U.S. median for this major: $53,336.
College Scorecard field of study; 285 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 42% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,752.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $24,018. College Scorecard.
ISU Kinesiology / Exercise Science: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Kinesiology / Exercise Science nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses ISU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $10,582 | $45,714 | 2.0 years |
| $30–48k | $11,506 | $49,706 | 2.1 years |
| $48–75k | $15,463 | $66,800 | 2.9 years |
| $75–110k | $19,605 | $84,694 | 3.6 years |
| $110k+ | $22,496 | $97,183 | 4.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (54% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates 4 years after graduating ($60,059) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $23,398 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Kinesiology / Exercise Science at Iowa colleges
Every Iowa college we cover that reports Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint Ambrose University | $67,548 | $26,000 | $24,691 | 61% |
| 2 | University of Iowa | $61,732 | $24,250 | $22,531 | 75% |
| 3 | Iowa State University | $60,059 | $25,425 | $18,589 | 75% |
| 4 | Cornell College | $59,195 | $27,000 | $23,634 | 62% |
| 5 | Loras College | $57,233 | $27,000 | $20,716 | 68% |
| 6 | Simpson College | $54,919 | $27,000 | $21,936 | 63% |
| 7 | Grand View University | $54,875 | $26,921 | $21,774 | 54% |
| 8 | University of Northern Iowa | $54,629 | $22,500 | $15,901 | 68% |
| 9 | Coe College | $52,880 | $27,000 | $18,745 | 66% |
| 10 | Luther College | $51,913 | $27,000 | $23,097 | 71% |
| 11 | Northwestern College | $51,829 | — | $25,907 | 66% |
| 12 | Central College | $51,814 | $27,000 | $23,377 | 66% |
| 13 | Briar Cliff University | $50,286 | $27,000 | $23,907 | 48% |
| 14 | Buena Vista University | $49,281 | $27,000 | $18,846 | 62% |
| 15 | Upper Iowa University | $49,002 | $25,641 | $20,942 | 34% |
| 16 | William Penn University | $46,244 | $27,000 | $22,601 | 33% |
| 17 | Graceland University-Lamoni | $45,814 | $27,000 | $18,504 | 42% |
| 18 | University of Dubuque | $45,721 | $27,560 | $23,386 | 40% |
| 19 | Clarke University | $42,853 | $26,974 | $24,479 | 56% |
4 more Iowa colleges offer Kinesiology / Exercise Science but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates
Coaches and Scouts
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +6.1% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +6.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Exercise Physiologists
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +12.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at ISU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About ISU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,386
- Full cost breakdown · all 93 majors · overview
Related majors at ISU
- Biology$53,447
ISU Kinesiology / Exercise Science questions
How much do ISU Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates earn?
Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates of Iowa State University earn a median $60,059 four years after graduating and $36,492 one year after. The U.S. median for Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates across 602 colleges is $53,336.
How much debt do ISU Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates of Iowa State University is $25,425, about 42% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,752.
Is ISU a good school for Kinesiology / Exercise Science in Iowa?
On pay, Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates of Iowa State University earn $60,059 four years out, $8,146 above the median for the same major across 19 Iowa colleges ($51,913) and $6,723 above the U.S. median ($53,336). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does ISU rank for Kinesiology / Exercise Science in Iowa?
Of 19 Iowa colleges reporting Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduate earnings, Iowa State University ranks 3rd. The highest is Saint Ambrose University at $67,548.
What jobs do Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates get?
A common career is coaches and scouts, with a median wage of $36,740 in the Ames, IA area and $47,320 nationally. Others include entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling and exercise physiologists.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Iowa State University Kinesiology / Exercise Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/iowa-state-university/majors/kinesiology-exercise-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).