The 5 Tiers by Profession for Debt to Income Ratio

When someone asks whether a certain degree is “worth it,” there’s finally some data to answer that. We analyzed debt-to-income ratios across dozens of professions from our survey of over 8,000 high-income professionals, and the results tell a pretty clear story about who’s managing student debt well — and who’s getting squeezed.

I’ll also share a few thoughts on what these numbers mean in real life, like how income, housing costs, and lifestyle choices play into long-term financial outcomes.

Key moments:

(01:56) Professions with the lowest debt-to-income ratios and why practicality beats prestige

(05:37) The hidden stress gap between generalists and specialists in healthcare and dentistry

(09:05) Why certain degree programs may be setting students up to fail financially

(13:06) Who’s building the most wealth relative to income

(14:47) Spending patterns that separate comfortable from stressed-out professionals

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