Georgia Southern University is the only in-state master's program with a dedicated sport and exercise psychology concentration.
Accredited online programs from out-of-state universities give Georgia residents flexible alternatives to local options.
CMPC certification and Georgia LPC licensure serve different career paths, and some professionals pursue both credentials.
Atlanta's pro teams and the state's Division I programs fuel growing but still niche demand for sports psychology professionals.
Georgia is home to five major professional sports franchises, over a dozen Division I athletic programs, and a rapidly expanding youth travel-sports culture, yet the state produces only one dedicated sport and exercise psychology master's concentration on a physical campus. That gap between demand and supply defines the central tension for prospective students: strong local career potential paired with limited in-state program options.
Georgia Southern University's M.S. in Kinesiology with a Sport and Exercise Psychology concentration remains the primary campus-based pathway, while several accredited online programs accept Georgia residents. Costs, credential outcomes, and career ceilings vary sharply depending on whether you pursue a CMPC, an LPC, or both. Understanding those distinctions early is the difference between a two-year plan and a six-year detour. Students who want to compare options beyond state lines can also explore sports psychology programs in Florida or look into affordable Ph.D. sports psychology programs nationwide.
Best Sports Psychology Programs in Georgia: Rankings & Comparison
Georgia has a limited but focused landscape for sports psychology graduate education. Only one dedicated sport and exercise psychology concentration currently operates in the state at the master's level, making it a standout choice for aspiring mental performance consultants. Below, we break down what Georgia Southern University offers, along with key cost and outcome data to help you evaluate whether this program fits your goals and budget.
NCES-IPEDS federal institutional data — nces.ed.gov
Georgia Southern University
#1
Statesboro, GA · $15,000 – $20,000/yr
Best for: Aspiring CMPCs seeking Division I practicum experience
Georgia Southern University in Statesboro is the state's primary destination for graduate-level sport psychology training. Its M.S. in Kinesiology with a Sport and Exercise Psychology concentration is tightly integrated with the university's NCAA Division I Athletics Mental Performance Team, giving students direct, on-campus access to applied consultation with college athletes. All program faculty hold CMPC certification, and graduates have achieved a 100% first-time pass rate on the CMPC exam. With in-state tuition around $6,646 per year (or $22,414 out of state) and a net price of approximately $15,267, it offers a cost-effective path, particularly given that the institution reports median alumni earnings of $53,236 ten years after enrollment (note: this is a school-wide figure, not specific to the sport psychology program). The university-wide graduation rate stands at roughly 55%.
Master of Science in Kinesiology, Sport and Exercise Psychology — On-Campus
Sport and Exercise Psychology concentration, 36 credit hours
Campus-based program on the Statesboro campus
Choose between thesis track or internship track
Mentored practicum with Division I athletics Mental Performance Team
100% first-time CMPC exam pass rate among graduates
Graduate assistantships available, some historically fully funded
Curriculum aligned with AASP standards for CMPC eligibility
How We Ranked Georgia's Sports Psychology Programs
Ranking sports psychology programs in any state requires balancing hard data with honest transparency about what numbers can and cannot tell you. Here is how we approached it for Georgia and why context matters as much as the final list.
Data Sources and Core Factors
Our rankings draw from publicly available federal datasets, including the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. You can review the full details on our Rankings Methodology page. From these sources, we evaluated programs across several measurable dimensions:
Tuition and net price: What students actually pay after institutional aid, giving a realistic picture of cost.
Graduation and retention rates: Indicators of whether students are completing their programs on schedule.
Program format: Whether degrees are offered on campus, online, or in a hybrid model, since flexibility matters for working professionals.
Post-graduation earnings: Where program-level earnings data is available, we factored it in. For some smaller programs, this data is not yet reported, which we note rather than estimate.
