PHYSICAL THERAPIST TECHNICIAN Jennifer Daye

Two Cities ◦ Greensboro, NC ◦ Annual income: $48,154 ◦ Monthly income: $4,012 ◦ Jacksonville, FL ◦ Annual income: $46,396 ◦ Monthly income: $3,866

Rent Cost for a one bedroom apartment ◦ Greensboro ◦ $790 ◦ Jacksonville ◦ $1,200

Utilities ◦ Greensboro ◦ Light bill: $120 ◦ Phone/internet/cable: $160 ◦ Water bill: $105 ◦ Gas for car: $90 ◦ Jacksonville ◦ Light bill: $160 ◦ Phone/internet/cable: $165 ◦ Water bill: $100 ◦ Gas for car: $90

Living Expenses ◦ Greensboro ◦ Health insurance: $364 ◦ Car payment: $250 ◦ Groceries: $600 ◦ State income tax: 5.75% ◦ Extra money: $1,533 ◦ Jacksonville ◦ Health insurance: $248 ◦ Car payment: $300 ◦ Groceries: $500 ◦ State income tax: None ◦ Extra money: $1,103

If a graduate degree is earned in this field… ◦ Greensboro ◦ Annual salary: $77,343 ◦ This means a doctorate of physical therapy is needed in order to earn this much. ◦ Jacksonville ◦ Annual Salary: $74,520 ◦ This means a doctorate of physical therapy is needed in order to earn this much.

Discussion ◦ I looked up physical therapy in two locations which I would highly consider living in after graduation. A physical therapy technician is a job that I would love to do but ultimately I think it is more worth it to go to graduate school and then work in Florida because the cost of living is somewhat close to North Carolina but the deal breaker is that there is no state income tax in Florida which would mean that I would keep more money. Florida is a much nicer place to live in and I think that there is much more to do in Florida than North Carolina. After graduate school there are many more opportunities for work as a doctor than as a technician. My overall goal is to become a physical therapist with a doctorate but working as a technician straight after graduation would be good experience and help pay the bills while I am in graduate school. Graduate school would also cost about $32,000 which also included the $350 for the license to practice. Given that I would have money left over I would have money to put toward paying off my loans from graduate school.