Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Saint Peter's University

At less than $20,000 a year, graduates of Saint Peter's Health and Physical Education program earn roughly two-thirds what their peers at other New Jersey schools make—and just 65% of the national median for this field. This isn't a close call: the program ranks in the 10th percentile statewide and 5th percentile nationally, trailing every comparable program in New Jersey by significant margins. Even nearby Rutgers-New Brunswick graduates earn 46% more in their first year, while Seton Hall grads nearly double Saint Peter's starting figure.

The debt load itself—$25,000—sits near typical levels for this degree. But paired with earnings that barely clear minimum wage equivalents, that creates a worrying 1.27 debt-to-earnings ratio. Many graduates will likely struggle to meet standard loan payments while covering basic living expenses in the expensive New York metro area. The university serves a predominantly working-class student body (54% receive Pell grants), making these financial outcomes particularly concerning for families who can least afford a degree that underperforms the market.

For parents considering this program, the path forward isn't ambiguous: other New Jersey public universities deliver substantially better earnings outcomes in this same field, often at lower total costs. Unless Saint Peter's offers unique circumstances that justify accepting 30-40% lower earnings, comparable programs elsewhere represent a significantly safer investment.