Post job

Home care physical therapist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a home care physical therapist. Home care physical therapists usually study physical therapy, health sciences and services, or kinesiology. 63% of home care physical therapists hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 317 real home care physical therapist resumes to see exactly what home care physical therapist education sections show.

The most common colleges for home care physical therapists are the Northeastern University and the Northeastern University.

There are also many online home care physical therapist courses to help get the education required to be a home care physical therapist.

What education do you need to become a home care physical therapist?

What degree do you need to be a home care physical therapist?

The most common degree for home care physical therapists is bachelor's degree, with 63% of home care physical therapists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 18% and master's degree degree at 16%.
  • Bachelor's, 63%
  • Master's, 18%
  • Doctorate, 16%
  • Associate, 2%
  • Other Degrees, 1%

What should I major in to become a home care physical therapist?

You should major in physical therapy to become a home care physical therapist. 80% of home care physical therapists major in physical therapy. Other common majors for a home care physical therapist include health sciences and services and kinesiology.

Most common colleges for home care physical therapists

Home care physical therapists often get their degrees at Northeastern University, New York University, and University of the Sciences. Here are the most common colleges for home care physical therapists in the US based on their resumes.
Home care physical therapist common collegePercentages
Northeastern University12.00%
New York University10.67%
University of the Sciences8.00%
Ithaca College8.00%
University of Delaware8.00%

Best majors for home care physical therapists

Best colleges for home care physical therapists

The best colleges for home care physical therapists are Northwestern University, Tufts University, and Loyola Marymount University.

A home care physical therapist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for home care physical therapists. 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 home care physical therapists.

1. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

2. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

4. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

5. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

6. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,382

Enrollment

5,597

7. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

8. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$53,399

Enrollment

7,356

9. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

10. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

20 best online courses for home care physical therapists

Advertising disclosure

1. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care

coursera

This course presents basic principles of cancer survivorship to primary-care physicians. Developed by a team of experts in caring for cancer survivors, and narrated by a primary-care physician, this course provides practical tips and tools that can be easily integrated into medical practice. You will learn about the complex physical and psychosocial needs and concerns of the growing number of cancer survivors, along with the key role that primary care physicians have in guiding these patients...

2. Health for All Through Primary Health Care

coursera

This course explores why primary health care is central for achieving Health for All. It provides examples of how primary health care has been instrumental in approaching this goal in selected populations and how the principles of primary health care can guide future policies and actions. Two of the most inspiring, least understood, and most often derided terms in global health discourse are “Health for All” and “Primary Health Care.” In this course, we will explore these terms in the context...

3. Providing Trauma-Informed Care

udemy
4.7
(1,276)

Exploring psychological trauma and how to provide care and compassion to trauma survivors...

4. The Key to Happiness: Self Care

udemy
4.6
(413)

Discover Self Care as a tool for creating positive change in your mental health, behaviours, and well-being...

5. Trauma Emergencies and Care

coursera

Welcome to Trauma Emergencies and Care. In this course, you will learn about some of the mechanics and physics of trauma on the human body, and how this can cause injury. You will continue to expand your new vocabulary with medical terminology, and learn how to describe the different injuries you may see. You will also learn about the trauma system itself- and when it is important to transport patients to a trauma center. Then we will dive into specific injuries based on what part of the body...

6. Palliative Care Always Capstone Course

coursera

The Palliative Care Always Capstone course is designed to let you test your knowledge about palliative and help others understand the value of palliative care, while showing your creative side. In this course, you will impact community awareness about palliative care, promote self-care and wellness, show-off your communication skills in a virtual environment, and finish the course off by proving your thoughts on ways to offer psychosocial support to a patient and family...

7. Coping Skills and Self-Care for Mental Health

udemy
4.5
(443)

Essential skills to manage intense emotions and develop a self-care practice to promote mental health...

8. Physics - Kinematics for High School and AP Physics 1

udemy
4.7
(315)

This is a comprehensive Algebra based Mechanics course in physics specifically covering topics of Kinematics...

9. Prehospital care of acute stroke and patient selection for endovascular treatment using the RACE scale

coursera

Acute stroke is a time-dependent medical emergency. In acute ischemic stroke, the first objective is to restore brain flow using sistemic thrombolytic treatment and, in patients with large vessel occlusion, by endovascular treatment. In hemorrhagic stroke there are also specific treatments that can improve the clinical outcome. The sooner the initiation of all these therapies the higher the clinical benefit. Thus, the organization of Stroke Code systems coordinated between emergency medical...

