Health and Physical Education/Fitness at University of Wisconsin-Superior

The small sample size here is crucial—with fewer than 30 graduates, a handful of career paths could swing these numbers dramatically. But taking the data at face value, this program trails both Wisconsin's median ($32,801) and the national average for Health and Physical Education degrees. The gap with top Wisconsin programs is striking: UW-Platteville graduates earn 56% more in their first year.

The $27,000 debt load, however, tells a better story—it matches the Wisconsin median and ranks in the just 5th percentile nationally, meaning 95% of comparable programs saddle students with more debt. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.91, graduates are looking at less than a year's salary in loans, which is manageable even on a PE teacher's starting salary. This is one area where UW-Superior's accessibility (94% admission rate, 30% Pell recipients) translates to real financial advantage.

For parents weighing this choice, the critical question is whether their student has better options within Wisconsin's system. If your child can get into UW-Platteville or Stevens Point for a similar program, the earnings bump could be $5,000-16,000 annually right out of the gate. But if UW-Superior is the accessible option that gets your kid into teaching or coaching with reasonable debt, the fundamentals work—just don't expect premium earnings.