Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Florida Gulf Coast University

Florida Gulf Coast University's Health and Physical Education program punches well above its weight, ranking in the 86th percentile nationally for graduate earnings while carrying just $15,000 in debt—half what typical graduates in this field owe. That 0.42 debt-to-earnings ratio is excellent for any program, but especially noteworthy in education-adjacent fields where starting salaries often lag. Within Florida, this program sits at the 60th percentile, trailing only University of Florida and a handful of private universities while maintaining dramatically lower debt loads than state competitors.

The earnings trajectory tells an encouraging story: graduates see 34% income growth from year one to year four, climbing from $36,002 to $48,144. That puts four-year earnings on par with UF's program but with roughly half the typical debt burden. For students planning careers in fitness, recreation management, or K-12 physical education in Southwest Florida's growing market, those numbers work.

The moderate sample size means individual outcomes may vary more than at larger programs, but the combination of low debt and solid earnings growth relative to both state and national peers makes this a financially sensible choice. Students willing to attend a less selective institution (77% acceptance rate) can access outcomes comparable to flagship programs without the corresponding financial risk.