Best Health and Physical Education/Fitness Schools in California

California has 39 colleges offering Health and Physical Education/Fitness programs tracked by the College Scorecard, producing 3,258 recent graduates. Graduates in California earn $27,742 on average within two years — 7% below the national average of $29,831. Lower cost of living or industry mix may explain the gap.

School choice matters significantly: Chapman University graduates earn $29,141 while Vanguard University of Southern California graduates earn $17,950 — a $11,191 gap. Research each program's curriculum, employer connections, and career services before deciding.

Schools in CA

$27,742

CA Avg. Earnings

$29,831

National Avg.

677

Schools Nationally

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

Public Schools (21)

$28,127

avg. 2yr earnings

Private Schools (16)

$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

Chapman University

Orange, CA · Private

$29,141

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $23,512

Graduates: 24

Acceptance: 55.6%

Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park, CA · Public

$29,141

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $30,104

Graduates: 40

Acceptance: 94.7%

Saint Mary's College of California

Moraga, CA · Private

$32,925

2yr Earnings

Acceptance: 88.6%

Pepperdine University

Malibu, CA · Private

$26,739

2yr Earnings

Acceptance: 49.9%

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA · Public

N/A

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $29,831

Graduates: 31

Acceptance: 29.8%

National University

San Diego, CA · Private

$50,856

2yr Earnings

Acceptance: N/A

California State University-San Marcos

San Marcos, CA · Public

$30,891

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $29,198

Graduates: 118

Acceptance: 95.7%

California Baptist University

Riverside, CA · Private

$22,892

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $32,614

Graduates: 85

Acceptance: 73.6%

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA · Public

$26,063

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $24,520

Graduates: 228

Acceptance: 34.4%

#10

California Lutheran University

Thousand Oaks, CA · Private

$21,964

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $20,692

Graduates: 26

Acceptance: 88.9%

#11

Concordia University-Irvine

Irvine, CA · Private

$19,227

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $28,898

Graduates: 18

Acceptance: 59.9%

#12

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA · Public

$32,162

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $28,931

Graduates: 208

Acceptance: 93.6%

#13

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA · Public

$34,450

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $28,883

Graduates: 139

Acceptance: 96.2%

#14

University of the Pacific

Stockton, CA · Private

N/A

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $29,435

Graduates: 24

Acceptance: 94.9%

#15

California State University-Long Beach

Long Beach, CA · Public

$26,498

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $25,102

Graduates: 195

Acceptance: 47.1%

#16

California State University-Stanislaus

Turlock, CA · Public

$26,643

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $21,217

Graduates: 82

Acceptance: 97.5%

#17

California State University-East Bay

Hayward, CA · Public

$33,459

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $32,359

Graduates: 135

Acceptance: 96.8%

#18

Westmont College

Santa Barbara, CA · Private

$24,808

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $31,114

Graduates: 31

Acceptance: 79.9%

#19

La Sierra University

Riverside, CA · Private

$16,478

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $31,215

Graduates: 21

Acceptance: 93.3%

#20

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Arcata, CA · Public

$25,580

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $21,604

Graduates: 89

Acceptance: 98.8%

#21

California State University-San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA · Public

$26,170

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $25,423

Graduates: 173

Acceptance: 98.3%

#22

California State University-Fresno

Fresno, CA · Public

$26,469

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $24,810

Graduates: 192

Acceptance: 96.4%

#23

William Jessup University

Rocklin, CA · Private

California State University-Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA · Public

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

Pomona, CA · Public

$28,443

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $25,265

Graduates: 97

Acceptance: 73.7%

#26

California State University-Chico

Chico, CA · Public

$28,327

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $23,129

Graduates: 61

Acceptance: 93.7%

#27

California State University-Fullerton

Fullerton, CA · Public

$25,464

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $27,044

Graduates: 310

Acceptance: 86.7%

#28

Ashford University

San Diego, CA ·

$38,878

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $37,247

Graduates: 87

Acceptance: N/A

#29

Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA · Private

N/A

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $22,844

Graduates: 17

Acceptance: 57.5%

#30

California State University-Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA · Public

$25,194

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $28,810

Graduates: 99

Acceptance: 91.3%

#31

California State University-Northridge

Northridge, CA · Public

$29,840

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $26,612

Graduates: 374

Acceptance: 93.2%

#32

California State University-Monterey Bay

Seaside, CA · Public

$27,822

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $26,320

Graduates: 117

Acceptance: 94.8%

#33

Whittier College

Whittier, CA · Private

$16,015

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $25,185

Graduates: 45

Acceptance: 85.4%

#34

California State University-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA · Public

$25,889

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $25,029

Graduates: 117

Acceptance: 91.9%

#35

University of Antelope Valley

Lancaster, CA ·

N/A

2yr Earnings

Acceptance: N/A

#36

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, CA · Private

$36,848

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $32,329

Graduates: 32

Acceptance: 50.8%

#37

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA · Public

$33,281

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $36,415

Graduates: 43

Acceptance: 80.2%

#38

Pacific Union College

Angwin, CA · Private

Vanguard University of Southern California

Costa Mesa, CA · Private

$17,950

2yr Earnings

Acceptance: 64.7%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Health and Physical Education/Fitness in California?

Chapman University ranks #1 for Health and Physical Education/Fitness in California with median graduate earnings of $29,141 within two years of graduation. There are 39 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 $29,831 for this major.

What is the hardest Health and Physical Education/Fitness school to get into in California?

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is the most selective Health and Physical Education/Fitness program in California with an acceptance rate of 29.8%. The average acceptance rate across Health and Physical Education/Fitness programs in the state is 78.8%.

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 21 public and 16 private options in the state.

Other Popular Majors in California

Construction Management $81,700 Construction Engineering $81,610 Construction Engineering Technologies $76,343 Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions $75,984 Computer Science $72,889 Computer Engineering $72,447 Dental Support Services and Allied Professions $71,074 Computer and Information Sciences, General $68,388

All colleges in California →

Health and Physical Education/Fitness in Other States

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Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study file last updated June 2026. Institution-level figures elsewhere on the site come from the June 2026 release.