Health and Physical Education/Fitness at St Olaf College

St. Olaf's Health and Physical Education program shows steady growth—graduates earn $33,577 initially but reach $41,239 by year four, outpacing most programs in this field. However, these numbers come from fewer than 30 graduates, which means a few high earners or career switchers could be skewing the picture considerably. The debt load of $25,000 matches both state and national medians, making this a fairly typical financing scenario for the field.

The trajectory looks promising, but context matters: while St. Olaf ranks around the 60th percentile for Minnesota HPE programs, graduates from Winona State earn $41,742 right out of the gate—matching St. Olaf's four-year mark. You're paying for a selective liberal arts education (SAT average of 1373) with outcomes that land in the middle of Minnesota's competitive landscape for this degree.

For families considering this path, the small sample size is the critical caveat. If your child is passionate about teaching or fitness and values St. Olaf's academic environment, the reasonable debt and upward earnings trend provide a workable foundation. Just recognize that the published numbers might not represent the typical graduate's experience, and you're not getting the earnings premium that would clearly justify choosing St. Olaf over the state's top performers in this field.