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Rehabilitation assistant education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a rehabilitation assistant. Rehabilitation assistants usually study psychology, kinesiology, or nursing. 52% of rehabilitation assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 2,359 real rehabilitation assistant resumes to see exactly what rehabilitation assistant education sections show.

The most common colleges for rehabilitation assistants are the Eastern Michigan University and the Eastern Michigan University.

There are also many online rehabilitation assistant courses to help get the education required to be a rehabilitation assistant.

There are certain rehabilitation assistant certifications that you should consider. These rehabilitation assistant certifications include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant.

What education do you need to become a rehabilitation assistant?

What degree do you need to be a rehabilitation assistant?

The most common degree for rehabilitation assistants is bachelor's degree, with 52% of rehabilitation assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 18% and associate degree degree at 12%.
  • Bachelor's, 52%
  • Associate, 18%
  • High School Diploma, 12%
  • Master's, 7%
  • Other Degrees, 11%

What should I major in to become a rehabilitation assistant?

You should major in psychology to become a rehabilitation assistant. 17% of rehabilitation assistants major in psychology. Other common majors for a rehabilitation assistant include kinesiology and nursing.

Most common colleges for rehabilitation assistants

Rehabilitation assistants often get their degrees at Eastern Michigan University, University of Phoenix, and Wayne State University. Here are the most common colleges for rehabilitation assistants in the US based on their resumes.
Rehabilitation assistant common collegePercentages
Eastern Michigan University23.22%
University of Phoenix10.49%
Wayne State University8.99%
Baker College6.37%
Michigan State University5.24%

Best majors for rehabilitation assistants

RankMajorPercentages
1Psychology17.4%
2Kinesiology10.3%
3Nursing9.2%
4Business7.3%
5Criminal Justice6.1%

Best colleges for rehabilitation assistants

The best colleges for rehabilitation assistants are Northwestern University, Duke University, and Johns Hopkins University.

A rehabilitation assistant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for rehabilitation assistants. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become rehabilitation assistants.

1. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

2. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

3. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

4. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

5. University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$17,653

Enrollment

16,405

6. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

7. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

8. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

9. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

10. Rhode Island College

Providence, RI • Private

In-state tuition

$8,929

Enrollment

6,480

20 best online courses for rehabilitation assistants

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Top 10 most affordable universities for rehabilitation assistants

The most affordable schools for rehabilitation assistants are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and university of south florida.

If the best universities for rehabilitation assistants are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for rehabilitation assistants.

1. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

4. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

5. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

8. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

9. University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas City, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$8,178

Cost of attendance

20,934

10. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for rehabilitation assistants

The hardest universities for rehabilitation assistants to get into are Northwestern University, Duke University, and Johns Hopkins University.

Some great schools for rehabilitation assistants are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for rehabilitation assistants based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

3. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,449

7. Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,443

8. University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA • Private

Admissions rate

26%

SAT average

1,427

9. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,434

10. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for rehabilitation assistants

The easiest schools for rehabilitation assistants to get into are AdventHealth University, bluefield college, and d'youville college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a rehabilitation assistant without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for rehabilitation assistants.

1. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

2. Bluefield College

Bluefield, VA • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

980

3. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

4. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

5. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

6. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

7. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

8. Pennsylvania State University - Fayette (The Eberly Campus)

Lemont Furnace, PA • Private

Admissions rate

80%

SAT average

1,067

9. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

10. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

Average rehabilitation assistant salary by education level

Rehabilitation assistants with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $41,279 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, rehabilitation assistants earn a median annual income of $38,045 compared to $34,272 for rehabilitation assistants with an Associate degree.
Rehabilitation assistant education levelRehabilitation assistant salary
Master's Degree$41,279
High School Diploma or Less$34,066
Bachelor's Degree$38,045
Some College/ Associate Degree$34,272

Rehabilitation assistant education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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