What can you do with a Health And Exercise Science degree?

First, some facts. Of the Health And Exercise Science graduates we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:


These are estimates based on AI analysis of 86 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Slightly above average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 70%, Health And Exercise Science graduates have a slightly higher likelihood (+3%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 70%
Average relevance score across all fields: 67%

And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.

× Chart

Also, after graduating, 53% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests you may need more than just a Bachelors degree to be competitive as a Health And Exercise Science graduate.

See the details:

View a random Health And Exercise Science graduate and our analysis:


Relevance score: 100%

We think this person has gone into a career highly relevant to their degree.

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2013 from University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Science in Health And Exercise Science. No other secondary education since.

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
RN
Parkland Hospital
Sep 2015 - Present
As a Registered Nurse at Parkland Hospital, the job directly utilizes the knowledge and skills acquired from a Bachelor of Science in Health and Exercise Science, including understanding human anatomy, physiology, and patient care practices.

ABOUT

Compassionate and skilled Surgical/Trauma Intensive Care Registered Nurse with 3.5 years experience in 900+ bed, Level 1 Trauma Center, and highly accredited teaching facility. Exceptional record of providing high-quality trauma patient care, and admirable ability to handle crisis situations in an efficient and professional manner.

What jobs can you get with a Health And Exercise Science degree?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:


When looking at the career paths of individuals who graduated with a degree in Health and Exercise Science, it's clear that the most common types of jobs they tend to take are in the healthcare and fitness sectors. Many of these graduates find themselves in roles such as physical therapists, occupational therapists, personal trainers, and fitness instructors. These positions are generally reflective of their educational backgrounds, as they involve direct application of the principles of health, exercise, and rehabilitation that are central to a degree in Health and Exercise Science. This trend indicates that many graduates are staying true to the core competencies expected from their studies and utilizing their knowledge directly in their daily work.

However, not all job titles associated with this degree are as directly relevant to Health and Exercise Science. Some graduates have ventured into roles that seem to stray significantly from their specialized training. For instance, positions like sales representatives, administrative roles, or coaches in sports management often lack the crucial elements of health science, despite occasionally incorporating some aspects of physical fitness or wellness. This dilutes the connection between their training and job functions, potentially due to factors like personal interest or job market demands nudging them towards roles that don’t necessarily align with their academic background.

In summary, while there is a substantial portion of Health and Exercise Science graduates who successfully land roles directly linked to their field—such as physical therapists and personal trainers—there’s also a notable number who end up in less relevant jobs. This suggests that while the degree provides robust training for certain career paths, it may not fully prepare all graduates for a clear-cut transition into the professional world with roles that entirely embrace their educational background. Ultimately, the diverse paths taken by graduates highlight the varying degrees of relevance in which their education applies, which can range from very pertinent to rather remote in specific professional contexts.

Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Health And Exercise Science graduates:

What kind of career trajectories do Health And Exercise Science graduates have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

When you look at the career paths of graduates in Health and Exercise Science, it’s pretty clear that many have carved out successful trajectories related to health and fitness. For a lot of them, their first jobs after graduation involve roles that are directly related to physical therapy, occupational therapy, exercise physiology, or coaching. For instance, many graduates from schools like Colorado State University and Wake Forest University took on positions as Personal Trainers or Clinical Exercise Physiologists, which makes total sense after studying Health and Exercise Science. Some even jumped right into higher-demand roles like Physical Therapists and Occupational Therapists. It's encouraging to see that many of their careers started out strong and relevant to what they studied.

However, the picture isn’t completely rosy, especially when you zoom out to look five to ten years down the line. While a good number of individuals have remained in the fitness and health industries, others have pivoted to roles that feel somewhat disconnected from their field of study. For example, graduates from varying schools move into unrelated job functions — like sales, marketing, or managerial roles — that don’t leverage their specialized training in health and exercise. This is more pronounced for some like those from Bridgewater College and Missouri Western State University, whose career paths branch out into coaching, teaching, or even sales and customer service roles that barely touch on health science. It really highlights that while a Health and Exercise Science degree can set a strong foundation, it's not a surefire guarantee that everyone will end up working directly in that field over the years.

Overall, if you’re considering Health and Exercise Science as a major, it appears that many people land solid jobs that align closely with their studies right out of college. But there’s also the reality that a good chunk of graduates veer off into different career lanes as time progresses. This could stem from various factors like personal choices, job availability, or a change in interests. It's a bit of a mixed bag, but it does suggest that having a versatile degree also allows for flexibility, even if one’s trajectory doesn’t stick strictly to the original path. So, if you’re passionate about this field, there are definitely plenty of directions you can go, but it’s smart to keep an open mind about where you might end up!

How hard is a Health And Exercise Science degree?

Honestly, a Bachelor degree in Health and Exercise Science can be a mixed bag when it comes to difficulty. It’s not as hardcore as, say, engineering or physics, but it definitely has its challenging moments, especially if you’re diving into subjects like anatomy, physiology, or exercise biomechanics. If you have an interest in fitness or health, it might feel more engaging, but be prepared for a decent amount of science and math coursework. Overall, I'd say it’s about average—some parts will click easily for you, while others might require some serious late-night studying. Just keep up with the readings and projects, and you should be fine!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 4 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Health And Exercise Science.

Do Health And Exercise Science graduates tend to make good money?

So, let's take a quick look at these Health and Exercise Science graduates and their career paths. Those who earned a degree in Occupational Therapy, like the Syracuse University grad who became a Director of Rehabilitation, likely earn decent salaries right after graduation and probably have room for growth. The same goes for Physical Therapists, especially those who have progressed to senior positions or specialized roles like the folks from Furman University or Wake Forest University. Generally, these health-related roles tend to pay pretty well, so most of them are likely bringing in a good paycheck.

On the flip side, some grads from schools like Bridgewater College appear to have more of a winding career path with coaching and educational roles, which might not pay as much and could be more volatile in their income. For example, a lot of people in coaching jobs start off earning pretty low and have to build their way up. Overall, it seems like those in healthcare fields have the upper hand in terms of earning potential, while the coaching and educational roles may not be as lucrative. It really varies by job roles and industries within the health and exercise sector.

What buzzwords do Health And Exercise Science graduates use to describe themselves?

Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Health And Exercise Science. This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for Health And Exercise Science?

Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Health And Exercise Science (ordered by the average relevance score of their Health And Exercise Science graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:

College Score Count
Wake Forest University 81 11
Colorado State University 69 19
University of Oklahoma 50 12