Best Online Exercise Science Programs in Illinois (2026)

• Top Bachelor's52.8 out of 100

  Concordia University-Chicago

  Kinesiology (BS) Online

  Illinois · B.S.

  Concordia University-Chicago's B.S. Review
• Top Master's66.0 out of 100

  Aurora University

  Master of Science in Exercise Science

  Illinois · M.S.

  Aurora University's M.S. Review
• Top Doctorate36.5 out of 100

  Concordia University-Chicago

  Exercise Science (PhD), online

  Illinois · Ph.D.

  Concordia University-Chicago's Ph.D. Review

If you live in Illinois, the first thing to know is that living here doesn't lower your price. Each of the five programs lists one online rate for every student, and the evidence in each program's review says so. Concordia Chicago charges $440 a credit for the bachelor's, $575 for the master's and $775 for the PhD. Saint Xavier charges $530. Aurora charges $565.

The second thing is that all three schools are private nonprofits. None of Illinois's public universities has an online exercise science program on our list, so the in-state tuition discount that usually defines public schools isn't part of this page. The lowest Illinois rate is $440, and the median across the five is $565.

Against national medians for the programs we track, the state looks reasonable at the bachelor's and master's levels. The national median is $445 a credit for a bachelor's and $610 for a master's, so Concordia's $440 sits just under the first and all three master's sit under the second. The PhD's $775 is above the $690 national doctorate median.

Pay is the third piece. In May 2025 the BLS reported 300 exercise physiologists in Illinois earning a median of $60,130, against a national median of $59,460. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors earned $46,800, and coaches and scouts earned $49,120. The exercise physiologist title is small here, so many graduates land in adjacent roles.

Finally, Illinois doesn't license exercise physiologists. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation lists athletic trainers, physical therapists and dietitian nutritionists among the professions it regulates, but no exercise physiologists, personal trainers or coaches. The certifications that employers ask for come from private bodies like ACSM and NSCA instead.

Because Illinois belongs to the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement, you can also enroll online at a school in another member state. NC-SARA says 49 states, all but California, have joined. That opens the national options at the end of this page.

A program lands on this page when its school is based in Illinois and the program is published on our site as an online degree.

We then order the five by the six-factor score in our methodology: cost, outcomes, online flexibility, credential alignment, program depth and track record. The in-state rate is the price the school lists for online students, and we show it only when the school publishes one.

• School based in Illinois, program delivered online
• In-state rate shown when the school publishes one
• Scored on the same six factors as every list and ranked inside its degree level

Scores are the weighted sum of six factors (Cost 25%, Outcomes 20%, Online Flexibility 20%, Credential Alignment 15%, Program Depth 10%, Track Record 10%), version 1.0. The methodology page shows the rubric for each factor.

What Do Exercise Physiologists, Trainers, and Coaches Earn in Illinois?

The BLS publishes Illinois figures for three jobs that exercise science graduates commonly take. Its May 2025 data shows 300 exercise physiologists, 19,830 exercise trainers and group fitness instructors, and 8,840 coaches and scouts working in the state.

Exercise physiologists have the highest median at $60,130. The middle 80 percent earn between $50,220 and $84,020, and the mean is $65,960. That's a clinical and wellness job, and with only 300 positions statewide it's a niche one. Don't count on a posting for that exact title in your town.

Trainers and group fitness instructors earn a median of $46,800, but the range is wide: $31,210 at the 10th percentile and $92,780 at the 90th. The top of that range usually goes to people who run programs, manage staff or build their own client base, not to someone teaching a few classes.

Coaches and scouts have a median of $49,120 and the widest spread of the three, from $31,200 to $122,720. Some of that top end is college and professional coaching, which rarely starts with an online degree.

These numbers describe people already employed under those titles. A degree doesn't set your pay, and none of the five schools promises a salary. What the degree can do is meet the education requirement for the exercise physiologist certification and for management roles in the trainer and coach categories. Our exercise physiologist salary guide breaks down the national and state tables.

What Do the Five Illinois Programs Cost?

