College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2025 Best Health & Physical Education Schools in Illinois

20 Colleges in Illinois
2,004 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
$34,558 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you pursue a degree in health & physical education, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #11 most popular program in the country. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.

In 2025, College Factual analyzed 20 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Health & Physical Education Schools in Illinois ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 2,004 degrees in health & physical education annually.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Health & Physical Education School

Best Health & Physical Education Schools in Illinois Your choice of health & physical education school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. We derive our Best Overall Health & Physical Education School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Health & Physical Education Rankings by Degree Level

Bachelor's Degrees in Phys Ed
Master's Degrees in Phys Ed
Doctor's Degrees in Phys Ed

The phys ed school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Health & Physical Education Schools in Illinois. If you'd like to restrict your choices to just one part of the country, you can filter this list by location.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

If you want to learn more about how we derive our rankings, see College Factual's Methodology.

Best Schools for Health & Physical Education in Illinois

Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the phys ed degree levels they offer.

10 Top Illinois Schools in Phys Ed

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
184 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
4.9% Growth in Graduates

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a wonderful decision for students interested in a degree in health & physical education. Located in the city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #41 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UIUC is a great university overall.

There were roughly 184 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at UIUC in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, phys ed degree recipients usually earn an average of $31,187 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
375 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
$45,370 Median Starting Salary

Concordia University, Chicago is a wonderful option for students pursuing a degree in health & physical education. Concordia University, Chicago is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of River Forest. A Best Colleges rank of #125 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Concordia University, Chicago is a great university overall.

There were roughly 375 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at Concordia University, Chicago in the most recent data year. Those health & physical education students who get their degree from Concordia University, Chicago earn $10,812 more than the average phys ed grad.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from Concordia University, Chicago

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BS in Business Administration - Sport Management Program Name

Turn your passion for sports into a career with a wide range of employment options with this specialized online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in BS in Business Administration - Sport Management from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

3
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
131 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
$28,874 Median Starting Salary

Any student who is interested in health & physical education has to take a look at University of Illinois at Chicago. UIC is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Chicago. A Best Colleges rank of #254 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UIC is a great university overall.

There were about 131 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at UIC in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the phys ed program make an average of $28,874 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from University of Illinois at Chicago

4
North Central crest
North Central College
Naperville, IL
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
53 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
$34,609 Median Starting Salary

North Central College is a good option for students interested in a degree in health & physical education. Located in the city of Naperville, North Central is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. This college ranks 32nd out of 85 schools for overall quality in the state of Illinois.

There were about 53 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at North Central in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the phys ed program state that they receive average early career income of $34,609.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from North Central College

5
Aurora crest
Aurora University
Aurora, IL
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
99 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
13.1% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large suburb of Aurora, Aurora is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #348 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Aurora is a great university overall.

There were approximately 99 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at Aurora in the most recent data year. Health & Physical Education degree recipients from Aurora University receive an earnings boost of about $2,698 over the average earnings of health & physical education graduates.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from Aurora University

6
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
138 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
1.4% Growth in Graduates

Located in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #210 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Illinois State is a great university overall.

There were approximately 138 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at Illinois State in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the health & physical education degree program at Illinois State University get $3,863 above the typical graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from Illinois State University

7
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
134 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
26.9% Growth in Graduates

NIU is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of Dekalb. A Best Colleges rank of #529 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means NIU is a great university overall.

There were approximately 134 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at NIU in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the phys ed program make an average of $34,745 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from Northern Illinois University

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BS in Sport Management Program Name

Turn your passion for sports into a career and a path to high-level roles in the industry with this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in BS in Sport Management from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

8
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
99 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
4.0% Growth in Graduates

EIU is a medium-sized public university located in the town of Charleston. This university ranks 52nd out of 85 schools for overall quality in the state of Illinois.

There were about 99 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at EIU in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the phys ed program state that they receive average early career earnings of $35,669.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from Eastern Illinois University

9
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
51 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
$33,429 Median Starting Salary

WIU is a medium-sized public university located in the town of Macomb. This university ranks 37th out of 85 colleges for overall quality in the state of Illinois.

There were approximately 51 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at WIU in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the phys ed program report average early career income of $33,429.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from Western Illinois University

10
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
68 Phys Ed Degrees Awarded
$29,258 Median Starting Salary

SIUC is a fairly large public university located in the town of Carbondale. This university ranks 36th out of 85 colleges for overall quality in the state of Illinois.

There were about 68 health & physical education students who graduated with this degree at SIUC in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the phys ed program report average early career earnings of $29,258.

More information about a degree in health & physical education from Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Best Health & Physical Education Colleges in the Great Lakes Region

Explore all the Best Health & Physical Education Colleges in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Michigan 322 2,199
Ohio 314 2,493
Indiana 294 1,564
Wisconsin 273 938

View All Rankings >

One of 4 majors within the Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies area of study, Health & Physical Education has other similar majors worth exploring.

Phys Ed Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Exercise Science and Kinesiology 1,184
Sports Management 442
Sports Kinesiology and Physical Education/Fitness General 298
Outdoor Health & Physical Education/Fitness 66
Sports Studies 14

View All Phys Ed Concentrations >

Majors Similar to Phys Ed

Related Major Annual Graduates
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies 172
Recreation Administration 157
Other Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies 8

View All Phys Ed Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options