Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions at Benedict College

A debt load of $27,000 against first-year earnings around $36,000 might sound reasonable on paper, but here's the catch: both figures come from national peer programs rather than Benedict's actual graduates, and this field often requires additional credentials to advance. Based on comparable rehabilitation programs nationwide, that 0.75 debt-to-earnings ratio sits in manageable territory—many health-related fields start worse—but the $36,000 starting point is modest for a four-year degree. The earning potential in therapeutic professions typically depends heavily on licensure and specialization after the bachelor's, which could mean more schooling before your income really moves.

Benedict serves a predominantly Pell-eligible population (63% of students), and for families counting every dollar, understanding that trajectory matters. Similar programs nationally cluster tightly around these earnings figures, suggesting the field itself has a relatively narrow starting salary band rather than wide variation by school prestige. If your child plans to pursue physical therapy, occupational therapy, or similar paths requiring graduate degrees, this bachelor's functions more as a stepping stone than a terminal credential. The debt estimate here assumes typical borrowing patterns at Benedict across programs, not rehabilitation-specific outcomes.

The practical question: can your family absorb $27,000 in loans for a degree that likely leads to graduate school before career launch? If the answer requires federal PLUS loans or private borrowing on top of what's estimated here, the math gets considerably harder. This program makes most sense if it's affordable within federal student loan limits and your child has a clear graduate school plan.