Health and Physical Education/Fitness at University of Minnesota-Crookston

The small sample size here demands caution, but the limited data available paints a puzzling picture for University of Minnesota-Crookston's health and physical education program. Graduates carry $27,000 in debt—remarkably low at the 5th percentile nationally—yet earn just $32,429 their first year out. While that beats the national average by roughly $2,000, it lags behind the Minnesota median, landing at the 40th percentile statewide. That gap matters because most of these graduates will likely stay in Minnesota, where programs at Winona State or Minnesota State Moorhead produce earnings 25-30% higher.

The 0.83 debt-to-earnings ratio looks manageable on paper, and the low debt load is genuinely impressive. But here's the tension: nearby state schools are generating substantially better outcomes without crushing students with debt. When your in-state competition consistently delivers $38,000-42,000 in starting earnings, a $32,000 outcome raises questions about placement networks, regional employer relationships, or program structure. For a field where starting salaries matter enormously—teacher and coach positions have relatively flat pay scales—those thousands of dollars represent real differences in financial security, not just theoretical percentiles.

With fewer than 30 graduates in the sample, a single great or terrible year could shift these numbers significantly. If your child is seriously considering Crookston, dig into placement rates and job types for recent grads before committing, especially given stronger alternatives exist within the state system.