2027 Best Physical Education Schools in Illinois
Physical Education programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. The schools below stand out for the quality of their physical education programs.
For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for physical education students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Physical Education in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall physical education education in Illinois.
Top Schools in Physical Education
Illinois State University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in physical education. Located in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State University is a very large public university. About 64% of students finish within six years. Illinois State University awarded about 58 physical education degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the physical education program make about $37,059 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $21,250.
More information about a degree in physical education from Illinois State University
Harper College is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in physical education, ranking #2. Harper College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Palatine. Harper College awarded about 20 physical education degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the physical education program make about $44,523 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $10,963 to complete this degree.
See the full physical education program report for Harper College
A rank of #3 makes Northern Illinois University one of the top schools for physical education. This large public university is located in the suburb of Dekalb. About 49% of students finish within six years. About 55 physical education degrees were awarded at Northern Illinois University in the most recent year. Graduates of the physical education program make about $36,011 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $27,418 to complete this degree.
Get the full physical education details for Northern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best physical education schools. Set in the suburb of Edwardsville, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 55%. About 51 physical education degrees were awarded at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in the most recent year. Graduates of the physical education program make about $34,811 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $23,237 to complete this degree.
Read more about the physical education program at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
North Park University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in physical education, ranking #5. Set in the city of Chicago, North Park University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. North Park University graduates 58% of students within six years. North Park University awarded about 30 physical education degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their physical education degree from North Park University earn around $30,165 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $25,495.
More information about a degree in physical education from North Park University
Quincy University came in at #6 for physical education this year. Set in the town of Quincy, Quincy University is a small private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 45%. Quincy University awarded about 15 physical education degrees in the most recent data year. Physical Education graduates of Quincy University earn a median of $46,414 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $26,691 to complete this degree.
See the full physical education program report for Quincy University
More Physical Education Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 6 schools evaluated.
- 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.
