Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Misericordia University

Misericordia's health and physical education program graduates earn about $36,000 annually—roughly $5,000 above the national median for this field but squarely in the middle range for Pennsylvania schools. While the program ranks in the 85th percentile nationally, that 60th percentile state ranking tells a more relevant story: your child would do better than average, but several in-state schools deliver stronger outcomes. Lebanon Valley and York College, for instance, produce graduates earning $3,000-4,000 more per year.

The manageable debt load is this program's strongest selling point. At $27,000, graduates carry exactly the Pennsylvania median and far less than most comparable programs nationally. Combined with first-year earnings around $36,000, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75 means realistic repayment prospects. However, earnings essentially flatline over the first four years—a pattern worth considering for a field where many graduates pursue teaching careers with compressed salary scales early on.

The small sample size here warrants caution; these numbers could shift significantly year to year. For families prioritizing low debt in education or fitness careers, Misericordia offers solid value. But if maximizing earning potential matters more, the top Pennsylvania programs show measurably better outcomes without dramatically different debt levels.