Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions at Stephen F Austin State University

Stephen F Austin's rehabilitation and therapeutic professions program operates in an uncomfortable middle ground. While its $33,767 starting salary beats the Texas median by about $2,400—placing it in the 60th percentile among state programs—it trails the national median and doesn't come close to what peers at Texas Woman's University or UNT deliver. More concerning is the $21,500 debt load, which lands in the 90th percentile nationally, meaning only 10% of similar programs leave students with more debt. The 0.64 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't catastrophic, but it means graduates are spending roughly eight months of their first year's salary just servicing what they borrowed.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) makes it hard to know if these numbers represent a consistent pattern or just an unusual cohort. What's clear is that Stephen F Austin isn't positioning students as competitively as the state's leading programs—you're looking at a $4,500 annual earnings gap compared to Texas Woman's while carrying nearly the same debt load. For a field where many graduates pursue additional certifications or graduate school, starting behind financially creates real constraints.

If your child is set on this field and committed to Stephen F Austin for other reasons, the numbers aren't deal-breakers. But don't assume all rehabilitation programs are created equal—Texas offers options that deliver both stronger starting salaries and lower debt burdens.