Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Pepperdine University

Pepperdine's Health and Physical Education program shows something unusual: graduates start modestly but see dramatic income growth. That first-year salary of $34,388 more than doubles to $72,554 by year four—a 111% jump that suggests graduates are either advancing quickly in their careers or transitioning into higher-paying roles like athletic training, sports management, or administrative positions. While the starting salary barely edges out the national average, this trajectory tells a different story than most PE programs.

The debt picture is reasonable, particularly for a selective private school. At $23,336, graduates carry less debt than the national median for this program, and the 0.68 debt-to-earnings ratio means you could theoretically pay it off in eight months of that first-year salary. However, the program ranks only at the 60th percentile among California programs—solid but not exceptional when schools like Ashford and Cal Baptist show stronger immediate earnings without the private school premium.

For families who can afford Pepperdine without excessive borrowing, this represents a worthwhile investment given the strong earnings growth. The moderate sample size means we're looking at 30-100 graduates, so individual outcomes may vary, but the pattern suggests this program successfully prepares students for career advancement. Just understand you're paying for a longer game rather than immediate returns.