Health and Physical Education/Fitness at University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

At one of Pennsylvania's most selective universities, this Health and Physical Education program produces surprisingly weak outcomes—$24,916 in first-year earnings ranks in just the 5th percentile nationally and barely the 25th percentile statewide. That's $6,400 below Pennsylvania's median for the same degree and roughly half what graduates earn from Alvernia or Lebanon Valley College's programs.

The debt burden of $27,000 might seem manageable in absolute terms, but it equals 1.08 times first-year earnings—meaning graduates face more than a full year's salary in debt for a starting wage that barely clears $25,000. While Pitt's strong reputation and 1371 average SAT suggest academically capable students, this particular program doesn't convert that selectivity into labor market outcomes. The relatively moderate sample size (30-100 graduates) provides reasonable confidence in these numbers, and the pattern is consistent: this program underperforms both state and national peers by significant margins.

For families paying out-of-state tuition or borrowing heavily, this represents poor value. Even Pennsylvania residents should seriously compare outcomes at Slippery Rock or York College, where graduates earn over $10,000 more in their first year. Unless your child has specific career goals that require Pitt's network or plans to pursue graduate education immediately, directing them toward higher-earning programs—whether at Pitt or elsewhere—makes considerably more financial sense.