Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions at Ursuline College

Based on comparable rehabilitation programs in Ohio, this degree path suggests first-year earnings around $36,000—right at the state and national median for the field. With estimated debt of $27,000, you're looking at a debt load that's roughly 75% of that first year's salary, which falls within the generally manageable range that financial aid counselors recommend staying under.

The challenge is that similar Ohio programs show a tight earnings band, with even the highest-performing program (University of Toledo) only reaching about $37,500 in year one. This field doesn't appear to offer the wide variation in outcomes that you see in business or tech, where school choice can dramatically affect starting pay. The real earnings growth in rehabilitation professions typically comes with licensure and experience rather than immediately after graduation.

For families weighing this investment, the key question is whether your student is committed to the specific licenses this degree enables—whether that's occupational therapy assistance, rehabilitation counseling, or similar roles. The debt-to-earnings picture is workable if this is a clear career path with defined next steps. If your student is still exploring or views this as a general helping professions degree, understand that the $36,000 estimate represents close to the ceiling, not the floor, of what entry-level positions typically pay.