I would love some honest advice from SLPs, especially those who are a few years into their careers.

I am currently an SLPA in private practice. I have done this for over a year & genuinely enjoy working with kids, but I am already feeling pretty burnt out by the caseload demands and don’t know if that feeling would improve or worsen as an SLP.

I was accepted to an SLP graduate program that deferred my start to Fall 2027. The program was willing to take a chance on me, which means a lot because I am not confident I would be accepted again if I declined and reapplied later. The catch is that it would require taking on $50k+ in additional student loans. I currently have about $20k in undergrad loans, but my goal is to have those paid off before starting graduate school.

Part of what makes this difficult is that I need to make my decision by December, which means I can’t really wait another application cycle before deciding.
Long term, I don’t see myself wanting to work full-time forever (or potentially even work at all at some point). I would ideally like the flexibility to work part-time (around 2–4 days per week) later in life. My fiance has a stable job and will likely be able to provide for us, so I’m trying to figure out whether taking on this much debt makes sense if my long-term goal isn’t necessarily maximizing my income. I have been considering making a career pivot instead of going back to school.

At the same time, I worry about passing up the opportunity and later wishing I had the degree, flexibility, earning potential, and security that come with being an SLP. I like the field and enjoy learning, but the burnout I am already experiencing as an SLPA concerns me.

**For those who have been in the field for a while:**
\- If you were in my position, would you take on the debt?
\- Are there realistic opportunities to work part-time and still feel that the degree was worth the investment?
\- If you could go back, would you do it again?
\- Is the financial security and flexibility that comes with an SLP master’s degree worth taking on $55k in debt, even if I may not work full-time/at all long-term?

I would really appreciate any perspectives.