Program Analysis
Starting salaries of $25,858/yr fall 17% below the $31,057 national median for Health & Physical Education. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 11.7x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Health & Physical Education programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Health & Physical Education's typical career paths, with 25% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 7% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $22,870 represents roughly 11 months of the $25,858 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
Ranked #307 of 529 Health & Physical Education programs, Western Kentucky University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Five-year earnings of $49,122 show a 90% jump from the $25,858 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.