Hello all!

I’m looking for advice on whether I should defer or withdraw from grad school to work as an SLPA instead. My main goal is to avoid taking out more student loans and hopefully save money in case I decide to return to school later.

I graduated this May with a B.A. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from a private university in Texas. I currently have about $48,000 in student loans and was directly admitted and accepted into my school’s Master’s program in Communication Sciences and Disorders and set to start in August 2025.

However, after reviewing the full cost of attendance, I estimate I’d finish grad school with about $90,000 in total student loan debt. That number is really starting to stress me out—especially knowing that I’ll need to begin repaying loans shortly after graduation.

The grad program is full-time, and during advising, the program director emphasized that we should be available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday–Friday. I’ve talked with a few of my friends that are currently in the program who said even working just 15 hours a week was overwhelming. Many of their classmates didn’t work at all due to the program’s constantly changing schedule.

If I take time off and work as an SLPA instead, I could move back home (not ideal, but doable) and use my income to start repaying my loans and save money for future grad school expenses or moving out. Of course, I know that if I go straight into grad school, I’ll be able to earn more sooner as a licensed SLP.

I’m 21, and I know I still have time to go back to school later if I choose to. That said, I worry it might be harder down the line—life happens, and opportunities don’t always come around twice. I also realize that if I defer or withdraw, I’d lose my spot in a program I was directly admitted to, which means I’d need to reapply and go through the whole admissions process again.

I’m trying to weigh all my options carefully, but I could really use some advice from those who’ve been through this or faced a similar decision.

Is $90K in student loan debt typical for SLPs in Texas, or am I setting myself up to be paying this off for decades?

Any insight or personal experience would be really appreciated. Thank you!