Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions at Eckerd College

Starting at $36,000 in first-year earnings, rehabilitation and therapeutic professions graduates from comparable bachelor's programs nationwide face a challenging financial reality. With an estimated $27,000 in debt—figures drawn from similar programs since Eckerd's specific outcomes aren't publicly available due to small graduate samples—students would be carrying roughly nine months of their first year's salary in loans. That's actually a manageable ratio compared to many health-adjacent fields, but the low absolute earnings are what demand attention.

Here's the complication: peer programs in Florida carry debt loads nearly twice as high (around $48,000), which suggests either that Eckerd's private school model somehow keeps costs lower than other Florida options, or that these estimates don't capture this school's actual financial picture. The 0.75 debt-to-earnings ratio looks reasonable on paper, but $36,000 annual income in the Tampa Bay area leaves little room for aggressive loan repayment while covering rent, transportation, and basic expenses.

If your child is passionate about rehabilitation work, understand that this field typically requires graduate education for meaningful career advancement and salary growth. The bachelor's degree alone positions graduates for entry-level positions where financial breathing room will be tight. Before committing, get specific numbers from Eckerd's financial aid office about actual costs and loan expectations for this particular program—the national estimates used here may not reflect your family's real investment.