Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Nova Southeastern University

The small sample size here demands caution, but these numbers tell a tough story: graduates earn just $23,136 their first year—well below Florida's $30,006 median for this field and ranking in the bottom quarter statewide. That's barely above minimum wage for full-time work. While earnings nearly double by year four to $37,795, that initial struggle matters. At $24,560 in debt, graduates face 13 months of their first-year salary just to cover student loans, making those early years financially precarious.

What makes this particularly concerning is the gap with comparable Florida programs. University of Florida grads in this field earn $39,717 their first year—70% more than Nova Southeastern's median. Even Florida Gulf Coast, which isn't a flagship, produces starting salaries of $36,002. Nova's graduates do eventually catch up somewhat by year four, but they're spending their early twenties playing financial catch-up while peers at other state programs start ahead.

For parents, this is a program that should trigger serious questions about career planning and job placement support. The debt load isn't catastrophic, but combined with those initial earnings, it creates real financial stress during a graduate's most vulnerable years. If your child is set on health and fitness education in Florida, other state options appear to offer significantly better starting positions without necessarily higher debt.