Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Simpson College

Simpson College's Health and Physical Education program produces impressive national results—graduates earn $38,158 in their first year, ranking in the 95th percentile nationally and well above the typical $30,554 for this field. However, context matters: within Iowa, this places them squarely in the middle of the pack at the 60th percentile, trailing Buena Vista and several other state schools. The strong 36% earnings growth to $51,909 by year four suggests career progression is solid, even if you're not getting a unique Iowa advantage.

The $27,000 debt load matches Iowa's median for this program but creates a manageable 0.71 debt-to-earnings ratio—you'd owe less than one year's salary, which is reasonable for an education degree. The bigger question is whether Simpson's open-access admission (89% acceptance) and relatively high cost justify outcomes that are good nationally but merely average in-state. If your child could attend Iowa State or Buena Vista for similar or lower cost, those might deliver comparable results.

One critical caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, making these numbers less reliable than programs with larger cohorts. For a significant financial decision, that small sample should make you cautious. If your child is genuinely committed to this field and Simpson offers strong internship networks or coaching connections, the investment could work—just know you're paying for something beyond what the earnings data alone can validate.