Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Indiana State University

Indiana State's Health and Physical Education program starts slow but builds momentum, with graduates seeing their earnings jump 41% by year four to reach $40,903. That trajectory matters because while first-year earnings of $28,975 lag behind the state median by roughly $6,000, by year four graduates have largely closed that gap. For context, this program ranks in just the 25th percentile among Indiana's 27 similar programs—meaning three-quarters of comparable in-state options deliver stronger early outcomes.

The $25,000 debt load is reasonable and slightly below both state and national medians, translating to a debt-to-earnings ratio under 1.0 even in that challenging first year. This matters for a field like physical education where career advancement often requires additional certifications or graduate work. However, parents should recognize that even after four years, earnings remain well below what graduates from Valparaiso ($44,937) or IU-Bloomington ($35,873) achieve much earlier in their careers.

The value proposition here hinges on whether your student has ties to Terre Haute or specific program features that justify choosing Indiana State over stronger-performing in-state alternatives. The 92% admission rate and 39% Pell grant population suggest an accessible institution serving first-generation students well, but purely from an earnings standpoint, this program underperforms most Indiana competitors in the crucial early career years when loan payments begin.