Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Missouri Western State University

Missouri Western's health and physical education program punches well above its weight nationally—ranking in the 90th percentile for graduate earnings—but sits comfortably in the middle of Missouri's competitive landscape at the 60th percentile. The $36,557 first-year salary beats the national median by over $6,000, while the $24,815 debt load comes in slightly below average, creating a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68. Among Missouri programs, it edges out several state schools but trails Missouri Baptist and Lindenwood by a small margin.

The financial picture is solid rather than spectacular: graduates aren't getting rich, but they're launching careers with reasonable debt and earnings that slightly exceed what physical education majors typically make. The modest 3% earnings growth over four years suggests graduates find stable positions quickly—likely in teaching or fitness roles—rather than careers with steep advancement curves. For students committed to this field and planning to stay in Missouri, the math works. The real question is whether your child is certain about this career path, since the ceiling is relatively fixed compared to other bachelor's degrees.

If they're passionate about coaching, teaching physical education, or fitness careers and understand the salary realities upfront, this program delivers fair value with minimal financial stress. Just don't expect the earnings trajectory to change dramatically after those first few years.