Physical Education Degrees
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Salaries For Degrees in Physical Education
Graduates in Physical Education can be employed in a variety of occupations. While no one can say with certainty what you personally will do with a degree in Physical Education, our survey panel picked the following jobs as likely options:
- Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors
- Athletic trainers (Best salary!)
The median salary for people with a degree in Physical Education is $22,176.61. The lifetime value of this degree is approximately $502,635.00.
Salaries are highly dependent on individual negotiating skill, years of related experience, policies at your employer, location, and a host of other factors. The estimates we show on these pages are just that: estimates. Your individual experience will likely vary.
Where does this come from?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics, a unit of the US government, classifies all workers into some 800-odd occupational categories. We paid a army of freelancers to get their opinion on what type of degree a holder of each type of job would likely have majored in. For pairs which had a high degree of consensus, we created a link between the degree and the job.
From this, we calculated the average salary for Physical Education degrees and converted it into a lifetime value. We then compared it against other degrees at the same level of schooling (such as associate's, bachelor's, or master's), so that you can make informed educational and employment decisions.
What Can a Physical Education Student Expect to Learn?
With a physical education degree, a graduate with a Bachelor of Physical Education can teach children in day care centers, community programs, and public or private schools. Jobs are also available with adult programs in nursing homes, community organizations, correctional institutions, hospitals and consulting firms that provide staff development and team building activities.
To find the requirements for a bachelor’s degree at an institution you are considering, go to their online catalog or go in person to the university that you want to attend. Look up the physical education degree, and there will be a list of classes you need to get this degree. Health and human performance is the degree for personal trainers. Physical education is the degree for physical education teachers, coaches, umpires, and referees. Usually, for secondary schools, this is a double major degree: education and physical education. For elementary schools, elementary education is your major, with an emphasis in physical education.
Specialized Training
A degree in Physical Education provides training in physical fitness, exercise, sports, nutrition and hygiene. Among the areas of study for this degree are sports skills, safety and first aid, sports psychology, kinesiology, biology, contemporary health problems, and adaptations of physical education.
When looking for a higher institution of learning, it is important to know the differences between community colleges, colleges and universities. The U.S. uses different terminology than the rest of the world when referring to higher education.
Attending Community Colleges
Community colleges offer transfer programs for individuals that are planning to go on to a university for a bachelor’s degree. These two-year colleges will have a list of classes that will transfer to area universities. It’s important that you follow this list precisely to ensure that your credits will transfer. Also, check with the university you plan to attend for changes in their requirements, as these changes may be made without a community college being informed. Many universities will accept all classes taken at a community college if the student receives an associate’s degree in the area they will continue to study at the university.
Accreditation
Check for accreditation. Schools that are accredited will cite one of these regional accreditations:
1. Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
2. New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
3. North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
4. Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
5. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
6. Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
7. Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities
A school’s accreditation is usually listed on their website under academics, and is almost always hard to find. If you can’t find it, call the university you plan to attend and ask what association they are accredited under. If a school says they are accredited, yet don’t cite a regional accreditation, their credits will not be accepted by regionally accredited universities or by the state board of education from which you must obtain a teaching certificate before teaching in a public school. Double check with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation here.
Online Schools Offering Accredited Physical Education Degree Programs
Online bachelor’s degrees in Physical Education are rare. Those listed are for associate’s degrees, master’s degrees, or certification in specific areas of fitness training or sports. To work in a school, a bachelor’s degree is required. Most universities offer some classes online, but many classes for this degree require a student to be physically present on campus for labs. If you do find a bachelor’s degree in physical education online, be sure to check the institution’s accreditation and inquire about labs for which you will have to pay extra to have equipment sent to you. Two schools where you can begin this program are:
Top Colleges & Universities Offering Campus-based Physical Education Degrees
Here is a list of top universities for undergraduate education majors according to several sources. The order of ranking varies from list to list, but all of these colleges made every list. Listed beside each university is the name of their education program. Ranking is based on academic prestige, job placement, and opportunities for teaching experience.
- Michigan State University – College of Education
- Pennsylvania State University – College of Education
- Ohio University – College of Education
- Stanford University – School of Education 5.
- University of Virginia – Curry School of Education
- Indiana University – School of Education
- Columbia University – Teachers’ College
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor – School of Education
- Ohio State University – College of Education and Human Ecology
- Vanderbilt University – Peabody College of Education and Human Development
Famous Physical Education Graduates
Famous graduates in physical education include NFL pro Robert Mathis, who earned his degree at Alabama A&M, and Isaac Bruce of Memphis State, now a wide receiver for the St. Louis Rams. Basketball legend Larry Bird (pictured right) earned his B.A. in Physical Education from Indiana State in 1979.
