Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions at Long Island University

Is $27,000 in debt manageable for a rehabilitation professional? Based on comparable programs across New York, graduates entering this field typically earn around $40,000 in their first year—putting this estimated debt load at about 68% of annual income. That's a reasonable starting point by national standards, where similar programs carry a median debt of $26,250 for starting salaries around $36,000. The New York market appears to offer a modest premium over the national average.

The real question is trajectory. Rehabilitation professions often require additional licensure or graduate credentials to advance, which means this bachelor's degree may be a foundation rather than a destination. The estimated earnings here track with the state median but fall well short of what CUNY York College or D'Youville University graduates report earning—though those differences could reflect program specialization, geographic job markets, or the types of rehabilitation roles graduates pursue. Without this program's actual outcomes, it's difficult to know whether LIU's curriculum leads to the higher-paying segments of the field.

For families weighing this investment, the debt-to-earnings picture suggests a manageable but not particularly advantageous start. If your child plans to pursue advanced credentials anyway, starting with reasonable debt matters. But if they're aiming to work immediately after graduation, understanding which specific rehabilitation careers this program prepares them for—and what those typically pay in the New York metro area—would clarify whether this estimated $40,000 salary represents their likely reality.