Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Southeastern University

Southeastern University's Health and Physical Education program sits at a crossroads: the nearly $26,000 in debt is manageable, but $25,994 in first-year earnings is notably low even by the modest standards of this field. While this places the program around the middle of the pack among Florida's 31 schools offering this degree, it falls well below the state median of $30,000 and trails the national benchmark by similar margins.

The concerning part isn't just the initial earnings—it's how far this program lags behind Florida's better options. University of Florida graduates in this field earn roughly 50% more right out of the gate, and even mid-tier state programs exceed Southeastern's outcomes by $10,000 annually. For a private university charging enough to generate median debt levels, these returns suggest students aren't getting the value premium that typically justifies private school tuition.

The practical reality: at under $26,000 annually, your child will be managing student loan payments on a tight budget, with limited financial cushion for unexpected expenses or saving goals. Unless your child has specific ties to Southeastern (strong athletic coaching connections, ministry opportunities at this Christian institution), the state's public universities offer substantially better economic outcomes in this field. The debt itself isn't alarming, but the earnings potential makes it harder to justify than it should be.