Here's what each school lists. Concordia Chicago's kinesiology bachelor's is $440 a credit for 120 credits, or $52,800 before transfer credit, and it accepts up to 90 credits. Aurora's master's is $565 a credit for 30 credits, or $16,950, plus a $100 technology fee each semester. Saint Xavier's strength and conditioning master's is $530 a credit for 36 to 39 credits, which the school puts at about $19,080 to $20,670.

Concordia's applied exercise science master's is $575 a credit for 30 to 36 credits, with an $18-per-credit technology fee. Its PhD is $775 a credit for 69 credits, or $53,475, again with the $18 fee. That means the doctorate costs about as much as the whole bachelor's, and it doesn't lead to a certification.

Saint Xavier adds a $225 academic service fee, a $225 graduation fee and a $200 lab fee. Concordia's bachelor's and master's programs are asynchronous, and the master's lets you start in fall, spring or summer. Saint Xavier runs 7-week terms and offers a 12-month accelerated path, a 24-month traditional path and a 4+1 option for its own seniors.

If you're deciding among the master's programs on price alone, Saint Xavier is the lowest at $530 and Concordia the highest at $575. The gap is small, so compare fees, the length of the degree and whether you can start when you need to. Our cheapest online exercise science degrees list shows how these prices compare across the country.

Service members should look at Aurora. The school lists a $250-per-credit tuition grant for active-duty members, spouses, dependents, Guard members and reservists, and a grant equal to 10% of tuition for veterans. See the military ranking for the other programs that publish a rate.

Which Certification Rules Should Shape Your Illinois Choice?

Two deadlines are coming, and both depend on accreditation of the degree itself. Starting August 15, 2027, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) says candidates for its Certified Exercise Physiologist (ACSM-EP) and Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist (ACSM-CEP) credentials must graduate from a CAAHEP-accredited exercise science or exercise physiology program. ACSM also accepts a program that has started the CAAHEP process.

Starting January 1, 2030, the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) says U.S. candidates for the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) exam must hold a bachelor's degree from a CASCE-accredited program. That rule is about the bachelor's. A master's from Saint Xavier won't satisfy it if your bachelor's came from a program without CASCE accreditation.

None of the five Illinois programs matched CAAHEP's list or our CASCE match. Aurora and Concordia's pages mention NSCA recognition, which isn't the same as CASCE accreditation. Aurora's Clinical Exercise Physiology specialization prepares you to sit for the ACSM-CEP exam, and Concordia's master's lists ACSM-EP and CSCS preparation.

So ask each school two direct questions: is the program CAAHEP or CASCE accredited, and if not, has it started the process? Get the answer in writing before you pay a deposit.

CAAHEP's list does include two Illinois schools, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Lewis University, but neither is one of the online programs we've published. If you need a CAAHEP-accredited degree and can't attend campus, our certification-ready list shows the online programs that match.

Where Do Illinois Residents Do Their Onsite Requirements?

Two of the five programs require you to show up in person, and that's easier when you live in Illinois than when you're two states away. Saint Xavier's master's requires a two-day onsite intensive in its Human Performance Lab on the Chicago campus during your last semester. The lab has GPS tracking, portable force plates and VO2 analysis equipment.

Aurora requires a 3-credit graduate internship in either specialization. The school's program data says internship sites aren't described, so ask how placements work. Students have interned at Northwestern Medicine, IMG Academy, the San Francisco Giants and ATI Physical Therapy. Admission also requires a TB screen or test and a criminal background check.

Concordia's programs are fully online. Some master's concentrations still include a practicum or field experience, and the school doesn't say where those are done, so confirm your placement before you pick a concentration.

Ask a second question about your own schedule. An internship or a lab intensive usually means time off from your regular job, so ask whether you can arrange it around your work.

If you want a fully online degree with no campus trips at all, you'll find more choices outside Illinois. Our 100 percent online list is built for that. And if you're aiming for physical therapy school, note that Concordia's bachelor's makes no DPT prerequisite claim, so check each DPT program's list yourself. Our pre-physical therapy ranking covers that path.