Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions at Marywood University

A $27,000 debt load sits right at the Pennsylvania median for rehabilitation programs, but the earnings trajectory here deserves close attention. Similar programs across Pennsylvania suggest first-year earnings around $40,000, yet this program's graduates report making just $37,000 four years out—a backward slide that's unusual in a healthcare-adjacent field where experience typically commands higher pay.

This earnings dip could reflect several realities: graduates may be working in lower-paying therapeutic roles, pursuing additional certifications that temporarily depress earnings, or facing a competitive Pennsylvania market where Temple and the University of Pittsburgh systems show stronger outcomes. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68 appears manageable on paper, but that calculation assumes the estimated $40,000 starting salary holds true. If graduates actually begin closer to that four-year figure of $37,000, the debt burden becomes more concerning, especially since this barely exceeds the national median for the field.

For parents, the key question is specificity: what exactly does "rehabilitation and therapeutic professions" prepare students to do at Marywood versus these peer schools? The modest 29% Pell enrollment and 84% admission rate suggest a regional private university serving a traditional student body, but without clarity on licensing outcomes or job placement in specific therapeutic roles, you're betting on a credential whose career path remains fuzzy. The backwards earnings trend between years one and four is the red flag that demands explanation before committing.