2027 Best Value Outdoor Health & Physical Education/Fitness Schools in Iowa

[Outdoor Health & Physical Education/Fitness](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/health-and-physical-education/health-and-physical-education-fitness-other/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value outdoor health & physical education/fitness schools.
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2027 Best Value Outdoor Health & Physical Education/Fitness Schools in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in outdoor health & physical education/fitness, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Outdoor Health & Physical Education/Fitness Schools
William Penn University earned the #1 spot for value among outdoor health & physical education/fitness schools in Iowa. Set in the town of Oskaloosa, William Penn University is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $29,750. Outdoor Health & Physical Education/fitness graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career outdoor health & physical education/fitness graduates make about $30,314. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. William Penn University admits about 52% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Saint Ambrose University earned it the #2 place for outdoor health & physical education/fitness. Located in the city of Davenport, Saint Ambrose University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $36,658. Typical student debt for outdoor health & physical education/fitness graduates is $26,000. Early-career outdoor health & physical education/fitness graduates make about $26,608. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Students looking for strong value in outdoor health & physical education/fitness will find it at Dordt College, which ranked #3. Set in the town of Sioux Center, Dordt College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $37,050. Outdoor Health & Physical Education/fitness graduates carry a median of $21,812 in student loans. Outdoor Health & Physical Education/fitness graduates of Dordt College earn a median of $54,926 early in their careers. Set against $21,812 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 68%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.