Program Analysis
Starting salaries of $23,364/yr fall 25% below the $31,057 national median for Health & Physical Education. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.
The 24.6x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.
AI risk is moderate — 25% task exposure — and the 8% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The $25,043 debt load exceeds a year of the $23,364 starting salary, suggesting a multi-year repayment window before graduates break even financially.
Ranked #134 out of 529 programs, Valdosta State University's Health & Physical Education program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.
Earnings growth from $23,364 to $54,862 over five years (135% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.