Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Tusculum University

Tusculum's Health and Physical Education program starts graduates at just $22,825—roughly $5,000 below Tennessee's state median and $8,000 below the national average. While earnings do climb to nearly $31,000 by year four (a respectable 35% increase), that first-year figure ranks in the bottom 5% nationally and puts graduates well behind peers at Tennessee Tech ($33,170) or MTSU ($32,966) right out of the gate.

The debt load of $24,000 matches the state median and is slightly better than the national average, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio just over 1.0. That's manageable compared to many programs, but the low starting salary means graduates will feel the monthly payment burden more acutely than peers earning $30,000+ from day one. For students planning to teach in public schools or work in recreational sports—fields where early-career earnings matter for long-term salary schedules—this starting point could have lasting consequences.

These numbers come from a small sample of graduates, so individual outcomes may vary considerably. However, families should recognize they're likely paying private-school tuition for outcomes that trail behind Tennessee's public universities. Unless Tusculum offers specific advantages—like athletics connections, small class sizes, or guaranteed placement opportunities—students interested in physical education might find better value at one of the state's larger public institutions.