Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Manchester University

Manchester's Health and Physical Education program posts earnings that fall short of Indiana's median for this field by nearly $5,000—landing in just the 40th percentile among 27 in-state options. Starting at roughly $30,000, graduates earn about $4,700 less than the typical Indiana PE teacher or fitness professional, a meaningful gap when you're making early-career loan payments on $25,500 in debt.

The 31% earnings bump over four years offers some reassurance, bringing graduates closer to $39,000 by their fourth year out. That's solid growth for the field. But even with this trajectory, earnings lag behind what students achieve at nearby programs like Anderson University or Indiana Wesleyan, where graduates start thousands of dollars ahead. The debt load itself isn't alarming—it's essentially average for both the state and this major nationally—but paired with below-median earnings, it creates a tighter financial picture than many Indiana alternatives.

One important caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes could vary considerably. If your child is drawn to Manchester's smaller campus environment or has scholarship offers that reduce that $25,500 sticker price, the gap becomes less concerning. Without financial aid sweetening the deal, though, other Indiana programs deliver stronger early earning power in this competitive field.