Health & Physical Education
Quick Facts: Health & Physical Education Training
Where it's offered
Health & Physical Education programs are offered at 20 schools across 11 states. Most students attend a school within driving distance of home — use the state picker below to see programs near you.
Earnings expectations
Graduates earn approximately $25,678/year on average one year after completion, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. Pay scales with experience, certifications, and regional cost-of-living.
Apprenticeship pathways
There are no Department of Labor registered apprenticeship pathways currently mapped to Health & Physical Education, but related trades may have programs — check apprenticeship.gov directly.
Program quality benchmark
Across the 20 schools we analyze, the average TradeSchoolOutlook Score is 41/100. Higher-scoring programs combine strong graduate earnings, manageable cost, and strong job-market demand — see the leaderboard further down for the highest-rated options.
What Health & Physical Education Graduates Do
Your career starts on the gym floor or the athletic field. As an exercise trainer, you’ll spend your days guiding clients through workouts, correcting their form on a leg press, and using tools like kettlebells and resistance bands to build personalized plans. As a coach, you'll be on the sidelines with a clipboard and whistle, designing plays and motivating your team. The demand for these foundational roles is exceptionally high.
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You might begin by leading group fitness classes or working as an assistant coach, building your reputation and client base. With experience, you can advance to become a head trainer, a specialized athletic trainer working with sports teams, or a recreation manager overseeing a facility's staff and budget. This hands-on work, focused on human performance and motivation, simply can't be done remotely or by an algorithm. Your starting salary grows significantly as you gain expertise and specialize, with top earners often managing large facilities or running their own successful fitness businesses.
Closely-related paths include Mind-Body Therapies, Medical Informatics, and Broadcasting & Digital Media, which share overlapping job markets and training components.
Find Health & Physical Education Programs in Your State
Trade and community college programs are local decisions — most students pick a school within driving distance. Health & Physical Education is offered at 20 schools across 11 states. Pick your state to see a local comparison (states with fewer programs link to the state hub).
Top Health & Physical Education Programs Nationally
For context, here are the highest-scoring Health & Physical Education programs in the country. Most students attend a school within 60 miles of home, so your state list above is usually more actionable — but these are the benchmarks others compete against.
20 schools ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. Click any row for full earnings projections and career analysis.
| # | School | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cabrillo College Aptos, CA |
73 70–74 |
| 2 | Riverside City College Riverside, CA |
61 56–62 |
| 3 | Indiana University-Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN |
58 51–59 |
| 4 | Mt San Antonio College Walnut, CA |
58 51–58 |
| 5 | Lionel University Carpinteria, CA |
55 52–56 |
| 6 | Bryan University Tempe, AZ |
50 47–50 |
| 7 | El Paso Community College El Paso, TX |
50 43–51 |
| 8 | Advanced Training Institute Las Vegas, NV |
49 45–50 |
| 9 | Bryan University Tempe, AZ |
48 46–49 |
| 10 | Southern California Health Institute North Hollywood, CA |
48 44–48 |
| 11 | South Texas College McAllen, TX |
47 40–47 |
| 12 | Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale, FL |
45 42–46 |
| 13 | Intellitec College-Colorado Springs Colorado Springs, CO |
45 41–46 |
| 14 | Atlanta School of Massage Atlanta, GA |
44 41–45 |
| 15 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IA |
43 41–44 |
| 16 | National Personal Training Institute Orlando, FL |
43 39–43 |
| 17 | National Personal Training Institute-Tampa Tampa, FL |
43 39–43 |
| 18 | Focus Personal Training Institute New York, NY |
42 39–43 |
| 19 | NUC University Bayamon, PR |
38 35–38 |
| 20 | Monroe College Bronx, NY |
33 30–34 |
Highest Earning Health & Physical Education Programs
Schools where Health & Physical Education graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.
| School | 1-Year Earnings | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Lionel University | $46,831/yr | 55 |
| Cabrillo College | $38,985/yr | 73 |
| Bryan University | $36,082/yr | 50 |
| Indiana University-Indianapolis | $32,936/yr | 58 |
| Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale | $32,686/yr | 45 |
| Bryan University | $29,856/yr | 48 |
| Advanced Training Institute | $28,471/yr | 49 |
| Southern California Health Institute | $26,980/yr | 48 |
| Riverside City College | $25,516/yr | 61 |
| University of Iowa | $24,195/yr | 43 |
Best ROI for Health & Physical Education
Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Health & Physical Education.
| School | ROI Multiple | Earnings | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabrillo College | 306.0x | $38,985/yr | 73 |
| Mt San Antonio College | 138.3x | $19,869/yr | 58 |
| Riverside City College | 117.8x | $25,516/yr | 61 |
| Indiana University-Indianapolis | 49.6x | $32,936/yr | 58 |
| El Paso Community College | 49.5x | $21,750/yr | 50 |
| South Texas College | 42.8x | $22,699/yr | 47 |
| Bryan University | 23.5x | $29,856/yr | 48 |
| University of Iowa | 21.1x | $24,195/yr | 43 |
| NUC University | 17.3x | $14,767/yr | 38 |
| Bryan University | 14.4x | $36,082/yr | 50 |
Related Majors
Explore similar fields of study.
Considering a 4-Year Degree?
Compare the trade route with a bachelor's degree. See how Health & Physical Education degree programs stack up on earnings and ROI.
State Licensing & Certification
After completing your program, most states require a license or certification to practice. Compare requirements, costs, and salary by state.