Best Online Sports Management Programs in Portage, MI (2026)

Portage, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering sports management programs, with tuition ranging from $24,466 to $48,449 per year for indexed programs. Portage has a population of about 49,015. Median household income is $79,529 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 48.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area, the top-earning sports management-related role is Entertainment and Recreation Manager at a median $70,420 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Sports Management Schools to Portage

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer sports management programs near Portage, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Portage 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 Portage. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI 5.8 miles from Portage BOC Score 63.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,562
Avg net price $15,273/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 105

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

The University of Olivet

Olivet, MI 37.9 miles from Portage BOC Score 36.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,907
Avg net price $21,393/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 18

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Davenport University

Grand Rapids, MI 45.0 miles from Portage BOC Score 44.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 98%
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,099
Avg net price $17,707/yr
Tuition
In‑state$24,466
Out‑of‑state$24,466
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Hillsdale College

Hillsdale, MI 52.4 miles from Portage BOC Score 76.7
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 86%
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 9

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Aquinas College

Grand Rapids, MI 52.7 miles from Portage BOC Score 46.8
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,584
Avg net price $16,626/yr
Tuition
In‑state$40,218
Out‑of‑state$40,218
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Spring Arbor University

Spring Arbor, MI 53.0 miles from Portage BOC Score 54.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,732
Avg net price $19,353/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Cornerstone University

Grand Rapids, MI 54.0 miles from Portage BOC Score 56.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,314
Avg net price $20,301/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, MI 55.0 miles from Portage BOC Score 65.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,118
Avg net price $16,317/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Michigan schools on the Michigan sports management page.


Sports Management Wages Near Portage

Portage is part of the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area (BLS area code 28020). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Coach and Scout$47,260Kalamazoo-Portage, MI$49,852
Entertainment and Recreation Manager$70,420Kalamazoo-Portage, MI$74,283
Meeting and Event Planner$49,180Kalamazoo-Portage, MI$51,878
Exercise Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor$44,570Kalamazoo-Portage, MI$47,015

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.


Portage at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population49,015Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$79,529Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+48.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)94.8 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Portage-Area Cities With Sports Management Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited sports management schools are near Portage, MI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering sports management programs near Portage. The closest is Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI (5.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Goshen College (45.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying sports management roles near Portage?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying sports management-related roles near Portage are: Entertainment and Recreation Manager ($70,420), Meeting and Event Planner ($49,180), Coach and Scout ($47,260). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Kalamazoo instead of Portage?

Kalamazoo, MI is 5.2 miles from Portage and has its own set of local sports management programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Portage an affordable place to study sports management?

Portage’s median household income of $79,529 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Portage while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan 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 Sports Management Programs

Other Programs Available in Portage

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

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.