Best Online Kinesiology Programs in Willmar, MN (2026)

Willmar, Minnesota has 5 accredited schools offering kinesiology programs. Willmar has a population of about 21,136. Median household income is $63,368 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 24.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Minnesota, the top-earning kinesiology-related role is Exercise Physiologist at a median $67,230 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Kinesiology Schools to Willmar

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer kinesiology programs near Willmar, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Willmar city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Willmar. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Saint Johns University

Collegeville, MN 46.9 miles from Willmar BOC Score 74.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $76,786
Avg net price $25,672/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

College of Saint Benedict

Saint Joseph, MN 47.1 miles from Willmar BOC Score 71.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,260
Avg net price $26,640/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Minnesota-Morris

Morris, MN 52.2 miles from Willmar BOC Score 50.8
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,919
Avg net price $8,837/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN 52.9 miles from Willmar BOC Score 54.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,813
Avg net price $13,529/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Southwest Minnesota State University

Marshall, MN 57.4 miles from Willmar BOC Score 48.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,342
Avg net price $15,291/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Crown College

Saint Bonifacius, MN 65.6 miles from Willmar BOC Score 39.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,057
Avg net price $26,672/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint Peter, MN 77.1 miles from Willmar BOC Score 64.3
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 61%
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,607
Avg net price $22,900/yr
Tuition
In‑state$56,076
Out‑of‑state$56,076
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 11

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Bethany Lutheran College

Mankato, MN 84.3 miles from Willmar BOC Score 39.2
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 39%
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,110
Avg net price $20,148/yr
Tuition
In‑state$31,360
Out‑of‑state$31,360
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Minnesota schools on the Minnesota kinesiology page.


Kinesiology Wages Near Willmar

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Minnesota, statewide)
Exercise Physiologist$67,230
Exercise Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor$43,620
Athletic Trainer$65,390
Coach and Scout$48,050

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Willmar at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population21,136Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$63,368Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+24.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Willmar-Area Cities With Kinesiology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited kinesiology schools are near Willmar, MN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering kinesiology programs near Willmar. The closest is Saint Johns University in Collegeville, MN (46.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Alexandria Technical & Community College (54.0 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying kinesiology roles in Minnesota?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying kinesiology-related roles in Minnesota are: Exercise Physiologist ($67,230), Athletic Trainer ($65,390), Coach and Scout ($48,050). Wages for Willmar workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Saint Cloud instead of Willmar?

Saint Cloud, MN is 51.5 miles from Willmar and has its own set of local kinesiology programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Willmar an affordable place to study kinesiology?

Willmar’s median household income of $63,368 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Willmar while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Minnesota public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Kinesiology Programs

Other Programs Available in Willmar

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Willmar:

Data verified: July 30, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.