Follow the choice for 25 years.
Compare training length, debt, income and a simple modeled wealth path. Salaries are editable scenarios; a degree or specialty never guarantees one.
Build two paths
Long-term assumptions ＋
Specialty salaries without a matching BLS category are illustrative; edit them. The model excludes household assets, public-service loan forgiveness, income-driven repayment, employer benefits, and geographic taxes.
Modeled wealth after debt
Year-end invested surplus minus remaining student debt, nominal dollars.
Year by year
School → residency or fellowship → full career. Negative wealth during school is expected when expenses are borrowed.
| Age | Primary stage | Primary income | Primary debt | Primary wealth | Compare stage | Compare wealth |
|---|
What the comparison means
The baseline alternative begins working immediately at the editable job salary. Forgone earnings during training are an opportunity cost, not a tuition bill. Wealth is a simplified after-tax cash-flow projection, not a prediction of actual finances.
Starting salary references for selectable paths include BLS physicians, BLS physician assistants, BLS dentists, and BLS medical scientists. All are May 2025 national medians, not entry-level offers.