Health and Physical Education/Fitness at South Dakota State University

South Dakota State's Health and Physical Education program launches graduates into $41,019 starting salaries—34% above the national median and among the top 5% nationwide for this field. That's impressive positioning for a major that often struggles with earnings. The catch? With only a handful of graduates in the data, these numbers might not tell the whole story.

Within South Dakota, SDSU leads the pack among state schools, edging out Northern State's $40,123 median. The $25,500 debt load sits right at typical levels for both state and national peers, creating a manageable 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio from day one. Graduates see steady 22% income growth by year four, reaching over $50,000—a trajectory that suggests stable career progression in teaching, coaching, or fitness management roles.

The major red flag here is sample size. With fewer than 30 graduates tracked, one or two outliers—maybe a grad who became an athletic director or took a high-paying corporate wellness position—could skew the entire picture upward. Before banking on these strong numbers, talk directly to the program about typical graduate outcomes and career placement. If the real-world pattern matches this data, you're looking at South Dakota's best option for this degree. If it doesn't, you might be overpaying for uncertain prospects.