Why Georgia's Small Program Pool Matters
Georgia has a relatively limited number of institutions offering dedicated sports psychology or sport and exercise psychology degrees compared to states like sports psychology programs in California, sports psychology programs in Florida, or Texas. This smaller universe means the rankings reflect a tighter competitive field. A program that might land mid-pack in a state with 20 options could appear near the top here simply because fewer alternatives exist. We encourage readers to treat these rankings as a starting point rather than a definitive verdict, especially when comparing across state lines.
What These Rankings Do Not Capture
Quantitative data only tells part of the story. Several factors that genuinely shape the quality of your educational experience fall outside the scope of federal reporting:
Curriculum depth and how well coursework aligns with CMPC certification or counseling licensure requirements
Faculty expertise, research output, and mentorship availability
Practicum and applied experience partnerships with collegiate athletic departments, professional sports organizations, or community programs
Alumni network strength and the program's reputation within the sport psychology community
These qualitative elements deserve serious weight in your decision. We recommend contacting programs directly, asking about practicum placements, and speaking with current students or graduates before committing. The rankings on this site give you a data-informed foundation, but your own research into these softer factors will help you find the program that truly fits your professional goals.
Types of Sports Psychology Degrees Available in Georgia
Georgia offers several degree pathways into sports psychology, but each one leads to a different credential and career outcome. Understanding these distinctions before you apply can save you years of coursework and keep you on track toward the specific role you want.
Bachelor's Degree
If you are just starting out, Toccoa Falls College offers a BA/BS in Counseling Psychology with a Sport Psychology concentration.1 This undergraduate program introduces foundational concepts in both counseling and sport psychology within a faith-based liberal arts setting. A bachelor's degree alone does not qualify you for licensure or the Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) credential, but it builds a strong foundation for graduate study in counseling, clinical, or sport psychology. Graduates also enter entry-level roles in coaching, ministry, and human services.1
Master's Degree
The master's level is where Georgia's options really branch. Three programs stand out, each with a distinct focus:
Georgia Southern University MS in Kinesiology (Sport and Exercise Psychology): This is widely considered the state's flagship sport psychology master's program. It prepares graduates for applied work as mental performance consultants, and completers are eligible to pursue CMPC certification.2 If your goal is to work directly with athletes on mental skills training without providing clinical therapy, this is the most direct path in Georgia.
Truett McConnell University MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Sports Psychology): This program merges clinical counselor training with a sports psychology specialization. Graduates meet Georgia's coursework requirements for Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) eligibility, meaning you can diagnose and treat mental health conditions while specializing in athlete populations.3 If you want to provide therapy rather than strictly performance consulting, this is the route to consider.
University of Georgia MS in Kinesiology (Exercise Psychology): UGA's program leans more toward research and exercise psychology than applied sport performance work.4 It is best suited for students planning to continue into a doctoral program. It does not lead directly to a specific professional credential like the CMPC or LPC.
The distinction matters: Georgia Southern's program targets CMPC certification, Truett McConnell's targets clinical licensure, and UGA's targets advanced research training. If you are also comparing masters in sports psychology options offered online, keep these credential differences in mind.
Doctoral Degree (PhD or PsyD)
As of 2026, Georgia does not have a doctoral program specifically branded as a PsyD in sports psychology. Students searching for a "PsyD sports psychology" option will need to look at clinical or counseling psychology doctorate in sports psychology programs (either in-state or nationally) and incorporate sport psychology coursework or practica into their training. A doctoral degree is required if you want to become a licensed psychologist in Georgia, which allows you to provide both clinical services and performance consulting under one credential.
Certificate Programs
Georgia does not currently offer a dedicated standalone certificate in sports psychology at the graduate level from a brick-and-mortar institution within the state. However, several nationally available online certificate programs accept Georgia residents. These certificates can add sport-specific knowledge to an existing degree but do not, on their own, qualify you for CMPC certification or state licensure. They work best as supplements for licensed counselors, psychologists, or coaches who want to add sport psychology competencies without completing a full degree.
