Best Schools for Health and Physical Education/Fitness

Health and Physical Education/Fitness graduates earn a median of $53,914 within four years of graduating, ranking #224 out of 283 tracked majors — 14% below the median across all fields. There are 651 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 38,205 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: Rice University graduates earn $87,404 while Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German graduates earn $19,431 — a $67,973 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap. Across all fields, though, which major you pick separates earnings more than which college does.

Early career salary growth is moderate: Health and Physical Education/Fitness graduates see an average 7% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

651

Schools

$53,914

Avg. 2yr Earnings

#224

of 283 Majors

38,205

Graduates

Public vs Private: Health and Physical Education/Fitness

Public (306 schools)

$55,055

avg. 2yr earnings

Private (343 schools)

$53,044

avg. 2yr earnings

Public schools produce comparable or higher early earnings for Health and Physical Education/Fitness, often at lower tuition — making them strong value options for this major.

Health and Physical Education/Fitness by State

Also by state: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin

Top Health and Physical Education/Fitness Schools by Graduate Earnings

Rice University

Houston, TX · Private

Emory University

Atlanta, GA · Private

University of Virginia-Main Campus

Charlottesville, VA · Public

University of Scranton

Scranton, PA · Private

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, NC · Private

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI · Public

Manhattan University

Riverdale, NY · Private

$78,264

4yr Earnings

20 grads · small sample

2yr: $16,008 (11)

Acceptance: 78.5%

Seton Hall University

South Orange, NJ · Private

Carroll University

Waukesha, WI · Private

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, MO · Private

Simmons University

Boston, MA · Private

University of Delaware

Newark, DE · Public

Chapman University

Orange, CA · Private

$75,108

4yr Earnings

21 grads · small sample

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, WI · Public

Lebanon Valley College

Annville, PA · Private

University of Mississippi

University, MS · Public

Chatham University

Pittsburgh, PA · Private

$73,633

4yr Earnings

18 grads · small sample

Acceptance: 70.1%

#18

University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT · Public

University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus

Waterbury, CT · Public

University of Connecticut-Avery Point

Groton, CT · Public

University of Connecticut-Stamford

Stamford, CT · Public

University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus

Hartford, CT · Public

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Amherst, MA · Public

Purdue University-Main Campus

West Lafayette, IN · Public

Wittenberg University

Springfield, OH · Private

Rutgers University-New Brunswick

New Brunswick, NJ · Public

DePauw University

Greencastle, IN · Private

$71,696

4yr Earnings

17 grads · small sample

2yr: $25,194 (14)

Acceptance: 54.1%

#28

University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus

Norman, OK · Public

Miami University-Oxford

Oxford, OH · Public

Creighton University

Omaha, NE · Private

$69,590

4yr Earnings

20 grads · small sample

William & Mary

Williamsburg, VA · Public

University of Toledo

Toledo, OH · Public

Indiana University-Bloomington

Bloomington, IN · Public

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY · Private

Elon University

Elon, NC · Private

University of Mary

Bismarck, ND · Private

Pace University

New York, NY · Private

$67,866

4yr Earnings

20 grads · small sample

1yr: $30,278 (20)

Acceptance: 77.1%

#38

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL · Public

University of South Carolina-Columbia

Columbia, SC · Public

Central Connecticut State University

New Britain, CT · Public

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, IA · Private

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Scranton

Dunmore, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona

Altoona, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks

Reading, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg

Middletown, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

University Park, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington

Abington, PA · Public

Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park, CA · Public

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI · Public

University of Georgia

Athens, GA · Public

Showing top 50 of 651 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services, Other $30,504 Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies $30,429 History $30,261 Research and Experimental Psychology $30,110 Neurobiology and Neurosciences $29,812 English Language and Literature/Letters, Other $29,787

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Rice University ranks #1 for Health and Physical Education/Fitness with median graduate earnings of $87,404 within four years of graduating. There are 651 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.

How much do Health and Physical Education/Fitness graduates earn?

Health and Physical Education/Fitness graduates earn an average of $53,914 within four years of graduating. This is 14% below the median across all majors. Earnings range from $19,431 to $87,404 depending on the school.

How hard is it to get into a top Health and Physical Education/Fitness program?

The average acceptance rate across Health and Physical Education/Fitness programs is 76.9%. The most selective program is at Rice University with a 7.9% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.

Is a public or private school better for Health and Physical Education/Fitness?

Private Health and Physical Education/Fitness programs average $53,044 in early earnings vs $55,055 at public schools. Public schools offer competitive earnings at typically lower cost, making them strong value options.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders, from the field-of-study file last updated June 2026. Institution-level figures elsewhere on the site come from the June 2026 release — Scorecard publishes the two separately.

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