Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Oregon State University

Oregon State's Health and Physical Education program starts graduates at just under $30,000—below both state and national medians—but then something notable happens. Within four years, earnings jump 58% to reach $47,000, vaulting past every other Oregon school offering this program. That's roughly $15,000 more than graduates earn at Southern Oregon or Eastern Oregon after the same time period.

The challenge is weathering that first year. With median debt at $24,201, new graduates face a debt load approaching 81% of their initial salary. Compare that to the typical teaching position or recreation coordinator role paying $32-35K elsewhere in Oregon, and it's clear why this program ranks in just the 40th percentile statewide initially. Parents should plan for their child to likely need financial support or supplemental income during that entry period.

Yet the trajectory matters more than the starting point here. By year four, OSU graduates are earning 50% more than the state median for this field, suggesting the program opens doors to management positions, specialized roles, or graduate opportunities that peers don't access. For families who can absorb the modest debt load and bridge that challenging first year, this program transforms into Oregon's strongest performer in the field. The question isn't whether it pays off—it does—but whether you can manage the slower start.