Best universities for sports science

Durham University comes top for sports science, with a median salary of £30k 15 months after graduating and 80% of graduates in professional jobs. Loughborough University, University of Bath and University of Birmingham complete the top four.

98 unis ranked£25.8k typical early salary60% in graduate jobs

#1 for sports science100

Durham University

Satisfaction92%better than 82% of sports science unis
Stay on course96%better than 97% of sports science unis
Graduate jobs80%better than 92% of sports science unis
Early salary£30kbetter than 91% of sports science unis

Half of students who started had more than 160 UCAS points, counting all their qualifications

Ranked 2 to 5

2Loughborough University9287% satisfied, £28.5k salary
3University of Bath9091% satisfied, £28k salary
4University of Birmingham8188% satisfied, £28.5k salary
5University of Exeter7989% satisfied, £27k salary

Scores are out of 100 and relative to other unis offering sports science. Data: Discover Uni, September 2026.

Will my grades get me in?

Enter your predicted grades to see which sports science courses you’d meet the offer for, where you’re a good match and which are a stretch.

We use each university’s typical offer from its course pages. Where we couldn’t get it, we show an estimated offer (marked ~) worked out from courses whose students had similar grades, so always check the course page. Your grades stay on this device. Jump to the table

Best for…

Happiest studentsLincoln Bishop University98%positive about their course
Highest early salaryKing's College London£32.5kmedian, 15 months after graduating
Best for graduate jobsWrexham University95%of working graduates in professional jobs
Best if you’re aiming below ABBLeeds Beckett University62/100half of starters had under 122 UCAS points

Full sports science ranking

Tap a column to sort. Bars show where each uni sits between the lowest and highest for sports science. ^* Ranked on fewer than five measures because some data isn’t published. ~ estimate = we couldn’t get the university’s own offer, so it’s estimated from similar courses. Check the course page.

