Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Florida State University

Florida State's Health and Physical Education program shows one of the more dramatic earnings trajectories you'll find—graduates start near the bottom but nearly double their income within four years. That first-year figure of $29,519 reflects the reality of entry-level PE teaching and fitness positions, but by year four, earnings jump to $47,095, surpassing Florida's median by more than $17,000. This suggests graduates successfully transition into administrative roles, department head positions, or specialized coaching that pays substantially better than entry-level work.

The debt picture here is notably favorable. At $18,750, graduates owe roughly $6,000 less than both state and national medians for this program. For a selective flagship university (25% admission rate), keeping borrowing this low while delivering strong mid-career outcomes is meaningful. That 0.64 debt-to-earnings ratio looks concerning at first, but the rapid earnings growth makes this manageable—debt equals just 40% of year-four earnings.

The key question is whether your child can weather those lean early years. If they're committed to education or athletics careers and understand the long game—where the real money comes from moving up to head coach, athletic director, or program coordinator roles—FSU delivers solid mid-career returns at a reasonable debt cost. Just know they'll likely need financial support or supplemental income early on.