Setting a Realistic Tuition for Physical Therapist Education Programs Based on Expected Income: A Survey of Physical Therapy Directors

Journal of Physical Therapy Education, Fall 2004 by Redman-Bentley, Donna

Background and Purpose. The cost of education is rising, with tuition and fees identified as the single largest educational expense contributing to student indebtedness. New graduates will need to seek a salary that allows them to repay these debts. A survey was conducted to gather data on physical therapists' salaries to assist program administration in determining a reasonable tuition for a 3-year, professional Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program. Subjects. Respondents include physical therapy directors from 126 facilities in 10 western states. Methods. All 358 clinical facilities in 10 western states that affiliate with one physical therapist education program were sent questionnaires requesting information on PT salaries and benefits, location of facility (urban vs rural), type of facility, and services provided. Respondents were also asked to indicate what they thought is a reasonable tuition rate. Data on student financial need is included. Results. A total of 126 responses were received for a response rate of 35.2%. The largest number of responses was from California (n=101). The majority is from facilities in an urban setting (87.8%) with the primary function being outpatient (55.6%) and acute care (50.8%). The average starting salary for physical therapy graduates is $48,242 (MPT) and $48,713 (DPT). Most report an average annual salary between $50,000-64,999 with a maximum salary of $55,000-75,000. Nearly half (43.7%) of the respondents consider an annual tuition between $18,001-21,999 realistic. Average salary is compared to financial need. Discussion and Conclusion. There appears to be little difference in starting, average, and maximum annual salaries between graduates from master's and doctoral professional (entry-level) programs. Rural facilities tend to pay more than urban settings. A large percentage of facilities (77.4%) cap physical therapist salaries, although periodic market adjustments are made. While salary alone cannot be used to determine a realistic tuition for a 3-year doctoral-level physical therapist program, the results of this study should be considered as one aspect for setting tuition.

Key words: Education costs, Physical therapist education, Salary, Tuition.

INTRODUCTION

Problem

The cost of physical therapist (PT) graduate education continues to rise every year resulting in higher student financial need. Tuition and fees are a primary factor in the medical students' financial debt at the time of graduation.1-4 The new graduate expects a reasonable salary to repay student loans and meet everyday expenses. Therefore, academic administrators should consider expected earned income when determining an appropriate tuition for a health professional education program. This study will explore salary levels of new and experienced PTs. Data also will be presented on student indebtedness at time of graduation for one private physical therapist education program.

Cost of Education

Most of the current research published on cost of health professional education programs is based on data from medical schools. Data on medical education costs are gathered annually by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).1 Publications discuss rising tuition and fees, graduate indebtedness, and the influence of these factors on student applicant pool, enrollment, and career plans.1-4

The single largest expense for medical education is tuition and fees, especially for private schools. Reports indicate that a medical school graduate's debt parallels increasing tuition and fees.1-4 Petersdorf reports that tuition and fees have increased 403% in private schools and 277% in public schools in the US from 1960 to 1990.2 Two authors note that although the amount of the medical student's debt has increased significantly over the years, the number of students graduating with debts has decreased.1,5 Park reports from AAMC data that the average medical student debt level increased 26.5% from 1986 to 1989 while the percentage of indebted students dropped slightly, ie, less than 1%. This increase in debt was twice the national inflation rate of 13.1%.5

Some researchers believe that other factors are related to medical student debt.4,6 Kassebaum and colleagues suggest that an aggregate of costs rather than tuition is the main determinant of medical student borrowing.4 He states that medical student indebtedness has increased at a faster rate than tuition and fees. Looking at changes in cost of medical education between 1985 and 1995, Kassebaum and colleagues list the following factors as contributing to student debts: 1) undergraduate debt when entering medical school; 2) changing demographics of enrollment (more women, minority, and older students); 3) lengthening of the program; 4) total costs of attending, including hooks, supplies, equipment, and living expenses in addition to the tuition; 5) students from families with lower income; 6) declining scholarship availability; and 7) greater opportunities to borrow.4 According to Colquitt and colleagues, medical student debt may vary also by gender and geographical region.6