Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Ottawa University-Ottawa

Ottawa University's Health and Physical Education program lands right in the middle of the pack nationally but performs slightly better within Kansas, ranking in the 60th percentile among in-state options. Graduates earn around $30,400 initially, climbing modestly to $32,400 by year four—reasonable for this field but notably trailing the state's strongest programs at Pittsburg State ($36,393) and KU ($33,891). The $27,000 debt load is actually lower than what most graduates in this major carry nationwide, keeping the financial burden manageable with a debt-to-earnings ratio under 1.0.

The real limitation here is opportunity ceiling. While the debt is reasonable and earnings are steady, this program doesn't appear to position graduates for the higher-paying positions that exist within the field. For families considering this investment, it matters whether your child wants to teach high school PE (where these earnings make sense) or has ambitions for athletic training, corporate wellness, or similar roles that typically pay more.

One important caveat: these figures come from a small graduating class, so individual outcomes may vary more than usual. If Ottawa University offers strong coaching connections, athletic department relationships, or other advantages not captured in raw salary data, those could shift the value equation. At face value, though, comparable earnings are available at other Kansas schools, some with stronger regional reputations in education.