Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Oregon State University-Cascades Campus

The starting salary for Oregon State's Cascades health and physical education program might worry you at first glance—$29,860 is below both state and national medians. But the real story here is what happens next: earnings jump 58% to $47,101 by year four, vaulting graduates well past their peers at other Oregon schools and national competitors. That trajectory suggests graduates are either advancing into coaching coordinator or administrative roles, or successfully pivoting into adjacent fitness or wellness careers.

Within Oregon, this program sits in the middle of the pack initially but appears designed for growth rather than immediate payoff. The $24,201 debt load is reasonable—representing less than a year of fourth-year earnings—and the 0.81 debt-to-earnings ratio at graduation beats many programs that saddle students with higher debt for similar starting salaries. The robust sample size (100+ graduates) means these aren't fluky numbers from a handful of outliers.

For parents, the question is whether your child can weather that first year or two at entry-level pay. If they're willing to start as assistant coaches, fitness instructors, or PE teachers while building experience, the upward trajectory looks solid. This isn't a get-rich-quick degree, but the combination of manageable debt and strong earnings growth creates a pathway to middle-class stability in a field they presumably care about.