Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Black Hills State University

Black Hills State's health and physical education program falls in an awkward middle ground within South Dakota. While graduates earn above the national average—placing them in the 73rd percentile nationally—they're actually earning below the state median of $37,481. In a state with only nine programs, that 40th percentile ranking means graduates are trailing schools like South Dakota State ($41,019) and Northern State ($40,123) by $3,000-$7,000 annually.

The debt picture offers some reassurance: at $24,000, it's slightly below both state and national medians, creating a manageable 0.70 ratio to first-year earnings. Graduates see steady income growth to $38,062 by year four, which helps close the gap. However, the small sample size here is critical—with fewer than 30 graduates tracked, a few outliers could skew these figures considerably in either direction.

For South Dakota families, this becomes a value question. If your child can gain admission to SDSU or Northern State (both highly accessible institutions), those programs deliver stronger earnings trajectories right out of the gate. Black Hills State isn't a bad choice—the debt is reasonable and earnings are respectable nationally—but within your state's options, it's not the strongest performer. The wide admission rate suggests access isn't a differentiator here, making the earnings gap harder to justify unless location in Spearfish specifically matters for your family's situation.