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Is getting a doctorate in physical therapy worth the debt I'll have to pay off?

I want to pursue this dream of becoming a physical therapist, however, the debt that I will have scares me since that is 7+ years of college.

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Brendon’s Answer

I understand your feelings. If you're young (basically straight out of high school) then you'll have nearly 40 years to pay off the debt and PT's will always make at least 20% more than their PTAs on average. So from a strictly financial standpoint, it is definitely worth it. But there are other factors to consider, such as do you enjoy school enough to spend 7 years in it, you'll need to have a solid undergraduate GPA to get admitted to one of the more affordable DPT schools.


However, I chose to not attend DPT school and opted for a PTA program. I knew that I could complete an Associate's and Bachelor's degree without significant debt and that was important for me. (My situation is also different as I plan to return to school and focus on becoming an educator in the field of exercise science and rehabilitation.) I recommend researching more about both careers before making a decision.


These websites might help:
http://www.apta.org/ProspectiveStudents/
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physical-therapists.htm
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