pfeiffer University

Misenheimer, NC 36.3 miles away BOC Score 44.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 38.6% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 3
  • Annual completions: 51
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $57,619 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#6

Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs, NC 47.3 miles away BOC Score 44.2
Tuition $34,760 - $47,091
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 77.2%
  • Graduation rate: 58.6%
  • Programs offered: 6
  • Annual completions: 77
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $60,516 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#7

Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory, NC 46.2 miles away BOC Score 41.8
Tuition $31,900 - $44,621
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 84.6%
  • Graduation rate: 49.2%
  • Programs offered: 9
  • Annual completions: 185
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $57,711 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#8

Belmont Abbey College

Belmont, NC 12.4 miles away BOC Score 36.2
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 5
  • Annual completions: 36
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $57,346 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#9

Livingstone College

Salisbury, NC 37.5 miles away BOC Score 35.3
Tuition $18,296 - $28,305
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 59.2%
  • Graduation rate: 26.1%
  • Programs offered: 3
  • Annual completions: 11
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $37,280 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#10

Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte, NC 2.8 miles away BOC Score 33.8
Tuition $21,300 - $34,923
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 45.2%
  • Graduation rate: 34.2%
  • Programs offered: 2
  • Annual completions: 6
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $46,511 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

What Coaches and Scouts Earn in Charlotte

Coaches and Scouts in the Charlotte area earn a median $46,440 per year, below the national median of $47,320 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Sports Management Pay in Charlotte, NC

MetricCharlotte metroNorth CarolinaNational
Median annual wage$46,440$43,840$47,320
10th percentile$27,050$25,130$28,790
25th percentile$32,770$30,950$35,330
75th percentile$64,060$61,380$64,710
90th percentile$100,360$87,060$98,860
Employment2,2908,530248,950
Location quotient1.05-1.00

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metropolitan statistical area.

What the Numbers Say About This Market

The Charlotte median of $46,440 is below the national median of $47,320, and above the North Carolina statewide median of $43,840 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

The metro’s location quotient of 1.05 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 North Carolina Metro Areas

Metro areaMedian annual wageEmployment
Raleigh$42,1801,800
Greensboro$38,660650
Winston$41,110560
Asheville$44,890360
Wilmington$43,960300
Greenville$32,570230
Hickory$32,510210
Burlington$42,280150

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 Charlotte?

The median annual wage for coaches and scouts in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area is $46,440, below the national median of $47,320 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

How many coaches and scouts work in the Charlotte area?

The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area employs about 2,290 coaches and scouts (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Do coaches and scouts in Charlotte 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 Charlotte?

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 Charlotte a better market than the rest of North Carolina?

The Charlotte metro median is $46,440 against a statewide median of $43,840 (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/.