2022 Best Value Phys Ed Schools

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Phys Ed Schools” ranking.
In 2019-2020, 64,869 people earned their degree in health and physical education, making the major the 11th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, health and physical education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $29,872 and had an average of $24,778 in loans still to pay off.
For this year’s “Best Value Phys Ed Schools” ranking, we looked at 662 colleges that offer 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
One Size Does Not Fit All
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” 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. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
Best Value Phys Ed Schools
The colleges and universities below are the best for phys ed students.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Health & Physical Education
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Western States. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Phys Ed Schools list. University of Western States is a small school located in Portland, Oregon that handed out 35 ’s phys ed degrees in 2019-2020.
Western States Chiropractic College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list.
The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full Western States Chiropractic College Health & Physical Education Report
Out of the 662 schools in the Best Value Phys Ed Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, American Public University System landed the #2 spot on the list. American Military University is a large private for-profit school situated in Charles Town, West Virginia. It awarded 586 ’s phys ed degrees in 2019-2020.
American Military University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for American Public University System is $10,222 for phys ed students.
With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Full American Public University System Health & Physical Education Report
Out of the 662 schools in the Best Value Phys Ed Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Provo landed the #3 spot on the list. BYU is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Provo, Utah. It awarded 187 ’s phys ed degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $13,322 for phys ed students per year to attend Brigham Young University - Provo.
With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low 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%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend South Dakota State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Phys Ed Schools. South Dakota State University is a public institution located in Brookings, South Dakota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 26 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.
South Dakota State also claimed a top spot on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State University is $19,252 for Phys Ed students.
The low student loan default rate of 3.8% 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 full report on Health & Physical Education at South Dakota State University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Phys Ed Schools. Fargo, North Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s phys ed degrees to 79 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, North Dakota State University is also in the top of our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University is $16,584 for Phys Ed students.
The 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 full report on Health & Physical Education at North Dakota State University - Main Campus
Dickinson State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Phys Ed Schools ranking, coming in at #6. This small school is located in Dickinson, North Dakota, and it awarded 8 ’s phys ed degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $10,855 for phys ed students per year to attend Dickinson State University.
With a ranking of #7, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Phys Ed Schools list. UW - La Crosse is a fairly large school located in La Crosse, Wisconsin that handed out 219 ’s phys ed degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - La Crosse excels when it comes to phys ed quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list. It costs about $14,580 for Phys Ed students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse.
The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read more about Health & Physical Education at UW - La Crosse
Truman State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Phys Ed Schools ranking. This small school is located in Kirksville, Missouri, and it awarded 104 ’s phys ed degrees in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Truman State also did well on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Truman State University is $12,462 for Phys Ed students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Health & Physical Education at Truman State University
Concordia University, Irvine landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Phys Ed Schools ranking. Concordia University, Irvine is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 501 ’s phys ed degrees in 2019-2020.
Concordia University, Irvine 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 yearly cost to attend Concordia University, Irvine is $26,143 for phys ed students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Health & Physical Education at Concordia University, Irvine
With a ranking of #10, Southwest Minnesota State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Phys Ed Schools list. Southwest Minnesota State University is located in Marshall, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 58 ’s phys ed degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $14,397 for phys ed students per year to attend Southwest Minnesota State University.
Full Southwest Minnesota State University Health & Physical Education Report
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Phys Ed Schools list. Odessa, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s phys ed degrees to 48 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas of the Permian Basin is $10,092 for Phys Ed students.
Read more about Health & Physical Education at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin
With a ranking of #12, Winona State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Phys Ed Schools list. Winona State University is a medium-sized school located in Winona, Minnesota that handed out 69 ’s phys ed degrees in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Winona State also did well on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Winona State is $17,656 for Phys Ed students.
The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%.
With a ranking of #13, University of South Dakota did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Phys Ed Schools list. University of South Dakota is a medium-sized public school situated in Vermillion, South Dakota. It awarded 122 ’s phys ed degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for University of South Dakota is $18,555 for phys ed students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Health & Physical Education at University of South Dakota
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Phys Ed Schools ranking. UW - Eau Claire is a fairly large public school situated in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It awarded 117 ’s phys ed degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - Eau Claire also claimed a top spot on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UW - Eau Claire is $16,020 for phys ed students.
Dakota State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Phys Ed Schools ranking. This small school is located in Madison, South Dakota, and it awarded 11 ’s phys ed degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $17,691 for Phys Ed students per year to attend Dakota State.
