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2024 Best Health & Physical Education Schools in the Southeast Region

152 Colleges in the Southeast Region
17,974 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
$30,091 Avg Early-Career Salary
Health & Physical Education is of the hottest degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #11 most popular major in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.

In 2024, College Factual analyzed 152 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Health & Physical Education Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 17,974 degrees in health & physical education to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Health & Physical Education School

Best Health & Physical Education Schools in the Southeast Region Your choice of health & physical education school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. For our Best Overall Health & Physical Education School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Health & Physical Education Rankings by Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Phys Ed
Bachelor's Degrees in Phys Ed
Master's Degrees in Phys Ed
Doctor's Degrees in Phys Ed

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Health & Physical Education Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Read more about College Factual's methodology.

Best Schools for Health & Physical Education in the Southeast Region

The schools below may not offer all types of phys ed degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

22 Top Southeast Region Schools in Phys Ed

1
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
90 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
$35,286 Median Starting Salary

Emory University is a great decision for students pursuing a degree in health & physical education. Located in the city of Atlanta, Emory is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #28 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Emory is a great university overall.

There were roughly 90 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at Emory in the most recent data year. Health & Physical Education degree recipients from Emory University get an earnings boost of approximately $5,195 over the typical earnings of health & physical education graduates.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from Emory University

2
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
332 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
25.6% Growth in Graduates

University of Florida is a wonderful decision for students pursuing a degree in health & physical education. Located in the midsize city of Gainesville, UF is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #58 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UF is a great university overall.

There were about 332 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at UF in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the health & physical education major at University of Florida earn $8,591 above the typical college grad with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from University of Florida

3
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
268 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
$37,591 Median Starting Salary

Every student who is interested in health & physical education needs to check out James Madison University. JMU is a very large public university located in the small city of Harrisonburg. This university ranks 6th out of 63 colleges for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were roughly 268 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at JMU in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the health & physical education major at James Madison University earn $7,500 above the standard college grad with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from James Madison University

4
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
698 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
2.1% Growth in Graduates

Any student pursuing a degree in health & physical education has to check out American Public University System. Located in the town of Charles Town, American Military University is a private for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #144 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means American Military University is a great university overall.

There were roughly 698 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at American Military University in the most recent data year. Those health & physical education students who get their degree from American Public University System make $20,777 more than the standard phys ed graduate.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from American Public University System

5
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
371 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
$36,665 Median Starting Salary

UNC Chapel Hill is a very large public university located in the city of Chapel Hill. A Best Colleges rank of #43 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UNC Chapel Hill is a great university overall.

There were roughly 371 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at UNC Chapel Hill in the most recent year we have data available. Health & Physical Education degree recipients from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill get an earnings boost of about $6,574 over the typical earnings of health & physical education graduates.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

6
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
341 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
19.4% Growth in Graduates

UofSC is a very large public university located in the city of Columbia. A Best Colleges rank of #152 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UofSC is a great university overall.

There were approximately 341 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at UofSC in the most recent year we have data available. Health & Physical Education degree recipients from University of South Carolina - Columbia receive an earnings boost of about $9,828 above the typical earnings of health & physical education graduates.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from University of South Carolina - Columbia

7
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
358 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
15.4% Growth in Graduates

Located in the medium-sized city of Athens, UGA is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #72 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UGA is a great university overall.

There were about 358 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at UGA in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the phys ed program state that they receive average early career income of $29,679.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from University of Georgia

8
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
121 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
3.3% Growth in Graduates

University of Virginia is a very large public university located in the suburb of Charlottesville. A Best Colleges rank of #33 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means University of Virginia is a great university overall.

There were approximately 121 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at University of Virginia in the most recent data year. Those health & physical education students who get their degree from University of Virginia - Main Campus earn $19,862 more than the typical phys ed graduate.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from University of Virginia - Main Campus

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
410 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
$30,686 Median Starting Salary

Located in the medium-sized city of Knoxville, UT Knoxville is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 45 schools for overall quality in the state of Tennessee.

There were roughly 410 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at UT Knoxville in the most recent year we have data available. After graduation, phys ed degree recipients usually make about $30,686 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from The University of Tennessee - Knoxville

10
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
127 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
11.0% Growth in Graduates

GMU is a fairly large public university located in the large suburb of Fairfax. A Best Colleges rank of #117 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means GMU is a great university overall.

There were approximately 127 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at GMU in the most recent year we have data available. Health & Physical Education degree recipients from George Mason University earn a boost of approximately $4,118 above the typical earnings of health & physical education graduates.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from George Mason University

11
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
57 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
$38,796 Median Starting Salary

Located in the midsize city of Charleston, The Citadel is a public college with a small student population. This college ranks 6th out of 44 colleges for overall quality in the state of South Carolina.

There were approximately 57 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at The Citadel in the most recent data year. Those health & physical education students who get their degree from Citadel Military College of South Carolina receive $8,704 more than the standard phys ed grad.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from Citadel Military College of South Carolina

12
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
138 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
$30,309 Median Starting Salary

Located in the small city of Fayetteville, UARK is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 34 schools for overall quality in the state of Arkansas.

