Financial Picture
Is it worth it? Run your numbers.
CAA school is a real investment — tuition, ~2–2.5 years of reduced income, and loans — against a strong long-term salary. These calculators help you see the trade-off honestly. Every figure is an estimate you control.
Loan estimator
Estimate the monthly payment and lifetime interest on a student loan.
Starts at 8.07% — the 2026–27 federal grad/professional Direct Unsubsidized rate (fixed)
Your situation
These drive the break-even and earnings projection below. Defaults are rough estimates — edit them to match your numbers.
Your pay before CAA school
Use a reference below if unsure
Tuition + fees
CAA programs run ~2–2.5 yrs
0 = stop working
How far out to compare
CAA salary reference (tap to use)
Market / compensation-survey estimates — CAAs are not separately tracked by BLS. Pay varies by state, setting, and experience. See the ASA CAA resource.
Break-even
When the CAA income advantage offsets the true cost of getting there.
Net cost = program cost ($130,000) + forgone income ($138,000).
Earnings projection
Cumulative earnings if you stay in your current job vs. become a CAA (program cost applied up front).
The CAA path pulls ahead in year 4.
| Year | Current job (cumulative) | Become CAA (cumulative) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | $120,000 | -$130,000 |
| 4 | $240,000 | $270,000 |
| 6 | $360,000 | $670,000 |
| 8 | $480,000 | $1,070,000 |
| 10 | $600,000 | $1,470,000 |
New federal borrowing caps affect graduate students
Two changes took effect on 1 July 2026, and they matter for CAA applicants:
- Grad PLUS is gone for new borrowers. The loan that let graduate students borrow up to their full cost of attendance is no longer available to anyone starting on or after 1 July 2026.
- Federal borrowing is now capped, and the caps are tiered. Graduate programs: $20,500 a year, $100,000 lifetime. Programs on the federal “professional degree” list: $50,000 a year, $200,000 lifetime. Every borrower taking a loan on or after 1 July 2026 also sits under a $257,500 lifetime aggregate.
- CAA is currently on the professional list — for now. After a federal court stayed the Department's narrower definition on 24 June 2026, the Department published an interim list of programs to treat as professional degrees. It names 51.0809 Anesthesiologist Assistant (CAA) outright. So CAA programs currently sit in the higher tier, not the standard graduate one.
So today you are in the $50,000 tier — but it is explicitly interim. The Department calls these “interim administrative designations” that hold for the duration of the court's stay and may change as the case proceeds. Summary-judgment briefing runs from 2 October to 4 December 2026. The gap between tiers is about $30,000 a year — over a continuous 24–28 month program that is hard to work through, that is the difference between federal aid covering tuition and needing private loans. Confirm with your program's financial aid office, in writing, which tier they are certifying you under.
Already enrolled and already borrowing before 1 July 2026? You keep the old rules for the lesser of three academic years or your program's expected time to credential. Withdrawing or otherwise ceasing enrollment ends that protection — ask before you move, not after.
Accurate as of 31 August 2026, and this area is genuinely moving. This is not financial advice. Confirm current limits and eligibility at studentaid.gov and with your program's financial aid office before you plan around any of it.
These tools provide estimates for planning only and are not financial advice. Boost CAA is not a licensed financial advisor. Actual costs, salaries, loan terms, and taxes vary; consult a qualified advisor before making financial decisions.