Quick Comparison
Bachelor's (4 years): Foundation for graduate study; no licensure or CMPC eligibility on its own.
Master's, applied (2 years): CMPC eligibility (Georgia Southern) or LPC eligibility (Truett McConnell), depending on program.
Master's, research (2 years): Preparation for doctoral study (UGA); no specific professional credential.
Doctoral (4 to 7 years): Required for psychologist licensure in Georgia; allows both clinical work and performance consulting.
Certificate (varies): Supplemental training only; does not lead to independent licensure or CMPC certification.
Choosing the right degree type comes down to one key question: do you want to be a mental performance consultant, a licensed therapist who works with athletes, or a researcher? Georgia has a viable pathway for each, though doctoral and certificate seekers may need to look beyond state borders for the best fit.
Questions to Ask Yourself
Do you want to help athletes sharpen mental performance, or do you want to provide clinical therapy for athletes?
This distinction shapes your entire path. A mental performance focus points toward CMPC certification and sport science programs, while a clinical therapy focus requires a counseling or psychology licensure track with supervised clinical hours.
Are you able to relocate or commute to a Georgia campus, or do you need an online or hybrid format?
Only a handful of Georgia institutions offer in-person sport psychology coursework. If relocating is not realistic, accredited online programs from other states can still prepare you for practice in Georgia.
Is a graduate certificate sufficient for your career goals, or do you need a full master's or doctoral degree?
Certificates can add sport psychology skills to an existing credential, but most employer and client-facing roles expect at least a master's degree. A PsyD or PhD is typically required if you plan to provide clinical services independently.
Online Sports Psychology Programs for Georgia Residents
If you live in Georgia but cannot find a local program that fits your schedule or academic goals, best sports psychology master's programs delivered online offer a practical alternative. Several accredited out-of-state universities deliver coursework entirely or mostly online, and many accept students from Georgia. Still, you need to verify a few things before committing tuition dollars.
Confirm CMPC Approval Status
If earning the Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) credential is part of your career plan, start by checking whether a program appears on the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) list of approved master's programs. AASP maintains this list on its website and updates it regularly. Graduating from an approved program streamlines the CMPC application process because the curriculum has already been vetted against AASP's coursework requirements. Programs that are not on the approved list can still lead to certification, but you will need to demonstrate course-by-course equivalency on your own, which adds time and paperwork.
Among the online options commonly discussed by prospective students, the University of Western States and Ball State University both offer graduate programs in sport and performance psychology that accept distance learners. Availability, curriculum details, and approval status can shift from year to year, so always cross-reference the AASP directory before you apply.
Check State Authorization and SARA Participation
Georgia regulates distance education through the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (GNPEC). Before an out-of-state school can legally enroll Georgia residents in an online program, the institution generally needs to either hold authorization from GNPEC or participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). You can search the NC-SARA website to see whether a school is a participating institution. If it is not listed, that does not necessarily mean you cannot enroll, but it does mean you should ask pointed questions about authorization before signing anything.
NC-SARA search: Visit the NC-SARA institution directory and enter the school's name.
GNPEC verification: Check GNPEC's authorized schools list if the institution does not appear in NC-SARA.
Financial aid implications: Schools lacking proper authorization in Georgia may be unable to process state-level financial aid or certain federal aid programs for Georgia residents.
Contact Admissions Directly
Even when a school participates in SARA, some programs carry state-specific enrollment restrictions tied to practicum, internship, or licensure requirements. The safest step is to contact the admissions office of every program you are considering. Ask explicitly whether they accept Georgia residents for the current enrollment cycle, whether practicum placements can be completed in Georgia, and whether any clinical or field-experience components require travel to campus. Programs at Ball State, the University of Western States, and successor programs that emerged from the former JFK University have all adjusted their state enrollment policies over time, so do not rely on secondhand forum posts or outdated FAQs.
Taking these three verification steps before you apply protects you from surprises down the road and ensures your degree will count toward the credential or career path you have in mind.
