Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Gustavus Adolphus College

Gustavus Adolphus graduates earn $38,796 their first year out—crushing the national median by 27% and placing them in the 95th percentile nationwide for Health and Physical Education programs. That's impressive, but context matters: within Minnesota, this places them squarely in the middle of the pack (60th percentile), trailing Winona State and Minnesota State Moorhead. The $27,000 in typical debt is manageable, yielding a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70, and earnings climb to $43,101 by year four—solid progression for a field where many careers start in the low-$30,000s nationally.

The value calculation here depends heavily on cost. At 62% selectivity with strong SAT scores, Gustavus likely carries a private school price tag that state universities don't. If your child can attend Winona State or MSU Moorhead for significantly less, those programs deliver comparable or better outcomes. However, if financial aid brings Gustavus close to public school pricing, the strong national standing and reasonable debt load make this competitive—you're paying for a well-established program that consistently places graduates above the national norm, even if it doesn't dominate the Minnesota market. Compare net costs carefully before deciding.