Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 38 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$164,040 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
—Modeled economic break-even
−142%Modeled 10-year ROI
$40,142Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$40,142Median reported earnings · year 4
$37,788Average reported earnings · year 5
$12,000Median federal debt
24thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
38Reporting programs
36With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $36,241
- Federal debt
- $8,936
- Reporting programs
- 15
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $40,142
- Federal debt
- $12,000
- Reporting programs
- 38
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $53,190
- Federal debt
- $25,946
- Reporting programs
- 660
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $60,645
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 165
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $82,260
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $56,405
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$36,616National median$40,14275th percentile$48,113
36 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1County College of Morris$54,6792Lionel University$52,9843Antelope Valley Community College District$51,0304Riverside City College$50,9235Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester Campus$50,5616University of Cincinnati-Main Campus$49,2047University of Cincinnati-Clermont College$49,2048University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College$49,2049Austin Community College District$48,35710Jefferson Community College$48,113Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness InstructorsSOC 39-9031 · 3 crosswalk linksRecreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1193 · 3 crosswalk linksCoaches and ScoutsSOC 27-2022 · 2 crosswalk linksAthletes and Sports CompetitorsSOC 27-2021 · 1 crosswalk linksAthletic TrainersSOC 29-9091 · 1 crosswalk linksEntertainment and Recreation Managers, Except GamblingSOC 11-9072 · 1 crosswalk linksExercise PhysiologistsSOC 29-1128 · 1 crosswalk linksNO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | County College of MorrisAssociate's Degree | Randolph, NJ | $54,679 | $7,000 | -10% | Negative payoff |
| 2 | Lionel UniversityAssociate's Degree | Carpinteria, CA | $52,984 | $12,917 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 3 | Antelope Valley Community College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Lancaster, CA | $51,030 | Not available | -38% | Negative payoff |
| 4 | Riverside City CollegeAssociate's Degree | Riverside, CA | $50,923 | $8,046 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 5 | Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester CampusAssociate's Degree | Sewell, NJ | $50,561 | Not available | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | University of Cincinnati-Main CampusAssociate's Degree | Cincinnati, OH | $49,204 | $12,000 | -70% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | University of Cincinnati-Clermont CollegeAssociate's Degree | Batavia, OH | $49,204 | $12,000 | -64% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash CollegeAssociate's Degree | Blue Ash, OH | $49,204 | $12,000 | -66% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | Austin Community College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Austin, TX | $48,357 | $14,625 | -67% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | Jefferson Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Watertown, NY | $48,113 | Not available | -73% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | Monroe Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Rochester, NY | $47,320 | Not available | -77% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | Del Mar CollegeAssociate's Degree | Corpus Christi, TX | $46,512 | Not available | -84% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | SUNY College of Technology at DelhiAssociate's Degree | Delhi, NY | $44,940 | Not available | -100% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Columbus State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Columbus, OH | $41,947 | Not available | -129% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | Roosevelt UniversityAssociate's Degree | Chicago, IL | $41,866 | Not available | -124% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | Bryan UniversityAssociate's Degree | Tempe, AZ | $41,220 | $21,446 | -129% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | Southwestern CollegeAssociate's Degree | Chula Vista, CA | $41,171 | Not available | -133% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | Mt San Antonio CollegeAssociate's Degree | Walnut, CA | $40,993 | $6,865 | -139% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | Cuyahoga Community College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Cleveland, OH | $39,291 | Not available | -158% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Paris Junior CollegeAssociate's Degree | Paris, TX | $38,962 | Not available | -157% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | Bryan UniversityAssociate's Degree | Springfield, MO | $37,141 | $26,415 | -160% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | Connecticut State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | New Britain, CT | $37,095 | Not available | -170% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | SUNY Broome Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Binghamton, NY | $37,080 | Not available | -173% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | Dean CollegeAssociate's Degree | Franklin, MA | $36,616 | Not available | -155% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | South Texas CollegeAssociate's Degree | McAllen, TX | $36,477 | $4,500 | -191% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Keiser University-Ft LauderdaleAssociate's Degree | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $35,403 | $23,699 | -164% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | Pasadena City CollegeAssociate's Degree | Pasadena, CA | $33,915 | Not available | -213% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | Intellitec College-Colorado SpringsAssociate's Degree | Colorado Springs, CO | $33,219 | $15,768 | -178% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | El Paso Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | El Paso, TX | $32,542 | $5,500 | -229% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | Monroe UniversityAssociate's Degree | Bronx, NY | $31,845 | $14,122 | -211% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | Holmes Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Goodman, MS | $23,461 | Not available | -313% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo CampusAssociate's Degree | Gurabo, PR | $22,665 | $3,500 | -315% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | Blinn College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Brenham, TX | Not available | $10,875 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $10,844 |
| 34 | Praxis InstituteAssociate's Degree | Miami, FL | Not available | $28,655 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $8,785 |
| 35 | Manchester Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | , | $37,095 | Not available | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 36 | Three Rivers Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | , | $37,095 | Not available | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 37 | Connecticut State Community College NorwalkAssociate's Degree | , | $37,095 | Not available | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 38 | Connecticut State Community College GatewayAssociate's Degree | , | $37,095 | Not available | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.