Health and Physical Education/Fitness at University of Montevallo

University of Montevallo's health and physical education program graduates earn about $30,250 in their first year—slightly above the state median of $29,092 and landing them in the 60th percentile among Alabama programs. However, keep in mind these figures come from a small sample (under 30 graduates), so individual experiences may vary more than usual. The $25,000 debt load is reasonable, translating to a 0.83 debt-to-earnings ratio that's manageable if your child enters teaching or coaching right after graduation.

The 25% earnings growth over four years is encouraging, bringing graduates to nearly $38,000 by year four. Still, this trails programs at Auburn Montgomery and Troy University, where graduates start around $36,500. For families comparing Alabama options, Montevallo sits squarely in the middle tier—not the strongest performer, but not the weakest either. The real question is career trajectory: if your child plans to stay in K-12 teaching, the starting salary aligns with typical Alabama teacher pay, and the debt is serviceable. If they're hoping to move into higher-paying fitness or corporate wellness roles, the earnings ceiling here appears modest.

The small sample size means these numbers could shift significantly year to year. Talk to the department about graduate outcomes and where recent alumni actually work—that context matters more than these averages when the cohort is this small.