There were roughly 138 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at UARK in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the phys ed program make an average of $30,309 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from University of Arkansas

13
Shenandoah crest
Shenandoah University
Winchester, VA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
30.0% Growth in Graduates
$38,731 Median Starting Salary

Shenandoah is a small private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Winchester. This university ranks 9th out of 63 schools for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were about 30 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at Shenandoah in the most recent year we have data available. Those health & physical education students who get their degree from Shenandoah University receive $8,640 more than the standard phys ed graduate.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from Shenandoah University

14
U Miami crest
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
118 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
15.3% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Coral Gables, U Miami is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #91 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means U Miami is a great university overall.

There were roughly 118 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at U Miami in the most recent data year. Those health & physical education students who get their degree from University of Miami earn $5,669 more than the standard phys ed grad.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from University of Miami

15
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
284 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
4.6% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Louisville, UofL is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 38 schools for overall quality in the state of Kentucky.

There were roughly 284 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at UofL in the most recent year we have data available. Those health & physical education students who get their degree from University of Louisville receive $4,402 more than the standard phys ed student.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from University of Louisville

16
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
248 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
17.7% Growth in Graduates

Located in the medium-sized city of Tallahassee, Florida State is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #121 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Florida State is a great university overall.

There were about 248 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at Florida State in the most recent data year. Health & Physical Education degree recipients from Florida State University receive an earnings boost of around $2,129 over the average income of health & physical education graduates.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from Florida State University

17
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
174 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
8.0% Growth in Graduates

Middle Tennessee State University is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Murfreesboro. This university ranks 12th out of 45 colleges for overall quality in the state of Tennessee.

There were approximately 174 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at Middle Tennessee State University in the most recent year we have data available. Those health & physical education students who get their degree from Middle Tennessee State University earn $8,390 more than the average phys ed graduate.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from Middle Tennessee State University

18
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, VA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
112 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
$27,366 Median Starting Salary

Located in the suburb of Williamsburg, William & Mary is a public school with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #111 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means William & Mary is a great school overall.

There were about 112 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at William & Mary in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the phys ed program state that they receive average early career wages of $27,366.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from William & Mary

19
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
153 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
$24,639 Median Starting Salary

Ole Miss is a very large public university located in the town of University. This university ranks 2nd out of 26 colleges for overall quality in the state of Mississippi.

There were roughly 153 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at Ole Miss in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the phys ed program report average early career income of $24,639.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from University of Mississippi

20
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
4th Most Popular In NC
209 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded

Located in the midsize city of Wilmington, UNCW is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 10th out of 93 schools for overall quality in the state of North Carolina.

There were roughly 209 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at UNCW in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from University of North Carolina at Wilmington

21
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
43 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
$52,474 Median Starting Salary

The Academy is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Daphne.

There were about 43 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at The Academy in the most recent data year. Health & Physical Education degree recipients from United States Sports Academy receive an earnings boost of around $22,383 above the average earnings of health & physical education graduates.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from United States Sports Academy

22
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
259 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
$36,657 Median Starting Salary

A-State is a large public university located in the city of Jonesboro. This university ranks 2nd out of 34 schools for overall quality in the state of Arkansas.

There were roughly 259 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at A-State in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the health & physical education major at Arkansas State University - Main Campus earn $6,565 above the typical college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from Arkansas State University - Main Campus

Rest of the Top Best Health & Physical Education Schools in the Southeast Region

Additional Noteworthy Schools

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Health & Physical Education Schools in the Southeast Region award.

RankCollegeLocation
26University of MemphisMemphis, TN
27Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, NC
28Mississippi State UniversityMississippi State, MS
29West Virginia UniversityMorgantown, WV
30University of Central FloridaOrlando, FL
23North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, NC
24Keiser University - Ft LauderdaleFort Lauderdale, FL
25Georgia Southern UniversityStatesboro, GA

Best Health & Physical Education Colleges by State

Explore the best health & physical education schools for a specific state in the Southeast Region .

StateCollegesDegrees Awarded
Georgia2871,801
Florida2821,944
North Carolina2792,932
Virginia2741,581
Tennessee2692,402
South Carolina2481,140
Kentucky244952
Louisiana242678
Mississippi2341,043
Arkansas234854
Alabama233858
West Virginia2071,158

View All Rankings >

One of 4 majors within the Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies area of study, Health & Physical Education has other similar majors worth exploring.

Phys Ed Concentrations

MajorAnnual Graduates
Exercise Science and Kinesiology8,265
Sports Management6,078
Sports Kinesiology and Physical Education/Fitness General2,855
Outdoor Health & Physical Education/Fitness434
Physical Fitness Technician171
Sports Studies171

View All Phys Ed Concentrations >

Related MajorAnnual Graduates
Recreation Administration1,307
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies504
Outdoor Education95
Other Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies54

View All Phys Ed Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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