Cost and Financial Aid for Georgia Sports Psychology Programs
Georgia Southern University, the state's primary campus-based sports psychology master's program, offers relatively affordable tuition compared to many graduate programs nationwide. In-state students benefit significantly, though financial aid and graduate assistantships can further reduce costs. The median graduate debt for Georgia Southern students is $23,250, which is modest relative to many graduate psychology programs across the country.
CMPC Certification vs. Counseling Licensure in Georgia
Deciding between the CMPC credential and the Georgia LPC license? The two pathways serve different purposes. CMPC is a voluntary certification issued by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) and accredited by the NCCA. It signals expertise in mental performance consulting but is not a clinical license, which means CMPC holders generally cannot bill insurance or diagnose mental health disorders. The Georgia LPC, by contrast, is a state-regulated clinical license that permits diagnosis, treatment, and insurance reimbursement.
Sports Psychology Careers and Salaries in Georgia
Georgia offers a distinctive mix of professional sports franchises, powerhouse college athletics programs, and a growing network of private performance clinics, all of which create career opportunities for sports psychology professionals. That said, the field remains relatively niche. Understanding realistic salary ranges and the types of employers hiring in this space will help you plan your career trajectory.
What the Wage Data Tells Us
The Bureau of Labor Statistics groups most sports psychologists under the broader "Psychologists, All Other" category. In Georgia, the median hourly wage for this group was approximately $58.33 in 2023, with a mean annual wage of around $111,980.1 Those figures are slightly below the national median annual wage of $117,750 for the same category, though the total number of professionals employed statewide in this occupational group was only about 340, underscoring how specialized the field is.2
Mental health counselors, which is the more common licensure path for master's-level graduates who work with athletes, typically earn less. Nationally, counselors at the entry level start closer to $47,450 per year, while experienced practitioners can reach six figures depending on their specialization and practice setting.2 In the Atlanta metro area, salaries tend to skew higher than the statewide average due to the concentration of professional teams and large university athletic departments.
Program-level earnings data for sports psychology graduates specifically is not yet available for Georgia institutions, so it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what a new graduate from a program like Georgia Southern University's Sport and Exercise Psychology concentration will earn in their first year. Use the occupational wage ranges above as a general guide rather than a guarantee.
Who Is Hiring in Georgia
Georgia's employer landscape spans several sectors:
Professional sports teams: The Atlanta Falcons (NFL), Atlanta Hawks (NBA), Atlanta Braves (MLB), and Atlanta United (MLS) all maintain or contract with mental performance staff. Augusta National Golf Club and the broader golf ecosystem in the Augusta area also create seasonal and consulting opportunities.
Division I athletic departments: The University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, and Kennesaw State University each support athlete well-being through counseling centers or dedicated sport psychology positions within their athletics departments.
Private performance clinics: A growing number of private practices in the Atlanta metro area specialize in mental performance coaching, serving youth athletes, collegiate competitors, and professionals.
CMPC Consultants vs. Licensed Counselors
Your credential path shapes your earning potential. If you are weighing the two tracks, our guide on clinical vs. performance focus can help clarify the differences. Certified Mental Performance Consultants (CMPC) typically work as independent contractors or consultants, which means income can fluctuate based on client volume and contracts. Some CMPC holders supplement consulting with speaking engagements, team workshops, or university teaching positions.
Licensed professional counselors (LPCs) or licensed psychologists who specialize in working with athletes often enjoy steadier income through clinical practice, with the added ability to bill insurance for therapy sessions. Counselors embedded in university counseling centers or athletic departments may receive benefits and retirement packages that independent CMPC consultants do not.
In general, doctoral-level licensed psychologists command the highest salaries in this space, while master's-level CMPC consultants may need to build a client base over several years before reaching comparable income. For a broader look at the full credential pathway, see our overview of how to become a sports psychologist.
