Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Central Washington University

Central Washington University's Health and Physical Education program punches above its weight on earnings while keeping debt remarkably low. Starting at $35,268, graduates earn more than 81% of similar programs nationwide—impressive for a field where the national median sits at just $30,554. While they're at the 60th percentile among Washington programs (where competition is stiffer), they still outpace both state and national medians, and that gap widens as graduates gain experience.

The real standout here is the debt picture: at $17,848, borrowers carry significantly less than the national average of $25,757 for this degree. This creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.51—manageable by any standard—and ranks in the 95th percentile nationally for low debt. For context, this is roughly $4,000 less debt than the Washington state average for the same program. Steady 12% earnings growth over four years suggests graduates are building viable careers in teaching, coaching, or fitness fields.

For families concerned about the ROI of an education degree, this program offers a practical path. Your child won't graduate wealthy, but they'll enter the workforce with modest debt and earnings that actually exceed most peers in this field. That combination—solid starting salary, minimal borrowing, and steady growth—is exactly what anxious parents should want from an affordable state university.