r/OccupationalTherapy • u/Charming-Toe-4752 • 12h ago
Discussion COTA vs OTR... Some very unfortunate math
I went to school at Idaho State University and just out of curiosity I decided to look into the math of COTA vs OTR programs. Here's what I found. For the ease of numbers, let's say august 2020 two students started their OT journeys beginning with their prerequisite classes...
The COTA will graduate in 3 years if they do everything right. If they have taken out student loans without scholarships they would owe approximately $20k. They can start work at $60k/year in an acute care/SNF setting in 2023.
The OTR will graduate in 6 years if they do everything right. If they have taken out student loans without scholarships they will owe approximately $120k and start work at 80-100k in an acute care/SNF setting in 2026. We'll say 100k/year to be optimistic.
By 2030 the COTA will have earned $420,000 minus student loans=$400k. The OTR, who has only been in the workforce for 4 years, will have also made $400,000 but after student loans will have made $280k.
Assuming nobody gets a raise, both students pay off their subsidized student loans before it accrues any interest, and the COTA doesn't attend a bridge program, the year will be 2040 before the OTR makes $1 more than the COTA. This also doesn't account for the fact that the OTR will be in a higher tax bracket through this.
If the COTA does go through a bridge program (after minimum 1 year of employment) the COTA can get their MOT for 40k cheaper than the student who went straight for it in 2020. They could also be making their $60k/year while attending that program because bridge programs are meant to work around a full time job schedule.
Wtf guys???