Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Frostburg State University

At $23,291 in first-year earnings, Frostburg State's Health and Physical Education program produces income that falls well below what most graduates in this field earn—ranking in just the 5th percentile nationally and 25th percentile among Maryland programs. To put this in perspective, the typical Maryland graduate in this field earns $31,403, about 35% more than Frostburg grads. Even the national median of $30,554 represents a significant premium over what Frostburg students can expect.

The debt load of $26,875 is close to both state and national medians, which means the real problem here is the earning power, not excessive borrowing. When first-year earnings barely exceed the debt you're carrying (1.15 ratio), it signals a challenging financial start. Your child would likely be earning less than many peers who chose physical education programs at Towson, Bowie State, or UMD-College Park—all accessible in-state alternatives where graduates earn $8,000-$15,000 more annually.

If your child is committed to teaching physical education or fitness instruction, understand that this is a relatively low-paying field even under the best circumstances. But within that reality, Frostburg appears to underperform its competitors. Unless there are compelling personal reasons to attend—location, specific faculty, or other fit factors—the earnings data suggests looking at Maryland's higher-performing programs in this field first.