Sports & Entertainment Business
What you'll do in college
These majors focus on the glitz, glam, and grueling logistics of sports, entertainment, and media. You'll dive deep into general business principles while mastering the unique nuances of talent management, sports law, ticketing, and event production. Internships are the lifeblood of these programs—you'll likely spend your summers hustling at sports agencies, record labels, or team front offices.
What you'll do after college
Grads typically start at the bottom of highly competitive industries—think the mailroom at a talent agency, ticket sales for a minor league team, or early-morning event coordination. Promotion paths are largely built on relentless networking, grit, and long hours during peak seasons. The payoff? Modest early salaries often lead to glamorous, highly lucrative careers for those who survive the initial grind.
Famous graduates
- Sean McVay — Youngest Super Bowl-winning Head Coach in NFL history; B.S. in Health and Sports Studies from Miami University
- Rob Pelinka — General Manager of the Los Angeles Lakers; B.B.A. with a sports management focus from the University of Michigan
Selectivity vs. earnings
By acceptance rate
By SAT median
Earnings by acceptance rate and institution category
Majors in this category
| Major | Colleges | Degrees ▼ | Male/Female | Intl | Earnings | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sports & Entertainment Business | 459 | 11,623 | 74% / 26% | 4% | $57,756 | 97% |
| Sport Management | 170 | 5,859 | 73% / 27% | 4% | $58,548 | 96% |
| Sports Management | 275 | 5,281 | 77% / 23% | 5% | $56,384 | 97% |
| Sport Industry | 1 | 178 | 78% / 22% | 6% | $65,074 | 97% |
| Artist Management | 1 | 88 | 26% / 74% | 1% | $61,491 | 93% |
| Entertainment Industry Studies | 1 | 77 | 27% / 73% | 0% | $61,491 | 93% |
| Sport and Fitness Management | 10 | 43 | 79% / 21% | 5% | $57,226 | 95% |
| Sport Analytics | 1 | 39 | 67% / 33% | 15% | $71,974 | 100% |
| Sports, Media and Entertainment Management | 1 | 17 | 35% / 65% | 12% | $67,652 | |
| Sport and Recreation Management | 2 | 16 | 75% / 25% | 6% | $56,138 | 96% |
| Coaching | 1 | 10 | 50% / 50% | 0% | $55,301 | 95% |
| Sports Business | 1 | 10 | 80% / 20% | 0% | $61,344 | 94% |
| Professional Golf Management | 1 | 5 | 100% / 0% | 0% | $58,637 |