Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Bluffton University

Bluffton's Health and Physical Education program starts graduates at $28,602—about $4,400 below Ohio's median for this field and trailing peers like Miami University and Ohio State by $8,000-12,000. That's a notable gap in a state with 52 programs to choose from. However, the trajectory improves considerably: graduates see 49% earnings growth by year four, reaching $42,603, which narrows the competitive disadvantage. The $27,000 debt load is manageable, matching Ohio's median and creating a debt-to-earnings ratio under 1.0, which beats many education programs nationally.

The caveat here matters: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so individual career paths heavily influence these numbers. In a field where teaching positions, coaching roles, and fitness careers pay differently, small cohorts can swing wildly year to year. The positive spin is that graduates aren't drowning in debt while they establish themselves. The concern is whether that first-year salary reflects typical outcomes or if stronger students gravitate toward Ohio's higher-paying programs.

If your child is committed to health and physical education and values Bluffton's smaller environment, the debt burden won't derail their financial future. But if maximizing early earnings matters—especially for someone planning graduate school or facing other financial pressures—programs at Miami, Ohio State, or Dayton offer meaningfully higher starting salaries without proportionally higher debt.