Colleges with Online Degrees for Health Education & Physical Education

Physical and health education takes place both inside and outside the classroom. Whether you want to work on training goals with a client at a gym or teach health education to students at a public or private school, you'll find a number of ways in which you can help motivate others. Making this easier is that preparation for careers in this field can begin online through the array of physical and health education programs, including certificates and degrees, that are offered through schools.

Physical and Health Education Online Colleges

While it may seem strange to think that you could find online physical and health education programs, there are actually a number of programs available. They focus on a range of topics such as health club operations, nutrition science, personal fitness and sports management. You can also seek out a four-year teaching degree to be able to teach health and nutrition in schools and to motivate students to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Some of the degrees that you might find available online include a Certificate to be a Certified Personal Trainer, an Associate of Applied Science degree in Health Club Operations, a Bachelor's degree in Sports and Recreation and a Master's of Science degree in Health Education. These types of programs help introduce you to important skills and to lay the foundation for success in a physical and health education career.

Your pay will depend on the specific career you choose. The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides wage information for a number of occupations in the field. Fitness workers, which includes trainers and instructors, for example earned mean annual wages of $35,920, according to 2010 BLS data. In the classroom, physical education and health teachers in middle schools did better, earning mean annual wages of $54,880 while high school educators earned $55,990. Of all teachers, postsecondary recreation and fitness studies instructors made the most, earning mean wages of $63,760. Another occupation to consider is that of health educators, who most often work in health care and social assistance. Their mean annual wages were $50,270, according to the BLS. Dietitians and nutritionists earned mean annual wages of $53,340. If you like the idea of working in the field, but are looking for something a little less fitness oriented, you could consider related jobs such as being a counselor, dietitian technician, food service manager, nurse or even social worker. The upside to physical and health education--in addition to being able to help others--is that many fitness and health occupations are expected to grow at or above average during the 2008-2018 decade, which suggests that opportunities will be readily available.