Recreation, fitness and kinesiology ยท bachelor's degree
Outdoor Education major: colleges and pay
22 colleges in our data award bachelor's degrees in outdoor education, 152 of them in 2023-24. Graduates of the typical program earned $30,117 a year after graduating and $37,588 four years after.
Colleges where outdoor education graduates earn the most
Programs with at least 10 graduates in 2023-24, ranked by median earnings four years after graduation.
| College | Graduates (2023-24) | Earnings 1 yr after | Earnings 4 yrs after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Lewis CollegeDurango, CO | 13 | $30,117 | $39,598 | n/a |
| Vermont State UniversityRandolph, VT | 16 | n/a | $35,579 | n/a |
Largest outdoor education programs
| College | Graduates (2023-24) | Earnings 1 yr after | Earnings 4 yrs after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont State UniversityRandolph, VT | 16 | n/a | $35,579 | n/a |
| Central Michigan UniversityMount Pleasant, MI | 16 | $35,851 | n/a | $27,359 |
| Prescott CollegePrescott, AZ | 16 | $26,887 | n/a | n/a |
| Warren Wilson CollegeSwannanoa, NC | 14 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Fort Lewis CollegeDurango, CO | 13 | $30,117 | $39,598 | n/a |
| Salisbury UniversitySalisbury, MD | 13 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Elon UniversityElon, NC | 11 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| John Brown UniversitySiloam Springs, AR | 9 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Brevard CollegeBrevard, NC | 6 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Liberty UniversityLynchburg, VA | 6 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Montreat CollegeMontreat, NC | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Toccoa Falls CollegeToccoa Falls, GA | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Young Harris CollegeYoung Harris, GA | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Asbury UniversityWilmore, KY | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Black Hills State UniversitySpearfish, SD | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Every college with a outdoor education major
| College | Graduates (2023-24) | Earnings 1 yr after | Earnings 4 yrs after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Lewis CollegeDurango, CO | 13 | $30,117 | $39,598 | n/a |
| Vermont State UniversityRandolph, VT | 16 | n/a | $35,579 | n/a |
| Central Michigan UniversityMount Pleasant, MI | 16 | $35,851 | n/a | $27,359 |
| Prescott CollegePrescott, AZ | 16 | $26,887 | n/a | n/a |
| Asbury UniversityWilmore, KY | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Black Hills State UniversitySpearfish, SD | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Brevard CollegeBrevard, NC | 6 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Colorado Christian UniversityLakewood, CO | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Elon UniversityElon, NC | 11 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| John Brown UniversitySiloam Springs, AR | 9 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Lees-McRae CollegeBanner Elk, NC | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Liberty UniversityLynchburg, VA | 6 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Montreat CollegeMontreat, NC | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| New England CollegeHenniker, NH | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Salisbury UniversitySalisbury, MD | 13 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| State University of New York at CortlandCortland, NY | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Toccoa Falls CollegeToccoa Falls, GA | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Unity Environmental UniversityNew Gloucester, ME | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Warren Wilson CollegeSwannanoa, NC | 14 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Weber State UniversityOgden, UT | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Westminster UniversitySalt Lake City, UT | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Young Harris CollegeYoung Harris, GA | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Frequently asked questions
How much do outdoor education majors make?
Graduates of the typical outdoor education program earned a median of $30,117 one year after graduation and $37,588 four years after, in 2024 dollars.
Which college has the highest-paid outdoor education graduates?
Fort Lewis College, where graduates earned a median of $39,598 four years after graduation (programs with at least 10 graduates).
How many colleges offer a outdoor education major?
22 colleges on the College Scorecard awarded bachelor's degrees in outdoor education in 2022-23 or 2023-24.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field of study file, data release of October 15, 2026. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working, not enrolled. One-year figures: graduates of 2020-21 and 2021-22, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Four-year figures: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. More on the data.