Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Ripon College

Ripon's health and physical education graduates start at $29,768—slightly below both the state median ($32,801) and sitting in the 40th percentile among Wisconsin programs. But the real story here is the earnings trajectory: four years out, graduates are earning $47,069, a 58% jump that puts them well ahead of where most health and PE graduates land. With debt at exactly the state median of $27,000 and a debt-to-earnings ratio under 1.0, the initial financial picture is manageable, not daunting.

The catch is the sample size—we're looking at data from fewer than 30 graduates, which means these numbers could swing significantly with just a few outliers. That strong four-year earnings figure might reflect a couple of graduates who moved into higher-paying roles like athletic administration or corporate wellness, rather than typical classroom teaching positions. Still, the earnings growth pattern suggests graduates aren't trapped in entry-level wages.

If your child is passionate about coaching, teaching, or fitness careers and Ripon offers the right campus fit, the debt load won't be crushing and there's room for income growth. Just recognize that starting salaries in this field are inherently modest, and the small cohort size means you should verify current placement outcomes directly with the department.