U.S. median for this major: $53,336.
College Scorecard field of study; 38 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 57% 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 $58,437. College Scorecard.
VU 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 VU'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 | $11,043 | $45,828 | 3.8 years |
| $30–48k | $12,055 | $50,028 | 4.1 years |
| $48–75k | $15,279 | $63,408 | 5.2 years |
| $75–110k | $22,311 | $92,591 | 7.6 years |
| $110k+ | $24,780 | $102,837 | 8.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (58% 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 ($47,644) minus $35,534 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $12,110 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 Indiana colleges
Every Indiana college we cover that reports Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Purdue University | $72,724 | $20,500 | $14,600 | 83% |
| 2 | DePauw University | $71,696 | $27,000 | $22,264 | 75% |
| 3 | Indiana University-Bloomington | $68,675 | $19,657 | $16,264 | 80% |
| 4 | Marian University | $66,491 | $27,000 | $24,018 | 67% |
| 5 | University of Evansville | $63,830 | $24,031 | $18,499 | 64% |
| 6 | University of Indianapolis | $59,819 | $26,786 | $21,602 | 56% |
| 7 | Trine University | $58,816 | $27,000 | $25,355 | 64% |
| 8 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | $57,203 | $24,449 | $11,668 | 54% |
| 9 | Hanover College | $56,668 | $27,000 | $21,829 | 67% |
| 10 | Ball State University | $55,053 | $25,962 | $14,940 | 62% |
| 11 | Franklin College | $54,636 | $27,000 | $22,855 | 60% |
| 12 | Manchester University | $52,218 | $25,500 | $18,805 | 46% |
| 13 | University of Southern Indianabachelor's & associate | $50,541 | $22,375 | $12,923 | 48% |
| 14 | Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion | $49,750 | — | $22,866 | 67% |
| 15 | Huntington University | $48,400 | — | $19,310 | 64% |
| 16 | Bethel University | $48,243 | $27,000 | $18,610 | 53% |
| 17 | Valparaiso University | $47,644 | $27,000 | $18,578 | 70% |
| 18 | Indiana State University | $46,556 | $25,000 | $10,873 | 43% |
| 19 | Anderson University | $46,029 | $26,581 | $25,021 | 54% |
| 20 | Grace College and Theological Seminary | $42,123 | $23,250 | $19,932 | 69% |
8 more Indiana 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 VU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About VU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 70% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,191
- Full cost breakdown · all 59 majors · overview
Related majors at VU
- Health Sciences$115,095
- Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences—
- Biology$61,072
VU Kinesiology / Exercise Science questions
How much do VU Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates earn?
Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates of Valparaiso University earn a median $47,644 four years after graduating and $44,937 one year after. The U.S. median for Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates across 602 colleges is $53,336.
How much debt do VU Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates of Valparaiso University is $27,000, about 57% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,752.
Is VU a good school for Kinesiology / Exercise Science in Indiana?
On pay, Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates of Valparaiso University earn $47,644 four years out, $7,200 below the median for the same major across 20 Indiana colleges ($54,844) and $5,692 below the U.S. median ($53,336). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does VU rank for Kinesiology / Exercise Science in Indiana?
Of 20 Indiana colleges reporting Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduate earnings, Valparaiso University ranks 17th; among the 19 that mostly award bachelor's degrees it ranks 16th. The highest is Purdue University at $72,724.
What jobs do Kinesiology / Exercise Science graduates get?
A common career is coaches and scouts, with a median wage of $50,350 in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 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: “Valparaiso University Kinesiology / Exercise Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/valparaiso-university/majors/kinesiology-exercise-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).