CareerFacts

All careers › Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary

Physical education professor: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$77,270median pay per year, May 2025[1]
  1. $44,900lowest 10% earn less
  2. $59,99025th percentile
  3. $77,270median
  4. $101,45075th percentile
  5. $134,890top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Recreation and fitness studies teachers at the postsecondary level had a median pay of $77,270 a year in May 2025[1]. BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry education[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+2.2%[5]
Openings per year
1,000[6]
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree[2]

How much do physical education professors make?

BLS counts this work under the title Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary. In May 2025 the median wage was $77,270 a year, so half earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $86,620[7]. For all occupations, the median was $50,980[4].

Point Annual wage
10th percentile[3] $44,900
25th percentile[3] $59,990
Median[1] $77,270
75th percentile[3] $101,450
90th percentile[3] $134,890

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $44,900[3]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[8]. BLS publishes only yearly wages for this job, not hourly ones[9]. The figures cover wage and salary workers, and leave out the self-employed, certain bonuses and the cost of benefits[10]. About 12,630 people held these jobs[11].

Pay by state and city

Among the 41 states with published data, California had the highest median at $127,780 a year, then Maryland at $97,640 and Massachusetts at $87,960[12]. Alaska was lowest on the list at $58,330[12].

California also had the most jobs at 1,950, followed by Texas at 1,460 and North Carolina at 730[13]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA had the highest median at $159,690, then San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $134,190[14]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had the most jobs at 770, and New York-Newark-Jersey City had 750[15].

Show median pay in 41 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
California[12]$127,7801,950
Maryland$97,64090
Massachusetts$87,960290
Michigan$83,690320
Wyoming$83,26030
Pennsylvania$83,150640
Wisconsin$80,50040
Minnesota$80,410260
New York$80,190670
Connecticut$79,200190
New Mexico$79,09040
South Carolina$78,800280
Texas$76,4801,460
Utah$76,350110
Florida$76,100140
Iowa$75,130100
Washington$74,850240
North Carolina$73,860730
Tennessee$73,280220
Missouri$73,180200
Alabama$72,680110
Arizona$71,23090
Ohio$70,260420
Maine$67,67040
Illinois$67,180630
Indiana$67,060410
West Virginia$66,440100
Georgia$66,410160
Louisiana$65,940100
New Jersey$65,900520
Colorado$65,730180
Virginia$65,320310
Kentucky$64,890230
Oklahoma$63,590110
Oregon$63,090480
Arkansas$63,020110
South Dakota$62,28060
Mississippi$60,560190
Kansas$59,73060
Idaho$58,72070
Alaska$58,33060

How to become a physical education professor

The training details below come from a BLS profile that covers postsecondary teachers as a wider group, not only this job[16].

In an O*NET survey of 22 workers, 74% said a doctoral degree was required, 21% said a master's degree and 5% said a bachelor's degree[20]. Institutions may prefer applicants with teaching or other work experience[21]. Some teachers gain it as graduate teaching assistants[22].

Teachers with a doctorate often seek tenure, which can take up to 7 years and moves through the ranks of assistant professor, associate professor and professor[23].

What physical education professors do

O*NET says these teachers teach courses on recreation, leisure and fitness, including exercise physiology and facilities management[24]. Some mainly teach and others combine teaching with research[24]. Typical tasks include:

Workers report titles such as adjunct professor, assistant professor, kinesiology professor and instructor[26].

Where they work

In the wider group of postsecondary teachers, 41% work at colleges, universities and professional schools run by states[27]. Most work full time, though part-time work is common[28]. Classes are generally held during the day, with some in the evenings or on weekends[29]. Academic calendars usually include breaks between terms, and some teachers use summers for research or professional development[30]. Full-time teachers generally need to be on campus to teach and hold office hours, and otherwise set their own schedules[31].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 2.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 15,200 to 15,600 jobs[5]. For all occupations, the projected growth is 3.5%[32]. The projection counts include self-employed workers[5].

BLS expects about 1,000 openings a year on average[6]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 3.5% of workers leave the labor force and 3% move to a different occupation[33].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show a median wage above the all-occupations median[1][4]. The path is long, since the typical entry education is a doctoral or professional degree[2] and doctoral programs usually take several years[17]. Growth is a little slower than for all occupations[5][32]. Pay depends a lot on place, from $58,330 in Alaska to $127,780 in California among listed states[12].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[34].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a physical education professor make?
The median was $77,270 a year in May 2025, and the average was $86,620[1][7]. BLS publishes only annual wages for this job[9].
What degree do you need to be a physical education professor?
BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry education[2]. A master's degree may be enough for some roles, such as at community colleges[18][19].
Which state pays the most?
California had the highest median at $127,780 a year, then Maryland at $97,640[12].
Are postsecondary recreation and fitness teachers in demand?
BLS projects 2.2% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 1,000 openings a year[5][32][6].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary in the US was $77,270 per year. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary: education needed for entry: Doctoral or professional degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary: 10th percentile $44,900, 25th percentile $59,990, 75th percentile $101,450, 90th percentile $134,890. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary is projected to grow 2.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 15,200 to 15,600 jobs (a change of +300). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 1,000 openings for Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary was $86,620 per year. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS publishes only annual wages for Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary, not hourly wages, because many work fewer than 2,080 hours a year but are paid yearly. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 12,630 people were employed as Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary jobs: California 1,950; Texas 1,460; North Carolina 730; New York 670; Pennsylvania 640. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary (areas with at least 100 jobs): Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $159,690; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $134,190; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $130,420; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $106,660; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $83,600; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $83,410; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $82,780; Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $82,100. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 770 (median $106,660); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 750 (median $78,730); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 330 (median $61,880); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 310 (median $79,310); Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 280 (median $73,840); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 240 (median $82,100). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Postsecondary Teachers" covers Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. O*NET 25-1193.00 survey of workers (22 respondents), education level they say is required: Doctoral Degree 74%, Master's Degree 21%, Bachelor's Degree 5% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. O*NET description of Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET task list for Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary. O*NET OnLine
  26. O*NET 25-1193.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Adjunct Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Health and Human Performance Professor, Health and Physical Education Professor (HPE Professor), Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Professor (HPER Professor), Instructor, Kinesiology Professor. O*NET OnLine
  27. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of postsecondary teachers in 2025: Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state 41%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  33. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary: 3.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  34. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.