by our College Data Analytics TeamIf you are interested in helping people heal using both medical and therapeutic methods, consider a career in Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. These professionals work to improve the physical, emotion, or mental well-being of their patients.
Students in this major learn how to use art forms to help with emotional stress or mental disorders, recreational activities to improve physical and emotional health, exercises to decrease pain, and other skills to help patients improve their overall well-being. Classes in health, psychology, social work, therapy, anatomy and physiology, and health and aging will provide students with the skills to work closely with others and aid them with any necessary rehabilitation or therapy.
Possible concentrations you may choose from are Art, Dance, or Music Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Therapeutic Recreation, Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling, Animal-Assisted Therapy, and more.
In 2020-2021, rehabilitation and therapeutic professions was the 37th most popular major nationwide with 29,833 degrees awarded. This represents a 3.3% increase in rehabilitation degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 28,859.
Our 2023 Best Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions Schools ranking analyzes 427 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for rehabilitation and therapeutic professions students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of rehabilitation programs later in this article.
Professionals must listen to their patients to understand what they want and need to overcome obstacles. This means professionals should have excellent listening skills along with compassion for those dealing with pain or stress. Communication and interpersonal skills will allow you to work closely with patients and other health professionals to ensure you are doing all you can to help your patient. Students interested in this field will also often work with individuals with special needs.
A career in Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions is often a full time position. Professionals work in a variety of locations from offices to recreation centers to physical therapy gyms. Although professionals hold normal work hours, some people work nights or weekends to accommodate their patients' schedules.
Most Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions professionals must earn at least a master's degree along with certification so they may practice. Some professionals decide to pursue their doctorate so they may open their own practice.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most rehabilitation degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. In addition to these basic rehabilitation and therapeutic professions program qualifications, to serve in some rehabilitation careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
Rehabilitation degree levels vary. You can spend many years getting as high as a in rehabilitation and therapeutic professions to something that takes less time like a . The time it takes to complete a rehabilitation degree varies depending on the program.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A master's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to rehabilitation, with approximately 37.0% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for rehabilitation workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 36.4% |
| Master’s Degree | 34.0% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 7.7% |
| Doctoral Degree | 7.0% |
| High School Diploma | 3.5% |
About 50.6% of workers in careers related to rehabilitation obtain at least master's degrees. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in rehabilitation and therapeutic professions careers have.
The education level required is different depending on the rehabilitation career you are seeking.
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions graduates work at a variety of locations from hospitals, physicians' offices, and nursing homes to psychiatric wards, community facilities, and rehabilitation centers. Graduates work with both children and adults and use a mixture of activities and arts forms to help improve patients' health.
Want a job when you graduate with your rehabilitation degree? Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions careers are expected to grow 20.6% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to rehabilitation and therapeutic professions.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Therapists | 306,900 | 28.0% |
| Health Specialties Professors | 294,000 | 25.9% |
| Occupational Therapists | 161,400 | 23.8% |
| Engineers | 141,000 | 6.4% |
| Rehabilitation Counselors | 134,400 | 12.7% |
Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions graduates between 2017-2019 reported earning an average of $59,682 in the 2019-2020 timeframe. Earnings can range from as low as $11,675 to as high as $95,289. As you might expect, salaries for rehabilitation graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for rehabilitation and therapeutic professions graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers rehabilitation grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Health Specialties Professors | $122,320 |
| Engineers | $99,410 |
| Life Scientists | $89,150 |
| Physical Therapists | $88,880 |
| Occupational Therapists | $85,350 |
With over 1,391 different rehabilitation degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased rehabilitation school rankings to help you with this.
Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions is one of 30 different types of Health Professions programs to choose from.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Physical Therapy/Therapist | 13,655 |
| Occupational Therapy | 9,958 |
| Rehabilitation Science | 1,161 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling | 1,046 |
| Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy | 870 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Nursing | 322,592 |
| Health & Medical Administrative Services | 89,359 |
| Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services | 84,492 |
| Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants | 84,274 |
| Allied Health Professions | 82,308 |
Image Credit: By Barbara E. Carver under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
