Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Long Island University

The small sample size here is a real concern, but these numbers reveal a difficult first year followed by remarkable recovery. LIU's health and physical education graduates earn just $24,096 one year out—landing in the bottom 5th percentile nationally and well below New York's $27,412 median. That's barely above minimum wage in the New York metro area. Four years later, however, earnings jump to $48,718, nearly doubling and surpassing both state and national benchmarks significantly. This pattern suggests graduates may be starting in part-time, seasonal, or assistant positions before moving into full-time teaching or coaching roles.

The $25,000 debt load is manageable compared to first-year earnings but creates real financial strain during those early years when graduates may be substitute teaching or working hourly fitness jobs. For context, top-performing NY programs like St. John Fisher and SUNY Oneonta start graduates at $36,000+, providing a much smoother financial transition. If your child can secure a teaching position quickly—or has family support to weather those first years—the long-term outlook improves considerably. But parents should know this program ranks in the bottom tier nationally for early outcomes, and those initial years will likely require careful budgeting or supplemental income.