Health and Physical Education/Fitness at Wilmington College

At $26,433 in first-year earnings, Wilmington College's Health and Physical Education graduates start at roughly 80% of what their peers earn at other Ohio schools—ranking in just the 25th percentile statewide. That's a meaningful gap when competitors like Miami University and Ohio Dominican place graduates above $40,000, nearly double Wilmington's starting point. The $27,000 in typical debt matches the state average, but that 1.02 debt-to-earnings ratio means new graduates face debt equal to their entire first year's salary, creating immediate financial pressure.

The 44% earnings jump to $38,009 by year four offers some reassurance—graduates do see real income growth and eventually reach levels closer to competitors. However, that trajectory means starting with several years of tight budgets while carrying student loans. For students passionate about teaching or fitness coaching (notoriously modest-paying fields), this path requires careful financial planning and possibly living at home initially to manage expenses.

If your child is set on this field and values Wilmington's small-school environment, understand they'll likely earn $7,000-$14,000 less annually than graduates from larger Ohio universities during those critical early career years. That's not disqualifying, but it does mean the financial payoff hinges heavily on non-monetary factors like campus fit and personal connections rather than pure earnings potential.