Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Meredith College

Meredith College graduates are earning nearly $11,000 more than the typical North Carolina graduate in this field—a 40% premium that places them in the 80th percentile statewide. At $38,525, first-year earnings here surpass even UNC-Charlotte and NC State graduates, landing in the 95th percentile nationally for health and physical education programs. With a debt load of $26,000 and a healthy 0.67 debt-to-earnings ratio, graduates can realistically manage their loans while building careers in fitness, wellness, or education.

The caveat here is sample size: with fewer than 30 graduates in the data, a few high earners could be skewing these numbers upward. That said, the pattern is too strong to dismiss entirely. Meredith's outcomes consistently outperform larger state programs, suggesting either exceptional career placement support or a curriculum that prepares students for higher-paying roles in corporate wellness, healthcare fitness, or specialized training positions rather than traditional K-12 teaching.

For a parent weighing options, this program shows promise but deserves extra due diligence. Visit campus to understand where graduates actually land and whether those outcomes align with your child's goals. If the career services team can demonstrate consistent placement success beyond this cohort, you're looking at an unusually strong regional option in a field where mediocre earnings are common.