Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Stephen F Austin State University

Stephen F. Austin's health and physical education program punches well above its weight class, with first-year graduates earning $38,249—over 25% more than the national median for this field and significantly higher than Texas's state median of $32,429. This places SFA in the 95th percentile nationally, an impressive achievement for a program at an accessible state university with an 88% admission rate. The earnings trajectory is equally strong, growing 21% to $46,105 by year four, approaching what elite private schools like SMU deliver.

The debt picture reinforces the value proposition. At $25,995, graduates carry slightly above the Texas median but manageable debt given the earnings strength. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68 means most graduates can realistically pay off their loans within a few years—a favorable position for a field that doesn't always command high starting salaries. While SFA ranks at the 60th percentile among Texas programs (several schools achieve even higher earnings), it's worth noting that most of those top performers are private institutions with substantially higher tuition costs.

For families considering a practical path into physical education or fitness careers, this represents a strong investment. SFA delivers near-elite outcomes at public school prices, with robust sample data (100+ graduates) confirming these aren't statistical flukes. The combination of strong earnings growth, accessible admission, and reasonable debt makes this one of the better value propositions in Texas for this field.