Program Analysis
Starting salaries of $25,768/yr fall 17% below the $31,057 national median for Health and Physical Education/Fitness. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 13.0x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Health and Physical Education/Fitness programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Health and Physical Education/Fitness'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 $21,928 represents roughly 10 months of the $25,768 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
Ranked #321 of 529 Health and Physical Education/Fitness programs, East Tennessee State University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Five-year earnings of $46,637 show a 81% jump from the $25,768 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.