Best Sports Management Schools Near Appleton, WI (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Appleton, Wisconsin has 5 accredited schools offering sports management programs, with tuition ranging from $33,396 to $53,315 per year for indexed programs. Appleton has a population of about 74,873. Median household income is $77,450 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 37.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Wisconsin, the top-earning sports management-related role is Entertainment and Recreation Manager at a median $77,140 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Sports Management Schools to Appleton

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

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Oshkosh, WI 19.1 miles from Appleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,548
Avg net price $14,305/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 102

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Marian University

Fond Du Lac, WI 34.6 miles from Appleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
47.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 75%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,501
Avg net price $21,937/yr
Tuition
In‑state$35,178
Out‑of‑state$35,178
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Ripon College

Ripon, WI 37.4 miles from Appleton
  • 4 year
46.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,902
Avg net price $20,216/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Lakeland University

Plymouth, WI 39.2 miles from Appleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
43.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 86%
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,961
Avg net price $24,212/yr
Tuition
In‑state$33,396
Out‑of‑state$33,396
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Concordia University-Wisconsin

Mequon, WI 74.6 miles from Appleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
47.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 78%
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,075
Avg net price $36,201/yr
Tuition
In‑state$35,470
Out‑of‑state$35,470
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 106

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Maranatha Baptist University

Watertown, WI 76.8 miles from Appleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
45.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 72%
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,593
Avg net price $26,005/yr
Tuition
In‑state$21,550
Out‑of‑state$21,550
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Wisconsin Lutheran College

Milwaukee, WI 87.7 miles from Appleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,664
Avg net price $23,245/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Carroll University

Waukesha, WI 88.3 miles from Appleton
  • 4 year
59.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,009
Avg net price $15,193/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 57

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Sports Management Wages Near Appleton

Appleton is part of the Appleton, WI metro area (BLS area code 11540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Wisconsin statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Coach and Scout $39,800 Appleton, WI $43,074
Entertainment and Recreation Manager $77,140 WI statewide $83,485
Meeting and Event Planner $47,770 Appleton, WI $51,699
Exercise Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor $41,330 Appleton, WI $44,729

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.

Appleton at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 74,873 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $77,450 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 37.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 92.4 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Appleton-Area Cities With Sports Management Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited sports management schools are near Appleton, WI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering sports management programs near Appleton. The closest is University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in Oshkosh, WI (19.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Concordia University-Wisconsin (74.6 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying sports management-related roles near Appleton are: Entertainment and Recreation Manager ($77,140), Meeting and Event Planner ($47,770), Exercise Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor ($41,330). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Wisconsin statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Neenah instead of Appleton?

Neenah, WI is 8.7 miles from Appleton 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 Appleton an affordable place to study sports management?

Appleton’s median household income of $77,450 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Appleton while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Wisconsin 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 Appleton

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

Data verified: September 6, 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.

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