Full Dakota State University Health & Physical Education Report
West Texas A&M University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Phys Ed Schools ranking, coming in at #16. West Texas A&M University is a fairly large public school situated in Canyon, Texas. It awarded 66 ’s phys ed degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend West Texas A&M University is $12,761 for phys ed students.
Full West Texas A&M University Health & Physical Education Report
University of Wisconsin - River Falls ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Phys Ed Schools list. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is a public institution located in River Falls, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 17 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - River Falls 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 estimated yearly cost for UW - River Falls is $13,748 for phys ed students.
The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.
University of Mary landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Phys Ed Schools ranking. University of Mary is located in Bismarck, North Dakota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 41 ’s phys ed degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on this list, UMary is in the top 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 University of Mary is $17,410 for Phys Ed students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Health & Physical Education at University of Mary
University of North Dakota ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Phys Ed Schools list. UND is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 49 ’s phys ed degrees to qualified students.
UND excels when it comes to phys ed quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UND is $15,738 for phys ed students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Health & Physical Education at University of North Dakota
Wilmington University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Phys Ed Schools ranking, coming in at #20. Wilmington University is a fairly large school located in New Castle, Delaware that handed out 12 ’s phys ed degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Wilmington University is $14,683 for phys ed students.
Full Wilmington University Health & Physical Education Report
With a ranking of #21, South Texas College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Phys Ed Schools list. This large school is located in McAllen, Texas, and it awarded 67 ’s phys ed degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for South Texas College is $1,174 for Phys Ed students.
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Phys Ed Schools ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized public school awarded 89 degrees to qualified ’s phys ed students in 2019-2020.
SRU also claimed a top spot on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Health & Physical Education Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is $19,926 for Phys Ed students.
University of Minnesota - Crookston came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Phys Ed Schools ranking. University of Minnesota - Crookston is a small school located in Crookston, Minnesota that handed out 15 ’s phys ed degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Crookston is $10,952 for phys ed students.
Read more about Health & Physical Education at University of Minnesota - Crookston
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Phys Ed Schools ranking, coming in at #24. SIUE is a public institution located in Edwardsville, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 154 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $14,423 for phys ed students per year to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
Minnesota State University - Mankato landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Phys Ed Schools ranking. Mankato, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s phys ed degrees to 145 students in 2019-2020.
Minnesota State Mankato 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 Minnesota State University - Mankato is $16,221 for phys ed students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Minnesota State Mankato Health & Physical Education Report
Rest of the Best 51 in Best Value Phys Ed Schools
Not only did these schools make the top 51 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Phys Ed Schools
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Rank | College | Location |
---|---|---|
52 | Southeast Missouri State University | Cape Girardeau, MO |
53 | SUNY Cortland | Cortland, NY |
54 | Northern Illinois University | Dekalb, IL |
55 | University of Northern Iowa | Cedar Falls, IA |
56 | Black Hills State University | Spearfish, SD |
57 | Onondaga Community College | Syracuse, NY |
58 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Edinburg, TX |
59 | Texas Tech University | Lubbock, TX |
60 | Wayne State College | Wayne, NE |
61 | John F. Kennedy University | Pleasant Hill, CA |
62 | Westfield State University | Westfield, MA |
62 | University of Houston | Houston, TX |
64 | Arkansas State University - Main Campus | Jonesboro, AR |
64 | Sam Houston State University | Huntsville, TX |
64 | Minnesota State University - Moorhead | Moorhead, MN |
Rank | College | Location |
---|---|---|
92 | University of Southern Mississippi | Hattiesburg, MS |
93 | Inter American University of Puerto Rico - San German | San German, PR |
94 | California State University - Northridge | Northridge, CA |
95 | Grand Canyon University | Phoenix, AZ |
96 | Salisbury University | Salisbury, MD |
97 | Northeastern State University | Tahlequah, OK |
98 | University of Wyoming | Laramie, WY |
99 | Lock Haven University | Lock Haven, PA |
99 | Utah Valley University | Orem, UT |
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Best Value Colleges for Health & Physical Education in the Southeast Region
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Best Value Colleges for Health & Physical Education in the Rocky Mountains Region
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Best Value Colleges for Health & Physical Education in the Middle Atlantic Region
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Best Value Colleges for Health & Physical Education in the Southwest Region
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Best Value Colleges for Health & Physical Education in the New England Region
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Best Value Colleges for Health & Physical Education in the Plains States Region
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Best Value Colleges for Health & Physical Education in the Far Western US Region
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Health & Physical Education students with family income exceeding $110k
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Health & Physical Education students with family income $75-$110k
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.