Can You Afford to go to Physical Therapy School?
I came across a journal article titled, “The False Wisdom of Tuition Based Ranking of Allied Health Programs: Is Your Program Affordable?” through a tweet by the Department of Physical Therapy at University of the Pacific on Twitter (@PacificDPTweet).
While this article focuses on the costs of physical therapy programs, it raises some good points if you are thinking about going back to school for any discipline. I wish I would’ve read this article a couple of years ago while I was researching physical therapy programs. I’m now in the middle of my first year of a DPT program, so I thought I would share the article with you in case you are considering physical therapy school or some other grad program and don’t know what to expect.
Schools are often ranked by tuition, but as the article above points out: “Regional differences in the cost of living and the total length of the program made a significant difference in the total cost of attending the program.” I attend school in Duluth, Minnesota, a small city on beautiful Lake Superior, where 56% of renters pay more than 30% of their household income on rent according to a recent article in the Duluth News Tribune. Finding acceptable housing has proven to be a challenge for me and several of my “transfer” DPT classmates. I am a 30-something returning student with pets, so cramming myself into traditional college student housing with a bunch of 21-year-old’s is not an option for me. I am certainly paying for it.
Another bit to consider, according to the article, is “the lost opportunity to earn wages.” Some graduate programs are flexible and allow, or even provide, opportunities for grad students to work and get paid. Some graduate programs, like physical therapy school, require students to work (clinical internships) and not get paid. The DPT program is very time consuming outside of regular class time with cadaver lab; exam, evaluation, and modalities open lab practice time, and clinical experiences. While it is possible, finding a flexible part-time job that does not interfere with studying can be difficult in PT school.
The article above is from 2006 so it also considered length of program. All PT programs are now Doctor of Physical Therapy programs and most likely 36 months in duration. Some programs were offering at “3 + 3″ option which allowed undergraduate students to apply to physical therapy school their Junior year of college and enter physical therapy school their Senior year of college. This would allow the students to be considered undergraduates for one year of the PT program and pay less tuition. I believe most programs have eliminated the 3 + 3 option with the new Doctor of Physical Therapy program requirement.
Of course it is also important to consider the program ranking.
I’m not trying to discourage anyone from going back to school. I just want to help paint the realistic picture I wish I had had going into physical therapy school. I hope it’s worth it.
More about going back to school if you’re interested:
What to Wear to a Physical Therapy School Interview
Physical Therapy School Interview Questions
DPT Post Interview Thank You?
Where Are Jobs?
Job Opportunity Index from Main Street
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Jobs per Capita from Indeed
Rankings First Quarter 2009
50 most populous metro areas ranked by job postings per capita
Rank (Rank Last Quarter) – Metro Area – Job Postings Per 1000 People
1 (1) - Washington, DC - 144
2 (3) – Baltimore, MD - 89
3 (2) - San Jose, CA - 76
4 (15) - Las Vegas, NV - 56
5 (10) - Boston, MA – 51
6 (6) - Hartford, CT - 51
7 (11) - Austin, TX – 50
8 (7) - Salt Lake Cty, UT - 49
9 (5) - Seattle, WA - 49
10 (9) - San Francisco, CA - 48
11 (8) - Denver, CO – 46
12 (4) - Milwaukee, WI - 40
13 (12) - Cincinnati, OH - 39
14 (25) - Oklahoma City, OK – 38
15 (14) - Charlotte, NC - 38
16 (24) - Dallas, TX – 36
17 (16) - San Diego, CA - 35
18 (13) - Phoenix, AZ – 34
19 (19) - Columbus, OH - 34
20 (29) - Tampa, FL – 34
21 (34) - San Antonio, TX - 34
22 (22) - Orlando, FL – 33
23 (18) - Richmond, VA - 33
24 (33) - Jacksonville, FL - 33
25 (21) - Houston, TX - 32
26 (27) - Louisville, KY - 32
27 (31) - Philadelphia, PA - 32
28 (17) - Cleveland, OH - 31
29 (20) - St. Paul, MN - 31
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32 (38) - Virginia Beach, VA - 30
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34 (26) - Indianapolis, IN - 30
35 (32) – Nashville, TN - 29
36 (39) - Pittsburgh, PA - 29
37 (35) - Providence, RI - 28
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39 (36) - Portland, OR - 27
40 (46) - New Orleans, LA - 26
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43 (40) - Riverside, CA - 23
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45 (48) - Los Angeles, CA - 23
46 (42) - Chicago, IL – 23
47 (45) - Buffalo, NY – 21
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