Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Sterling College

Sterling College's health and physical education program sits right at Kansas's median for first-year earnings ($30,086), but it's worth noting this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates—small enough that a handful of individual outcomes could swing these numbers significantly. The debt load of $27,250 is actually among the lowest nationally (5th percentile), which means graduates start with less burden than most peers pursuing this degree elsewhere.

The 21% earnings growth to $36,506 by year four is encouraging and outpaces typical wage growth in education-adjacent fields. At that point, graduates are earning more than the state median and approaching what top Kansas programs like Pittsburg State deliver. The debt-to-earnings ratio under 1.0 means graduates owe less than their first year's salary—a manageable starting point for a field that typically doesn't command high initial wages but offers job stability.

The real question is whether teaching and coaching roles—the primary career paths here—align with your child's goals. This program won't lead to six-figure earnings, but it delivers reasonable debt and steady income growth for students committed to education and fitness careers. Just remember that with such a small graduating class, these numbers might not reflect what your specific student would earn. If possible, ask Sterling directly about job placement rates and where recent graduates actually landed.