Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions at Grand Valley State University

Grand Valley State's rehabilitation program ranks in the 95th percentile nationally for earnings, which sounds impressive until you look at Michigan specifically—where it sits at the 60th percentile. That's a significant reality check: this program outperforms most schools nationwide but lands in the middle of the pack among Michigan's eight programs. More concerning is the earnings trajectory: graduates actually earn about $4,000 less four years out than they do immediately after graduation, suggesting either entry-level earnings compression or limited advancement opportunities in this field.

The debt picture offers some reassurance—at $27,000, it's right in line with both state and national norms, and the 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable for the first year's salary. However, that ratio becomes less favorable when earnings decline rather than grow. The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift significantly year to year, so they're more of a snapshot than a reliable trend.

For Michigan families, this program represents a solid but not exceptional option. Your child would graduate with reasonable debt and beat the national average for this field, but Saginaw Valley State delivers 50% higher earnings in the same program. If your student is committed to this career path and Grand Valley offers other advantages—campus fit, proximity to home, specific faculty—it's defensible. But purely as a financial decision, exploring other Michigan programs would be prudent.