Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Missouri Valley College

Missouri Valley College's Health and Physical Education program shows surprisingly strong earnings outcomes despite its small graduate cohort. Students earn $33,892 in their first year—landing at the 72nd percentile nationally and matching the state median exactly—while carrying debt nearly $3,000 below the state average. That 0.85 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe less than what they'll earn in their first year, a manageable starting point for a field that typically doesn't command high salaries.

The real story here is consistent performance rather than spectacular growth. Earnings climb modestly to $36,456 by year four, which trails the top Missouri programs (Missouri Baptist leads at $37,165) but still outpaces most schools nationally in this field. For context, the national median for PE/Fitness bachelor's programs sits at just $30,554, making Missouri Valley's outcomes notably better than typical. The program's low debt burden—ranking in just the 5th percentile nationally—gives graduates breathing room that many peers won't have.

The major caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, so individual circumstances can skew results significantly. But if these numbers hold, parents are looking at a program that delivers solid middle-class earning potential without the debt trap common in education-adjacent fields. That's a reasonable investment for students committed to coaching, fitness instruction, or similar careers.