ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES

Is a associate's degree in Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions worth it?

Compare cost, debt and earnings across 14 college programs with reportable data.

Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff

−$71,551 over 10 years

National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.

27.6 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−64%Estimated return after 10 years
$49,063Observed earnings · year 4
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your decision

What do you need to compare?

PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$49,063 observed annual earnings · 2 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is the average college-wide net-price context across reporting institutions. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Outcomes at a glance

$49,063Typical earnings four years after completion
$36,869Average earnings five years after completion
$17,527Typical federal student debt
52thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
20Degrees awarded in 2024–25
12College programs reporting earnings

Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 1 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.

A PRACTICAL READ

Four useful answers about Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions

How much do Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions associate's degree graduates earn?

The national median is $49,063 four years after completion across reportable associate's degree programs in this federal field.

How much federal debt do graduates have?

The median reported federal debt is $17,527. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.

Does the college matter for Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions?

Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $41,686 to $50,199 in observed year-4 earnings.

What careers are related to Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions?

DegreeVerdict links this field to 11 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.

COMPARE DEGREE LEVELS

More schooling changes both the cost and the outcome.

Compare the same field at each degree level with reportable data. These are separate groups of graduates, so the differences do not prove that an additional degree caused higher earnings.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings
$49,433
Federal debt
$24,969
Programs in the comparison
6
6 report earnings →
CURRENT VIEW

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$49,063
Federal debt
$17,527
Programs in the comparison
14
12 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$54,558
Federal debt
$26,584
Programs in the comparison
94
85 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Post-baccalaureate Certificate

Year-4 earnings
$66,427
Federal debt
$20,231
Programs in the comparison
1
1 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$71,838
Federal debt
Not available
Programs in the comparison
214
214 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings
$82,669
Federal debt
Not available
Programs in the comparison
178
178 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

First Professional Degree

Year-4 earnings
$81,327
Federal debt
Not available
Programs in the comparison
63
63 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings
$50,757
Federal debt
Not available
Programs in the comparison
1
1 report earnings →
COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median
25th percentile$41,686National median$49,06375th percentile$50,199
12 programs report year‑4 earnings.
BEFORE YOU CHOOSE

Compare price, debt and earnings together

$50,19975th-percentile year-4 earnings among reporting programs
$17,527Median federal debt across programs that report it
2Programs with earnings in the top quarter and debt at or below the median
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION

Three useful places to start

Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.

Highest observed earnings

Thomas Jefferson University

$56,009 four years after completionPhiladelphia, PA · inspect the full program →
Lowest reported federal debt

NHTI-Concord's Community College

$14,751 among completer borrowersConcord, NH · inspect the full program →
Largest recent graduating class

Community College of Baltimore County

32 reported awards in 2024–25Baltimore, MD · inspect the full program →
PRICE × EARNINGS MAP

Where colleges sit for this exact degree

Move left for a lower annual college-wide net price and up for higher observed year-4 earnings.

All reporting colleges Lower-price, higher-earnings quadrantAxes trim the outer 5% for readability; outliers remain pinned to the chart edge. Price is institution-wide context, not exact program tuition.
Build your shortlist

Choose colleges offering this exact degree

Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.

14 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 14 shown
Search every reporting program →
WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Thomas Jefferson University$56,0092Community College of Baltimore County$55,2173NHTI-Concord's Community College$52,8274St Petersburg College$50,1995Century College$49,4986Central Georgia Technical College$49,4067Oklahoma City Community College$48,7198Mid Michigan College$44,5829Western New Mexico University$42,23810Southern Crescent Technical College$41,686

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

Career outlook

Jobs this degree may lead to

Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.

Pay and projected demand

Related careers do not share one outlook

Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection

Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.

Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$107,310 median wage221,270 jobs nationwide+17.9% projected growth through 2035 · 24,900 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$59,270–$322,020 typical wage rangeTherapists, All Other$77,930 median wage22,640 jobs nationwide+12.6% projected growth through 2035 · 3,600 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$46,540–$152,530 typical wage rangeRehabilitation Counselors$46,850 median wage94,740 jobs nationwide+2.2% projected growth through 2035 · 8,200 openings a yearTypical entry education: Master's degree$35,060–$77,170 typical wage rangePhysical Therapists$102,760 median wage267,330 jobs nationwide+11.9% projected growth through 2035 · 13,400 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$77,140–$135,140 typical wage rangeOrthotists and Prosthetists$81,110 median wage9,390 jobs nationwide+12.9% projected growth through 2035 · 700 openings a yearTypical entry education: Master's degree$46,350–$119,810 typical wage rangeMedical Appliance Technicians$48,030 median wage11,280 jobs nationwide+3.5% projected growth through 2035 · 1,300 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$36,510–$75,740 typical wage rangeEngineers, All Other$122,930 median wage154,070 jobs nationwide+3.7% projected growth through 2035 · 8,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$66,810–$189,950 typical wage rangeOccupational Therapists$100,330 median wage162,450 jobs nationwide+14.8% projected growth through 2035 · 10,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: Master's degree$71,690–$131,950 typical wage rangeLife Scientists, All Other$93,750 median wage7,460 jobs nationwide+6.3% projected growth through 2035 · 400 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$58,670–$186,260 typical wage rangeRecreational Therapists$61,960 median wage14,930 jobs nationwide+4.8% projected growth through 2035 · 1,400 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$40,990–$100,420 typical wage rangeExercise Physiologists$59,460 median wage8,560 jobs nationwide+12.8% projected growth through 2035 · 1,400 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$42,760–$80,560 typical wage range

BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.