2026 Best Value Physical Education Schools in Oregon
[Physical Education](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/health-and-physical-education/physical-education/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for physical education students.
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2026 Best Value Physical Education Schools in Oregon
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in physical education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Physical Education Schools
Portland Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value physical education schools in Oregon. Set in the city of Portland, Portland Community College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,220 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $10,440. Typical student debt for physical education graduates is $20,648. Physical Education graduates of Portland Community College earn a median of $49,580 early in their careers. Set against $20,648 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in physical education will find it at Eastern Oregon University, which ranked #2. Eastern Oregon University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of La Grande. Students from in state pay about $11,184 in tuition and fees, compared with $24,729 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the physical education program here. Soon after graduation, physical education degree recipients from Eastern Oregon University generally make around $32,584. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
Southern Oregon University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value physical education schools. Set in the suburb of Ashland, Southern Oregon University is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,762 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $31,887. Students borrow a median of $23,000 to complete the physical education program here. Early-career physical education graduates make about $35,222. Set against $23,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Southern Oregon University admits about 89% of applicants.
Warner Pacific College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value physical education schools. Located in the city of Portland, Warner Pacific College is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $22,220. Typical student debt for physical education graduates is $41,254. Early-career physical education graduates make about $51,176. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 71%.
Northwest Christian University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in physical education, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Eugene, Northwest Christian University is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $35,800 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for physical education graduates is $25,735. Early-career physical education graduates make about $62,860. That is a strong return on a $25,735 median debt. The acceptance rate is 67%.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
