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Certified physical therapist assistant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a certified physical therapist assistant. Certified physical therapist assistants usually study physical therapy, medical assisting services, or athletic training. 51% of certified physical therapist assistants hold a associate degree, and 40% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 154 real certified physical therapist assistant resumes to see exactly what certified physical therapist assistant education sections show.
The most common colleges for certified physical therapist assistants are the Washburn University of Topeka and the Washburn University of Topeka.
There are also many online certified physical therapist assistant courses to help get the education required to be a certified physical therapist assistant.
What education do you need to become a certified physical therapist assistant?
What degree do you need to be a certified physical therapist assistant?
- Associate, 51%
- Bachelor's, 40%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Master's, 1%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a certified physical therapist assistant?
- Physical Therapy, 41%
- Kinesiology, 7%
- Other Majors, 36%
Most common colleges for certified physical therapist assistants
| Certified physical therapist assistant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Washburn University of Topeka | 14.81% |
| Wichita State University | 11.11% |
| Pima Medical Institute | 7.41% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 7.41% |
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 3.70% |
Best majors for certified physical therapist assistants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physical Therapy | 41.1% |
| 2 | Medical Assisting Services | 8.2% |
| 3 | Athletic Training | 8.2% |
| 4 | Kinesiology | 6.8% |
| 5 | Occupational Therapy | 4.1% |
Best colleges for certified physical therapist assistants
The best colleges for certified physical therapist assistants are University of Virginia, New York University, and Case Western Reserve University.
A certified physical therapist assistant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for certified physical therapist assistants. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become certified physical therapist assistants.
1. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
2. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,306
Enrollment
6,975
3. Kettering College
Kettering, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$12,960
Enrollment
610
4. Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$49,042
Enrollment
5,131
5. University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$15,730
Enrollment
18,830
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
7. Maria College of Albany
Albany, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$15,140
Enrollment
876
8. Clarkson College
Omaha, NE • Private
In-state tuition
$13,392
Enrollment
646
9. Jefferson College of Health Sciences
Roanoke, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$26,886
Enrollment
774
10. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Enrollment
33,495
20 best online courses for certified physical therapist assistants
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Top 10 most affordable universities for certified physical therapist assistants
The most affordable schools for certified physical therapist assistants are SUNY Farmingdale, purdue university, and louisiana state university at alexandria.
If the best universities for certified physical therapist assistants are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for certified physical therapist assistants.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
2. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
3. Louisiana State University at Alexandria
Alexandria, LA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,668
Cost of attendance
14,488
4. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. Midwestern State University
Wichita Falls, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$9,233
Cost of attendance
18,110
7. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Arecibo
Arecibo, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,872
Cost of attendance
13,476
8. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ponce
Mercedita, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,914
Cost of attendance
13,564
9. University of Colorado Denver
Denver, CO • Private
In-state tuition
$9,283
Cost of attendance
22,243
10. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon
Bayamon, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,940
Cost of attendance
13,508
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for certified physical therapist assistants
The hardest universities for certified physical therapist assistants to get into are University of Virginia, New York University, and Case Western Reserve University.
Some great schools for certified physical therapist assistants are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for certified physical therapist assistants based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
26%
SAT average
1,427
2. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
3. Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,443
4. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,449
5. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,309
6. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
7. University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
59%
SAT average
1,367
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
9. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
10. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
New Brunswick, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
60%
SAT average
1,303
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for certified physical therapist assistants
The easiest schools for certified physical therapist assistants to get into are AdventHealth University, university of the incarnate word, and pennsylvania state university - shenango.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a certified physical therapist assistant without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for certified physical therapist assistants.
1. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
2. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
3. Pennsylvania State University - Shenango
Sharon, PA • Private
Admissions rate
75%
SAT average
989
4. Pennsylvania State University - Fayette (The Eberly Campus)
Lemont Furnace, PA • Private
Admissions rate
80%
SAT average
1,067
5. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
6. Midwestern State University
Wichita Falls, TX • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,033
7. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
8. Washington Adventist Hospital
Takoma Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
958
9. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
10. Methodist College
Peoria, IL • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,015
Average certified physical therapist assistant salary by education level
| Certified physical therapist assistant education level | Certified physical therapist assistant salary |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | $54,045 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $56,622 |
Certified physical therapist assistant education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025