2026 Best Value Physical Education Schools in Alabama

[Physical Education](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/health-and-physical-education/physical-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for physical education students.
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2026 Best Value Physical Education Schools in Alabama
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in physical education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Physical Education Schools
University Of North Alabama earned the #1 spot for value among physical education schools in Alabama. University Of North Alabama is a large public school located in the city of Florence. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,120, compared with $22,320 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the physical education program here. Early-career physical education graduates make about $29,714. Set against $23,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of North Alabama admits about 87% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Jacksonville State University earned it the #2 place for physical education. Located in the suburb of Jacksonville, Jacksonville State University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,894, with out-of-state students paying around $23,334. Typical student debt for physical education graduates is $24,751. Physical Education graduates of Jacksonville State University earn a median of $45,361 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Students looking for strong value in physical education will find it at University Of Montevallo, which ranked #3. Set in the town of Montevallo, University Of Montevallo is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,948, while out-of-state students pay about $26,968. Typical student debt for physical education graduates is $25,000. Soon after graduation, physical education degree recipients from University Of Montevallo generally make around $36,673. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 54% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in physical education will find it at University Of Mobile, which ranked #4. University Of Mobile is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Mobile. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $26,910. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the physical education program here. Early-career physical education graduates make about $26,785. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
More Physical Education Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.