Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions at Pacific University

At $27,000 in estimated debt—just slightly above the national median for rehabilitation programs—Pacific University appears to fall in line with what most schools charge for this credential. But here's the practical reality: comparable programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $36,000, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75. That means graduates would owe roughly nine months of gross salary, which is manageable by most standards but requires careful financial planning in those early career years.

The challenge with rehabilitation and therapeutic professions at the bachelor's level is that many roles in this field—particularly in physical therapy and occupational therapy—require graduate degrees to practice independently. If your child plans to continue their education, this bachelor's degree becomes a stepping stone, and that $27,000 represents only the first layer of educational debt. However, if they're targeting positions like rehabilitation aide or therapeutic recreation specialist that require only a bachelor's, the debt load becomes their total investment, and the monthly payments on that amount ($280-300 on a standard plan) would consume about 9-10% of early take-home pay.

Given Pacific's high admission rate and the limited program data, treat these estimates as rough guides rather than guarantees. The critical question is whether your child needs graduate school for their intended career path—that answer fundamentally changes whether this debt level represents good value or just the down payment on a much larger investment.