Find a university

Region Fits my grades Placement year Year abroad Foundation year

	University
1	Durham University3 courses	AAB	100	92%	96%	80%	£30k	160
2	Loughborough University18 courses	A*AA–AAA+ others	92	87%	92%	83%	£28.5k	154
3	University of Bath8 courses	AAA–A*AB+ others	90	91%	94%	71%	£28k	159
4	University of Birmingham3 courses	AAA–ABB+ others	81	88%	94%	72%	£28.5k	144
5	University of Exeter2 courses	AAB–ABB+ others	79	89%	91%	75%	£27k	149
6	King's College London1 course	ABB	77	88%	88%	70%	£32.5k	138
7	Lancaster University3 courses	ABB	76	96%	95%	90%	£27k	138
8	University of Nottingham1 course	AAA–AAB	75	93%	95%	64%	£29k	140
9	University of East Anglia8 courses	ABB	63	91%	78%	80%	£25k	134
10	Leeds Beckett University^*8 courses	120 UCAS points	62	92%	88%	63%	–	122
11	Newcastle University^*1 course	AAB–ABB	61	88%	92%	65%	–	144
12	University of Surrey4 courses	ABB–BBB	61	92%	89%	59%	£28k	121
12	Loughborough College^*5 courses	96 UCAS points	61	95%	76%	75%	–	–
14	University of Lincoln7 courses	BCC–CCC+ others	59	92%	88%	65%	£26k	109
15	Teesside University^*3 courses	96–112 UCAS points	58	95%	80%	–	–	116
16	Brunel University of London6 courses	BBB–BBC	57	84%	76%	70%	£31.5k	121
17	University of Worcester8 courses	BBC	56	90%	82%	65%	£28k	112
18	Lincoln Bishop University^*8 courses	96 UCAS points	55	98%	98%	45%	–	106
19	University of Huddersfield3 courses	BBC–BCC	55	91%	90%	59%	£26.5k	123
20	Manchester Metropolitan University^*7 courses	BBC+ others	55	90%	87%	60%	–	125
21	University of Northampton9 courses	BBC–BCC+ others	54	96%	66%	58%	£30k	102
22	Liverpool Hope University10 courses	BCC+ others	54	84%	90%	75%	£26k	133
23	Robert Gordon University2 courses	BCC	53	95%	84%	58%	£25k	153
24	University of Essex14 courses	112 UCAS points	53	87%	86%	63%	£27k	124
25	Buckinghamshire New University^*12 courses	88–112 UCAS points	52	92%	79%	70%	–	112
26	University of Staffordshire^*4 courses	BBC	52	91%	84%	–	–	119
27	Liverpool John Moores University^*11 courses	BBB+ others	51	88%	87%	–	–	129
28	University of Strathclyde1 course	ABB–BBB	51	91%	90%	50%	£26k	197
29	Abertay University^*5 courses	CCC	50	90%	86%	–	–	146
29	University of Gloucestershire17 courses	BCC+ others	50	86%	77%	74%	£25.5k	124
31	Southampton Solent University^*6 courses	104–120 UCAS points	50	91%	86%	54%	–	113
32	University of Hertfordshire^*6 courses	112 UCAS points+ others	49	90%	80%	–	–	126
33	University of Northumbria at Newcastle^*8 courses	96–112 UCAS points	49	90%	81%	–	–	117
34	University of Glasgow2 courses	AAB–BBB	49	89%	88%	51%	£26k	214
35	University of Greater Manchester^*4 courses	112 UCAS points	48	98%	65%	–	–	107
36	St Mary's University, Twickenham13 courses	120 UCAS points	48	88%	82%	69%	£25k	114
36	Hartpury University13 courses	BBB+ others	48	89%	86%	61%	£25k	120
38	Cardiff Metropolitan University^*10 courses	120–128 UCAS points	48	86%	86%	–	–	132
39	University of Lancashire^*11 courses	104–112 UCAS points	47	92%	79%	54%	–	127
39	University of Aberdeen1 course	BBC	47	91%	85%	65%	£25k	164
41	University of East London^*4 courses	112 UCAS points	47	92%	69%	80%	–	101
42	Stranmillis University College^*1 course	BBC	47	93%	75%	55%	–	119
43	Birmingham City University6 courses	BBC	46	91%	81%	58%	£26k	110
44	York St John University5 courses	104 UCAS points	46	92%	86%	55%	£24k	113
45	University of Leeds1 course	AAB	46	85%	95%	50%	£25k	144
46	Oxford Brookes University6 courses	BBB+ others	46	89%	83%	65%	£25k	105
46	University of Edinburgh2 courses	AAB–ABB+ others	46	81%	92%	59%	£28k	182
48	Edge Hill University5 courses	BBC–BCC+ others	46	91%	82%	55%	£24k	134
49	Nottingham Trent University^*15 courses	104–112 UCAS points	46	90%	82%	52%	–	123
50	University of Portsmouth5 courses	BBB–BBC+ others	45	89%	91%	54%	£26k	114
51	University of Stirling7 courses	BBB	45	88%	89%	60%	£25k	160
52	Ulster University^*4 courses	AAA	45	83%	91%	–	–	136
53	University of Wales: Trinity Saint David9 courses	88–104 UCAS points	44	89%	86%	60%	£25k	116
54	Anglia Ruskin University15 courses	104–120 UCAS points	44	91%	80%	60%	£25k	109
55	Wrexham University^*4 courses	96–112 UCAS points	44	83%	67%	95%	–	132
56	Bournemouth University^*5 courses	ABB–BBC+ others	42	86%	84%	–	–	118
57	Canterbury Christ Church University^*10 courses	BBC	42	88%	79%	–	–	112
57	University of Chichester1 course	BCC	42	87%	100%	55%	£25k	125
59	Bangor University5 courses	104–128 UCAS points	42	86%	80%	65%	£24.5k	128
60	Keele University4 courses	BBB	42	86%	89%	60%	£26k	104
61	Plymouth Marjon University^*13 courses	BBB–BCC+ others	41	90%	71%	59%	–	120
62	UA92^*8 courses	BCC	41	86%	79%	–	–	122
63	University of Suffolk^*2 courses	BBC	41	87%	65%	75%	–	114
64	Bath Spa University^*2 courses	BBB–BCC	41	91%	40%	–	–	118
64	University of the Highlands and Islands4 courses	–	41	82%	80%	60%	£31k	124
66	London Metropolitan University^*2 courses	104 UCAS points	40	91%	78%	–	–	90
67	Heriot-Watt University^*1 course	BBC	40	80%	92%	–	–	174
68	University of Chester7 courses	BBC–BCC	39	93%	72%	54%	£24k	125
68	Bishop Burton College^*3 courses	96 UCAS points	39	86%	95%	45%	–	–
70	University of Hull5 courses	BBC	39	90%	79%	45%	£25k	135
71	University of Greenwich (Part of London and South East University Group)2 courses	~ABB–BBCestimate	38	88%	72%	60%	£26k	116
72	University of the West of Scotland^*4 courses	BCC	38	85%	82%	68%	–	127
73	University of Wolverhampton6 courses	~BBB–BBCestimate	38	88%	75%	65%	£25k	108
74	University of Kent (Part of London and South East University Group)^*6 courses	BBB	38	83%	88%	–	–	108
75	Swansea University9 courses	AAB–BCC+ others	37	97%	82%	38%	£24k	115
76	University of Winchester3 courses	BBB–BCC+ others	37	85%	88%	62%	£24k	110
77	Edinburgh Napier University^*4 courses	BCC+ others	36	83%	89%	–	–	138
78	Kingston University^*9 courses	ABB–BBC+ others	35	91%	65%	55%	–	102
79	Middlesex University^*4 courses	BBE+ others	34	91%	74%	51%	–	105
80	University of South Wales/Prifysgol De Cymru^*7 courses	BBC+ others	34	84%	–	56%	–	116
81	University of West London^*2 courses	112 UCAS points	34	83%	85%	–	–	94
82	University College Birmingham4 courses	~ABB–BBCestimate	34	90%	76%	55%	£24.5k	111
83	University of Bedfordshire14 courses	112 UCAS points	34	86%	80%	69%	£22.5k	113
84	University of Sunderland^*3 courses	96–112 UCAS points	34	85%	64%	56%	–	132
85	University of Salford2 courses	112 UCAS points	32	83%	85%	57%	£22.5k	142
86	Sheffield Hallam University5 courses	BBC+ others	31	83%	77%	63%	£26k	116
87	University of Derby13 courses	BBC+ others	30	90%	76%	51%	£24k	118
87	University of Cumbria6 courses	BBC–BCC	30	78%	78%	65%	£25.5k	99
89	Roehampton University^*2 courses	~BBB–BBCestimate	30	85%	77%	–	–	88
90	Birmingham Newman University^*4 courses	BBC	30	90%	71%	–	–	79
91	Cwsh, Cws & College of Esports Limited^*2 courses	CCC	28	69%	90%	–	–	98
92	University of Brighton4 courses	ABB–BCC	25	83%	79%	53%	£26k	107
93	University of Plymouth1 course	AAB	20	85%	80%	40%	£25k	112
94	London South Bank University2 courses	112 UCAS points	19	85%	75%	40%	£27k	89
95	Coventry University8 courses	BBC+ others	18	82%	66%	59%	£26k	101
96	Health Sciences University^*2 courses	BBC	12	66%	75%	–	–	104
97	Aberystwyth University3 courses	BBB–CCC	9	79%	81%	40%	£24.5k	102
98	Leeds Trinity University4 courses	104 UCAS points	0	80%	79%	41%	£24k	84

