Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Cornell College

Cornell College's Health and Physical Education program sits in an interesting middle ground—performing well above the national average but trailing most Iowa competitors. With first-year earnings of $35,439, graduates earn about $5,000 more than the typical health/PE teacher nationally, placing them in the 82nd percentile. However, within Iowa, this program ranks at the 60th percentile, with five other state schools producing notably higher earners.

The debt picture looks quite favorable at $27,000, landing in the 5th percentile nationally (meaning 95% of similar programs saddle students with more debt). The 0.76 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable—graduates owe less than a year's salary, which suggests they can reasonably pay this off while building their careers. For context, Iowa's median debt for this program matches Cornell's exactly, so you're not overpaying relative to state alternatives.

The catch: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, making it less reliable than larger programs. If your child is set on health and physical education, Cornell delivers solid outcomes without excessive debt, but schools like Buena Vista and Simpson show $3,000-$4,000 higher starting salaries for roughly the same debt load. Cornell works as a reasonable choice, but it's worth comparing financial aid packages against those top Iowa performers before deciding.