Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions at Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem State's rehabilitation program lands solidly in the middle of North Carolina's offerings but trails the national benchmark by over $4,500 in first-year earnings. At 40th percentile statewide, it underperforms stronger in-state options like UNC Wilmington ($39,366) and Western Carolina ($37,608) by $6,000-8,000 annually. That gap matters when you're starting at $31,421—enough to make monthly loan payments feel tight even with the relatively manageable $28,000 debt load.

The positive news is the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.89, which keeps payments reasonable, and the debt itself sits well below national norms for the field. Earnings do grow modestly to $33,674 by year four, though this remains below what graduates from peer programs earn right out of the gate. The university serves a predominantly lower-income student body (61% Pell-eligible), which may reflect mission over selectivity, but parents should weigh whether the lower starting salary creates unnecessary financial stress.

For families comparing North Carolina options, this program works if Winston-Salem State offers other compelling reasons—location, affordability, or campus fit. But purely from an earnings standpoint, other in-state rehabilitation programs deliver better immediate returns without significantly more debt.