How much longer does part-time take — and is it worth it?

Wondering whether "part-time" quietly turns into twice the years, and whether stretching it out is worth the delay, is exactly the kind of question worth settling before committing to either pace.

One structural fact first: tuition here is billed per term, not as one lump sum, so a slower pace doesn't inflate the total cost — you pay for what you take each term, whichever speed you go.

Five Branches publishes both a full-time program length and a separate outer limit for how long financial aid will still cover a slower pace (from the school's own financial-aid policy, last checked 08/2026):

So going part-time on the DAcHM/MAcHM track could realistically add another year or two — that upper figure is the outer bound the school's aid policy allows, not a fixed part-time length. Actual pace depends on how many units someone carries each term, and federal aid requires staying enrolled at least half-time throughout.

One more thing that changes the math on going slower: as of July 1, 2026, under Public Law 119-21 and the Department of Education's implementing rule, graduate students can borrow up to $20,500 a year in federal loans, with a $100,000 lifetime cap — and Five Branches students borrow at these graduate limits. Grad PLUS loans have been phased out, so there's no additional borrowing above that cap. A term carrying fewer than six units draws no federal loan at all, and less-than-full-time annual limits are reduced in proportion to enrollment intensity — so studying more slowly doesn't mean drawing the full $20,500 every year. Stretching the timeline doesn't stretch the money: the cumulative maximum is $20,500 after one year, $41,000 after two, $61,500 after three, $82,000 after four, and $100,000 after five — leaving only $18,000 available in year five and nothing further in year six. Since the school's own maximum window for the DAcHM/MAcHM is six years, a sixth year carries no federal loan at all. Students already enrolled and already borrowing as of June 30, 2026 keep the previous rules for the lesser of three academic years or their remaining time to completion. (These year-by-year figures illustrate how the cap plays out in general — they aren't what any individual will necessarily be allowed to borrow.) This is current as of 08/2026; the definition of a professional degree is under an active court stay and the interim list can change, so check studentaid.gov and Five Branches' financial aid office for where things currently stand.

As for whether the extra time is worth it: the published career trajectory (2026 NorCal TCM CareerGuide) moves in three broad, non-guaranteed stages — Years 1–2 as an associate ($30–70k), Years 3–5 building an independent practice ($50–120k), Years 5+ as an owner ($70–250k+). The detail that matters most for someone weighing part-time specifically: keeping your current income while studying slower quietly removes the biggest hidden cost of a full-time career change — four years with no income at all. In that sense, slower can genuinely mean cheaper, not just longer.

What does the timeline look like on your end — studying while still working, or stepping away from a job to do this full-time?