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2023 Best Value Colleges for Health & Physical Education (Income $0-$30k)

537 Ranked Colleges
67,146 Degrees Awarded
$5,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 67,146 people earned their degree in health and physical education, making the major the 11th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, health and physical education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,386 and had an average of $24,576 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 537 colleges that offered a degree in health and physical education. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great health and physical education programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the health and physical education program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for phys ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Health & Physical Education (Income $0-$30k)

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. U-M is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 326 ’s phys ed degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our phys ed students whose families make $0-$30k list, U-M has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $2,670 for phys ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Health & Physical Education at U-M

2
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Rice University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Rice University is a medium-sized school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 104 ’s phys ed degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Rice, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” ranking. It costs about $4,443 for Phys Ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Rice University.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Health & Physical Education at Rice University

3
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Out of the 537 schools in the Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 62 degrees to qualified ’s phys ed students in 2020-2021.

Northwestern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern University is $245 for phys ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Health & Physical Education at Northwestern University

4
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

Out of the 537 schools in the Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Florida landed the #4 spot on the list. University of Florida is a large public school situated in Gainesville, Florida. It awarded 247 ’s phys ed degrees in 2020-2021.

UF also made our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $65 for Phys Ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Florida.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Health & Physical Education at University of Florida

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. University of Wisconsin - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 148 ’s phys ed degrees to qualified students.

UW - Madison also took the #14 spot in our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $3,981 for phys ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Health & Physical Education at UW - Madison

6

Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. IU Bloomington is a large school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 472 ’s phys ed degrees in 2020-2021.

IU Bloomington also took the #11 spot in our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for IU Bloomington is $5,752 for Phys Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Health & Physical Education at IU Bloomington

7

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a large school located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina that handed out 401 ’s phys ed degrees in 2020-2021.

UNC Chapel Hill also made our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list, coming in at #18. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $3,753 for Phys Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read more about Health & Physical Education at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

8

Columbia University in the City of New York came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s phys ed degrees to 71 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our phys ed students whose families make $0-$30k list, Columbia has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Columbia University in the City of New York is $9,873 for Phys Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Health & Physical Education at Columbia University in the City of New York

9
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

Georgetown University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Washington, District of Columbia, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 150 diplomas to qualified ’s phys ed students in 2020-2021.

Georgetown excels when it comes to phys ed quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Georgetown is $3,077 for Phys Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Health & Physical Education at Georgetown

10

With a ranking of #10, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 175 diplomas to qualified ’s phys ed students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, UIUC is in the top on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $4,858 for Phys Ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UIUC.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UIUC Health & Physical Education Report

11
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

William & Mary ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. William & Mary is a medium-sized public school situated in Williamsburg, Virginia. It awarded 125 ’s phys ed degrees in 2020-2021.

William & Mary also claimed a top spot on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend William & Mary is $5,972 for phys ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Health & Physical Education at William & Mary

12

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 113 ’s phys ed degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMN Twin Cities, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $7,698 for Phys Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Health & Physical Education at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

13

With a ranking of #13, University of Maryland - College Park did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in College Park, Maryland, this large public school handed out 239 diplomas to qualified ’s phys ed students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMCP, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” ranking. It costs about $6,067 for Phys Ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Maryland - College Park.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Full UMCP Health & Physical Education Report

14

California State University - Los Angeles landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school awarded 339 degrees to qualified ’s phys ed students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Cal State LA is $1,887 for Phys Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Health & Physical Education at California State University - Los Angeles

15
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

With a ranking of #15, University of Georgia did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Georgia is a public institution located in Athens, Georgia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 303 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UGA also made our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list, coming in at #21. The estimated yearly cost for UGA is $8,303 for Phys Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Health & Physical Education at University of Georgia

16

Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s phys ed degrees to 248 students in 2020-2021.

