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Rehabilitation Science

A program that focuses on human function, disability, and rehabilitation from the perspectives of the health sciences, social sciences, psychology, engineering, and related fields. Includes instruction in psychological, social, and cultural aspects of disability and rehabilitation; sensory and motor function and dysfunction; biomechanics and kinesiology; assistive technology; rehabilitation instrumentation and methodology; statistics; and health and rehabilitation policy.

Types of Degrees Rehabilitation Science Majors Are Earning

Those studying Rehabilitation Science have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	78
Bachelor’s Degree	846
Master’s Degree	117
Doctor’s Degree	66

What Rehabilitation Science Majors Need to Know

Studies in Rehabilitation Science develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Rehabilitation Science graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Rehabilitation Science emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Education and Training — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 5.9 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.7 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Rehabilitation Science program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Rehabilitation Science careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Rehabilitation Science graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Training and Teaching Others	4.5 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.3 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Rehabilitation Science professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Material safety data sheet MSDS software	Compliance software	—
Medical condition coding software	Medical software	—
Course management system software	Computer based training software	—
Calendar and scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Desire2Learn LMS software	Computer based training software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Rehabilitation Science graduates include:

• Inhalation Therapy Teacher
• Home Care and Home Health Aides Teacher
• Assistant Professor
• Mental Health Aides Teacher
• Optometry Teacher
• Dental Assistant Teacher
• Hospital Aides and Assistants Teacher
• College Professor
• Dentistry Professor
• Health Diagnostics Teacher
• Otolaryngology Teacher
• Podiatry Teacher
• Immunology Teacher
• Prosthetic Aides Teacher
• Serology Teacher

What Can You Do With a Rehabilitation Science Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Rehabilitation Science commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary	10.7%	$46,663	$40,304–$53,022
Life Scientists, All Other	-2.5%	$97,541	$79,942–$115,141
Rehabilitation Counselors	12.1%	$40,604	$32,299–$48,909

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Rehabilitation Science graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	35.7%
Doctoral degree	24.3%
Post-doctoral training	18.7%
Bachelor’s degree	13.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	4.5%
Postsecondary certificate	2.8%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.3%
Post-master’s certificate	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Rehabilitation Science?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 77.4% of Rehabilitation Science degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	857	77.4%
Men	250	22.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Rehabilitation Science graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	556	50.2%
Asian	61	5.5%
Hispanic or Latino	260	23.5%
Black or African American	50	4.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	6	0.5%
Two or More Races	31	2.8%
Race Unknown	22	2.0%
International Students	121	10.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Rehabilitation Science Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Rehabilitation Science graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$67,332
4 years	$70,102
5 years	$75,167

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $75,167 — roughly 12% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Rehabilitation Science Programs

Distance learning are documented by IPEDS for Rehabilitation Science. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Bachelor’s	2	2
Master’s	1	2
Doctoral (Research)	1	2

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Rehabilitation Science Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Rehabilitation Science graduates earn a median of $70,102 four years after completion — roughly 84% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions	29,603
Physical Therapy/Therapist	13,424
Occupational Therapy/Therapist	10,460
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, Other	2,445
Art Therapy/Therapist	768
Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy	722
Music Therapy/Therapist	651
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions, Other	621
Orthotist/Prosthetist	408
Advanced General Dentistry	238
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Other	150
Kinesiotherapy/Kinesiotherapist	121

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.