Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions at University of Maine at Farmington

The estimated $25,474 in debt for this program sits slightly below what comparable rehabilitation bachelor's programs typically carry. With peer programs across the country suggesting first-year earnings around $36,000, graduates face a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71—meaning the debt represents about 8.5 months of that first year's salary.

Here's the practical reality: rehabilitation and therapeutic professions often require additional credentials or graduate education to reach full earning potential. If your student plans to stop at the bachelor's level, that $36,000 starting salary needs to support loan payments of roughly $280 monthly over ten years. That's doable but tight. If graduate school is in the picture, they'll be adding debt before those earnings improve. Among the four Maine schools offering this program, estimated debt levels cluster tightly, ranging from about $25,000 to $27,000, suggesting these figures reflect the field's typical borrowing patterns rather than anything unique to Farmington.

The key question is career trajectory. If this degree leads directly to employment in your student's intended role without further schooling, the debt burden is reasonable for a helping profession known for modest starting pay. If it's a stepping stone to graduate work in occupational therapy, physical therapy, or similar fields, factor in both the additional time out of the workforce and the compounding debt load before the career payoff arrives.