Ohio State also took the #17 spot in our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State is $7,068 for phys ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Ohio State Health & Physical Education Report

17

Citadel Military College of South Carolina came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Citadel Military College of South Carolina is a small public school situated in Charleston, South Carolina. It awarded 58 ’s phys ed degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, The Citadel is in the top on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $7,451 for Phys Ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Citadel Military College of South Carolina.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Health & Physical Education at Citadel Military College of South Carolina

18
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Purdue is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 131 ’s phys ed degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Purdue also did well on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Purdue University - Main Campus is $5,995 for Phys Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Health & Physical Education Report

19
American Military University crest
American Public University System
Charles Town, West Virginia

American Public University System landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. American Military University is a large private for-profit school situated in Charles Town, West Virginia. It awarded 683 ’s phys ed degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our phys ed students whose families make $0-$30k list, American Military University has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” ranking. It costs about $9,660 for phys ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend American Public University System.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%.

Read more about Health & Physical Education at American Military University

20
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

With a ranking of #20, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Michigan State University is a public institution located in East Lansing, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 419 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Michigan State also claimed a top spot on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State University is $6,927 for Phys Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Health & Physical Education at Michigan State

21
Mt. SAC crest
Mt. San Antonio College
Walnut, California

Mt. San Antonio College landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Mt. San Antonio College is a public institution located in Walnut, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 516 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Mt. SAC is $2,412 for phys ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Mt. San Antonio College Health & Physical Education Report

22
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #22. Florida State is a large public school situated in Tallahassee, Florida. It awarded 204 ’s phys ed degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Florida State is also in the top of our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Florida State University is $4,950 for Phys Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Health & Physical Education at Florida State University

23
Brooklyn College crest
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Brooklyn College is a public institution located in Brooklyn, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 83 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Brooklyn College is $1,547 for phys ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Health & Physical Education at Brooklyn College

24
Wake Forest University crest
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Wake Forest University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 69 degrees to qualified ’s phys ed students in 2020-2021.

Wake Forest University excels when it comes to phys ed quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $10,401 for phys ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Wake Forest University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Health & Physical Education at Wake Forest University

25

California State University - Fresno landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. California State University - Fresno is located in Fresno, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 286 ’s phys ed degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Fresno State is $3,859 for phys ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full California State University - Fresno Health & Physical Education Report

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia
28
29
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia
30
31
32
33
34
35
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California
36
37
38
Wazzu crest
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington
39
40
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina
41
42
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
43
44
45
UD crest
University of Delaware
Newark, Delaware
46
QC crest
Queens College
Queens, New York
47
Towson crest
Towson University
Towson, Maryland
48
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana
49
50
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Phys Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51Indiana University - Purdue University - IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN
52California State University - NorthridgeNorthridge, CA
53Miami University - OxfordOxford, OH
54Texas Woman’s UniversityDenton, TX
55University of HoustonHouston, TX
56University of MississippiUniversity, MS
57McDaniel CollegeWestminster, MD
58Middle Tennessee State UniversityMurfreesboro, TN
59University of Nevada - Las VegasLas Vegas, NV
60California State University - San BernardinoSan Bernardino, CA
61Lehman CollegeBronx, NY
62West Virginia UniversityMorgantown, WV
63Appalachian State UniversityBoone, NC
64University of South Carolina - ColumbiaColumbia, SC
65University of North TexasDenton, TX
RankCollegeLocation
66Oklahoma State University - Main CampusStillwater, OK
67James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, VA
68Florida Atlantic UniversityBoca Raton, FL
69Southeastern Oklahoma State UniversityDurant, OK
70California State University - StanislausTurlock, CA
71Minnesota State University - MankatoMankato, MN
72Northern Kentucky UniversityHighland Heights, KY
73Central Michigan UniversityMount Pleasant, MI
74University of ArkansasFayetteville, AR
75Rutgers University - New BrunswickNew Brunswick, NJ
76Central Washington UniversityEllensburg, WA
77Colorado State University - Fort CollinsFort Collins, CO
78California State University - East BayHayward, CA
79San Jose State UniversitySan Jose, CA
80Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeBaton Rouge, LA
81Canisius CollegeBuffalo, NY

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

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