Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods graduates earn notably more than the national median for rehabilitation certificate programs—$35,301 versus $31,108—placing them in the 95th percentile nationally. That's impressive performance for a certificate program. However, the debt picture tells a more complicated story. At $30,915, graduates carry about $4,000 more debt than the national median for this credential, though still manageable with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.88. The school serves a predominantly first-generation and lower-income population (51% Pell recipients), which may explain the higher borrowing despite strong outcomes.

Within Indiana, the picture is less distinctive. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods ranks in the 60th percentile among the state's three rehabilitation certificate programs, with Indiana University-Indianapolis's program producing similar earnings but likely with different debt profiles. This suggests the program's premium is more about institutional financial aid policies than superior career outcomes within the state market.

For families weighing this option, the fundamental question is whether the $4,000-6,000 debt premium over typical programs justifies what appears to be solid but not exceptional placement in Indiana's rehabilitation job market. The earnings are strong enough to manage the debt comfortably, but compare carefully with IU-Indianapolis's similar outcomes before committing to what may be higher net costs.