Best Health and Physical Education/Fitness Schools in California

California has 34 colleges offering Health and Physical Education/Fitness programs tracked by the College Scorecard, producing 3,186 recent graduates. Graduates in California earn $27,742 on average within two years — 7% below the national average of $29,758. Lower cost of living or industry mix may explain the gap.

School choice matters significantly: National University graduates earn $50,856 while Whittier College graduates earn $16,015 — a $34,841 gap. Research each program's curriculum, employer connections, and career services before deciding.

34
Schools in CA
$27,742
CA Avg. Earnings
$29,758
National Avg.
545
Schools Nationally

Public vs Private: Health and Physical Education/Fitness in California

Public Schools (20)
$28,127
avg. 2yr earnings
Private Schools (13)
$26,293
avg. 2yr earnings

Public schools in California produce comparable or higher early earnings for Health and Physical Education/Fitness graduates, often at lower cost — making them strong value options.

Health and Physical Education/Fitness Schools in California, Ranked by Earnings

#1
N

National University

San Diego, CA · Private

$50,856
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: N/A
#2
A

Ashford University

San Diego, CA ·

$38,878
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $37,247
Graduates: 87
Acceptance: N/A
#3
U

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, CA · Private

$36,848
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $32,329
Graduates: 32
Acceptance: 50.8%
#4
S

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA · Public

$34,450
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $28,883
Graduates: 139
Acceptance: 96.2%
#5
C

California State University-East Bay

Hayward, CA · Public

$33,459
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $32,359
Graduates: 135
Acceptance: 96.8%
#6
S

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA · Public

$33,281
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $36,415
Graduates: 43
Acceptance: 80.2%
#7
S

Saint Mary's College of California

Moraga, CA · Private

$32,925
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 88.6%
#8
C

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA · Public

$32,162
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $28,931
Graduates: 208
Acceptance: 93.6%
#9
C

California State University-San Marcos

San Marcos, CA · Public

$30,891
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $29,198
Graduates: 118
Acceptance: 95.7%
#10
C

California State University-Northridge

Northridge, CA · Public

$29,840
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $26,612
Graduates: 374
Acceptance: 93.2%
#11
C

Chapman University

Orange, CA · Private

$29,141
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $23,512
Graduates: 24
Acceptance: 55.6%
#12
S

Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park, CA · Public

$29,141
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $30,104
Graduates: 40
Acceptance: 94.7%
#13
C

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

Pomona, CA · Public

$28,443
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,265
Graduates: 97
Acceptance: 73.7%
#14
C

California State University-Chico

Chico, CA · Public

$28,327
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $23,129
Graduates: 61
Acceptance: 93.7%
#15
C

California State University-Monterey Bay

Seaside, CA · Public

$27,822
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $26,320
Graduates: 117
Acceptance: 94.8%
#16
P

Pepperdine University

Malibu, CA · Private

$26,739
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 49.9%
#17
C

California State University-Stanislaus

Turlock, CA · Public

$26,643
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $21,217
Graduates: 82
Acceptance: 97.5%
#18
C

California State University-Long Beach

Long Beach, CA · Public

$26,498
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,102
Graduates: 195
Acceptance: 47.1%
#19
C

California State University-Fresno

Fresno, CA · Public

$26,469
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $24,810
Graduates: 192
Acceptance: 96.4%
#20
C

California State University-San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA · Public

$26,170
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,423
Graduates: 173
Acceptance: 98.3%
#21
S

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA · Public

$26,063
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $24,520
Graduates: 228
Acceptance: 34.4%
#22
P

Pacific Union College

Angwin, CA · Private

$25,967
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 42.5%
#23
C

California State University-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA · Public

$25,889
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,029
Graduates: 117
Acceptance: 91.9%
#24
C

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Arcata, CA · Public

$25,580
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $21,604
Graduates: 89
Acceptance: 98.8%
#25
C

California State University-Fullerton

Fullerton, CA · Public

$25,464
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $27,044
Graduates: 310
Acceptance: 86.7%
#26
C

California State University-Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA · Public

$25,194
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $28,810
Graduates: 99
Acceptance: 91.3%
#27
W

Westmont College

Santa Barbara, CA · Private

$24,808
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $31,114
Graduates: 31
Acceptance: 79.9%
#28
C

California Baptist University

Riverside, CA · Private

$22,892
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $32,614
Graduates: 85
Acceptance: 73.6%
#29
C

California Lutheran University

Thousand Oaks, CA · Private

$21,964
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $20,692
Graduates: 26
Acceptance: 88.9%
#30
C

California State University-Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA · Public

$20,748
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 88.2%
#31
C

Concordia University-Irvine

Irvine, CA · Private

$19,227
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $28,898
Graduates: 18
Acceptance: 59.9%
#32
V

Vanguard University of Southern California

Costa Mesa, CA · Private

$17,950
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 64.7%
#33
L

La Sierra University

Riverside, CA · Private

$16,478
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $31,215
Graduates: 21
Acceptance: 93.3%
#34
W

Whittier College

Whittier, CA · Private

$16,015
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,185
Graduates: 45
Acceptance: 85.4%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Health and Physical Education/Fitness in California?
National University ranks #1 for Health and Physical Education/Fitness in California with median graduate earnings of $50,856 within two years of graduation. There are 34 schools offering Health and Physical Education/Fitness programs in the state.
How much do Health and Physical Education/Fitness graduates earn in California?
Health and Physical Education/Fitness graduates in California earn an average of $27,742 within two years of graduation. This is 7% below the national average of $29,758 for this major.
What is the hardest Health and Physical Education/Fitness school to get into in California?
San Diego State University is the most selective Health and Physical Education/Fitness program in California with an acceptance rate of 34.4%. The average acceptance rate across Health and Physical Education/Fitness programs in the state is 80.5%.
Should I attend a public or private school for Health and Physical Education/Fitness in California?
In California, private Health and Physical Education/Fitness programs produce average earnings of $26,293 vs $28,127 at public schools. However, public schools typically cost less — consider net price relative to earnings when calculating ROI. There are 20 public and 13 private options in the state.

Other Popular Majors in California

All colleges in California →

Health and Physical Education/Fitness in Other States

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Data updated June 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.