Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Southern Connecticut State University

At $24,029 in first-year earnings, Southern Connecticut State's health and physical education program pays significantly less than comparable Connecticut programs—nearly $9,000 below the state median and $6,500 below the national average. This puts graduates in the bottom quarter of Connecticut programs and the bottom 5% nationally, earning roughly $10,000 less than peers at Central Connecticut State or Eastern Connecticut State. The modest debt load of $26,000 slightly exceeds state norms but remains reasonable relative to typical borrowing for this field.

The fundamental challenge here is income, not debt. Starting at just over $24,000 means graduates are likely working part-time positions, entry-level recreation jobs, or substitute teaching roles rather than full-time professional positions in their field. For context, this is close to full-time minimum wage in Connecticut. Even with manageable debt, a debt-to-earnings ratio above 1.0 in year one suggests financial stress during those critical early career years when many grads are also covering rent and other expenses independently for the first time.

If your child is committed to health and physical education in Connecticut, other state universities offer substantially better earning outcomes for similar or lower debt. Unless there are compelling personal reasons to choose Southern Connecticut State—location, specific faculty, athletic opportunities—the data suggests looking at alternatives within the state system that better position graduates for financial independence after graduation.