Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Friends University

At $24,870 in first-year earnings, Friends University's health and physical education graduates earn about $5,200 less than the typical Kansas graduate in this field—landing at just the 25th percentile statewide. This gap matters when you consider that graduates carry $26,500 in debt, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio that exceeds 1:1. For context, nearby Wichita State delivers earnings 35% higher ($33,449) with similar debt loads, while even smaller Kansas schools like Ottawa and Sterling produce significantly better outcomes.

The small cohort size here (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift year to year, but the pattern is troubling: this program ranks in the bottom 5% nationally for earnings despite debt levels near the national median. Students appear to be paying average prices for below-average outcomes. The program's placement at the lower end of Kansas options—where five other state schools show notably stronger earnings—suggests systemic challenges rather than just statistical noise.

For families weighing this program, the math is straightforward: first-year earnings barely cover living expenses, let alone debt payments. Unless your student has compelling non-financial reasons to attend Friends specifically (location, athletic opportunities, religious affiliation), other Kansas institutions offer clearer paths to financial stability in this field. The performance gap is too wide to ignore.