Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Lamar University

Lamar's fitness education program sits in an interesting position: manageable debt paired with earnings that eventually rise but trail most Texas competitors. With $27,000 in debt—notably lower than the state median—graduates start at $31,935 but see healthy growth to $44,170 by year four. That 38% increase is promising, though the starting salary lags behind Texas peers by about $500, placing this program in just the 40th percentile statewide.

The real tension here is whether that earnings trajectory justifies starting behind programs like West Texas A&M or UT Incarnate Word, which pay $8,000-$9,000 more by year four. Lamar serves a student population where 44% receive Pell grants, and the debt burden here is lighter than 95% of similar programs nationally—that's a genuine advantage for students worried about monthly loan payments. The 0.85 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe less than a year's starting salary, which is workable even in a field not known for high pay.

For families prioritizing affordability and steady career progression over immediate earning power, this works. But if your child has options at UT schools or the higher-paying private programs, understand they'll be giving up roughly $10,000 annually in mid-career earnings. The value proposition depends heavily on what alternatives are on the table and how much that debt difference truly matters to your family's financial situation.