Practicum and Internship Opportunities
The Atlanta metro area is one of the richest practicum environments in the Southeast. Students enrolled in Georgia programs can pursue applied experiences with:
University athletic departments across the state
Professional team performance staffs or affiliated training facilities
Community sport organizations and youth academies
Private mental performance practices in metro Atlanta, Savannah, and Augusta
Georgia Southern University's master's program, for example, offers both a thesis track and an internship track, with a mentored applied practicum built into the curriculum. Completing hands-on hours with real athletes during your degree not only satisfies CMPC certification requirements but also positions you to land employment in a competitive job market. Building relationships at practicum sites is one of the most reliable ways graduates transition into paid roles in this small but growing field.
Georgia offers only a handful of in-state sports psychology programs, yet demand is strong thanks to Atlanta's professional teams and the state's many Division I athletic programs. To maximize your options, consider pairing local opportunities with accredited online programs. Whether you pursue CMPC certification for performance consulting or an LPC pathway for clinical mental health work with athletes, both routes can lead to rewarding careers in this small but steadily growing market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sports Psychology in Georgia
Below are the most common questions prospective students ask about pursuing sports psychology in Georgia. Each answer draws on program details, certification requirements, and career data covered earlier in this guide.
What colleges offer sports psychology programs in Georgia?
Georgia Southern University offers a well-known M.S. in Sport and Exercise Psychology. The University of Georgia provides graduate study in kinesiology with a sport psychology concentration. Augusta University and Mercer University offer related counseling or psychology programs with elective coursework in performance psychology. Georgia residents also commonly enroll in accredited online programs from out-of-state institutions to broaden their options.
How much does a sports psychology master's degree cost in Georgia?
Costs vary by institution and residency status. Georgia Southern's in-state graduate tuition runs roughly $5,000 to $7,000 per year, making a two-year master's degree approximately $10,000 to $14,000 before fees. Out-of-state and private university tuition can be significantly higher. Online programs from institutions outside Georgia typically range from $20,000 to $40,000 total. Graduate assistantships and federal financial aid can offset expenses considerably.
Is Georgia Southern's sport psychology program CMPC-approved?
Georgia Southern's M.S. in Sport and Exercise Psychology is structured to meet the coursework and mentored experience requirements for the Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) credential through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. Graduates have historically been well-positioned to pursue CMPC certification, though candidates must still complete the required supervised hours and pass the certification exam independently.
Can you get a sports psychology degree fully online in Georgia?
No Georgia-based university currently offers a fully online master's degree specifically in sport psychology. However, several accredited out-of-state programs, such as those at Ball State University and the University of Western States, accept Georgia residents into fully online graduate programs. Some Georgia schools offer hybrid formats or online elective coursework. Always confirm that an online program meets CMPC coursework requirements before enrolling.
What is the difference between CMPC certification and counseling licensure in Georgia?
CMPC certification, granted by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, focuses on mental performance enhancement: goal setting, imagery, focus, and team dynamics. It does not authorize treatment of clinical disorders. Georgia counseling licensure (LPC) requires a master's in counseling, supervised clinical hours, and a passing score on the NCE or NCMHCE. Licensed counselors can diagnose and treat mental health conditions, including those affecting athletes.
What can you do with a sports psychology degree in Georgia?
Graduates work as mental performance consultants for collegiate and professional teams, athletic departments, private coaching practices, and military installations such as Fort Eisenhower. Some enter roles in corporate wellness or youth sport organizations. Those who also hold counseling licensure can provide clinical therapy to athletes. Georgia's concentration of Division I programs, professional franchises, and Olympic training resources creates a steady, if competitive, job market.
Do you need a doctorate to practice sports psychology in Georgia?
Not necessarily. A master's degree is sufficient to pursue CMPC certification and work as a mental performance consultant in Georgia. However, if you want to provide clinical therapy or use the title 'psychologist,' Georgia law requires a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) and licensure through the Georgia Board of Psychology. Your intended scope of practice determines which level of education you need.
