Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions at The University of Tampa

A $27,000 debt load might sound manageable until you realize that comparable rehabilitation and therapeutic professions programs typically produce first-year earnings around $36,000. That 0.75 debt-to-earnings ratio means your child would owe about nine months of their gross salary—workable, but not comfortable. The real concern here is Florida itself: peer programs in the state carry a median debt of $48,000, suggesting many students in this field leave with substantially heavier burdens. The University of Tampa's estimated figures at least keep debt below the earnings threshold, which isn't guaranteed statewide.

The challenge with rehabilitation professions bachelor's degrees is that many positions require additional credentials or graduate work to reach higher earning potential. Physical therapy assistants, occupational therapy assistants, and similar roles often need specialized certifications beyond the bachelor's. If your child is planning to stop at this degree, they're looking at entry-level positions in the mid-$30,000s. If this is a stepping stone to graduate school, that debt accumulates across both degrees.

Without reported data specific to Tampa's program, you're betting on national norms holding true. That's reasonable for established programs, but verify what credentials graduates actually hold and where they're working. The relatively low debt estimate matters most if your child doesn't need additional schooling to reach their career goals.