Health and Physical Education/Fitness at University of Arkansas at Monticello

The earnings data here tells you what you need to know: graduates from this program start around $29,000—below both the Arkansas median ($29,854) and trailing significantly behind Arkansas State ($32,685) and Central Arkansas ($31,767). At 40th percentile statewide, this program lands squarely in the bottom half of Arkansas options for health and physical education degrees. The $22,000 debt load might look manageable, but it's actually higher than 80% of comparable programs nationally, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75 that translates to roughly nine months of gross pay.

The concerning part isn't just the starting salary—it's that you're paying more (in debt) to earn less than most Arkansas alternatives. Nearly half the students here receive Pell grants, suggesting many families are stretching financially to attend. For a field where certification and practical experience often matter more than institutional prestige, paying premium debt for below-median outcomes doesn't make strategic sense.

If your child is set on this field, compare total costs carefully against Arkansas State or Central Arkansas, where graduates earn $3,000-$3,500 more annually. That difference covers the extra debt service and then some. The small sample size here (under 30 graduates) adds uncertainty, but even accounting for that, the pattern suggests better value exists elsewhere in the state.