What sports science graduates earn

Typical (median) earnings for sports science graduates, across the universities we rank.

£25.8kAfter 15 months
£22.5kAfter 3 years
£27.5kAfter 5 years

Highest earnings five years after graduating

The 15-month figure comes from the Graduate Outcomes survey and covers graduates in full-time work. The 3 and 5-year figures come from tax records and include everyone in work, including part-time, so they can be lower than the 15-month figure. Pay also depends on where people live. Compare earnings across all subjects or see what you’d repay on your student loan.

What the measures mean

Student satisfaction: Average share of final-year students answering positively across the seven themes of the National Student Survey: teaching, learning opportunities, assessment, support, organisation, resources and student voice.
Stay on course: Share of students still studying or having qualified a year after starting. Lower numbers mean more people drop out.
Graduate-level jobs: Of graduates in work 15 months after finishing, the share in professional or managerial roles.
Salary after 15 months: Median salary of graduates in full-time work in the UK, 15 months after finishing.
Entry points (median): The middle UCAS tariff score of students who started: half had more, half had less. It counts all their qualifications (a fourth A-level, EPQ, AS levels, music grades and so on), so it usually sits above the published offer, especially at selective universities. It shows how competitive entry is. Always check the real offer on the university’s course page.

See exactly how the overall score is calculated

Not ranked yet

These offer sports science but don’t yet have enough published data to rank fairly, often because the course is new or small.

Bishop Auckland College, Boston College, Burnley College, Exeter and North Devon Colleges Group, Farnborough College of Technology, Moulton College, Dn Colleges Group, City College Norwich, Oaklands College, South Essex College of Further and Higher Education, Truro and Penwith College, West Suffolk College, Novus, City of Stoke-On-Trent Sixth Form College, University Centre Peterborough