10. Health Care Delivery in Healthcare Organizations

coursera

Have you ever needed health care and thought that there must be better ways to get or deliver health care? For example, have you found yourself thinking that there should be a way to get a diagnostic test or treatment at home? Or do you work in a healthcare organization and find yourself thinking that there must be better ways to deliver health care? If you have, this course is for you. Course content includes an overview of health care delivery including healthcare consumerism, the patient's...

11. Self-Care Life Coach Certification (Boundary Setting)

udemy
4.6
(466)

Empower Your Life Coach Your Clients to Develop Self-Care, Self-Love, Boundary Setting and How to Say No...

12. Home Health Aide, Nurse Aide, Caregiver Certification Course

udemy
4.6
(1,178)

Become A Certified Home Health Aide, Personal Care Aide, Nurse Aide/ Caregiver At The End Of This Course. Enroll Now!!...

13. Pain Management: Easing Pain in Palliative Care

coursera

In this course, you will be able to develop a systems view for assessing and managing pain in the palliative care setting. By the end of the course, you will be able to: 1) Describe the pain problem in the palliative care setting; 2) Assess a person’s pain, 3) Explain the benefits of integrative therapies and pharmacologic strategies to manage pain...

14. Emergency Care: Pregnancy, Infants, and Children

coursera

Welcome to the final course of lectures in your quest to master EMT basics. In this course, we will cover some of the highest-stress patient populations: pregnant patients and kids, also known as pediatrics. To wrap up your EMT knowledge we will end this course with information about hazmat situations, extricating patients from tight spots and finally how you write a note about your patient care. You will learn to ensure it communicates what your assessment of the patient was, what...

15. The Complete AP and College Physics Course

udemy
4.2
(485)

Master the College/AP physics from classical to modern physics, then test your knowledge with 300+ practice exercises!...

16. Traditional herbal medicine in supportive cancer care: From alternative to integrative

coursera

Please join us for an exciting and innovative journey, examining one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of the oncology setting: Traditional Herbal Medicine in Supportive Cancer Care. This course is presented with short lectures offering a wide range of issues related to the principles and practice of herbal medicine in cancer care. The course includes interviews with leading world experts from the field of Integrative Oncology, from the U.S. and Canada, as well as Europe, the...

17. Value-Based Care: Managing Processes to Improve Outcomes

coursera

COURSE 3 of 7. This course is designed to introduce you to critical office-based processes that a value-based practice must manage in the drive towards improved patient outcomes. In Module 2, we’ll focus on office-based and clinical patient-based supporting functions. At every level in healthcare, guidelines, processes, and functions exist to improve outcomes, and following a consistent process will return the best effect. Refine your understanding of value and learn strategies to provide real...

18. Addiction Treatment: Clinical Skills for Healthcare Providers

coursera

This course is designed with a singular goal: to improve the care you provide to your patients with substance use disorders. By delving into a model case performed by actors, seven Yale instructors from various fields provide techniques to screen your patients for substance use disorder risk, diagnose patients to gauge the severity of their use, directly manage treatment plans, refer out to treatment services, and navigate the various conditions that may limit your patient’s access to treatment...

19. Thinking About Care

coursera

Although all humans require care to develop and thrive, it is rarely the focus of academic studies. This course enriches learner’s understanding of this critical yet underappreciated facet of their lives by addressing such questions as: What is care? Who has traditionally provided it? How valued is care work? Does money take the care out of care work? In addition to advancing learner’s knowledge of the place of care in modern society and controversies surrounding it, Thinking About Care will...

20. Health Care IT: Challenges and Opportunities

coursera

A strong argument can be made that the health care field is one of the most information-intensive sectors in the U.S. economy and avoidance of the rapid advances in information technology is no longer an option. Consequently, the study of health care information technology and systems has become central to health care delivery effectiveness. This course covers the modern application of information technology that is critical to supporting the vision and operational knowledge of the health care...

Top 10 most affordable universities for home care physical therapists

The most affordable schools for home care physical therapists are Brigham Young University, hunter college of the city university of new york, and florida international university.

If the best universities for home care physical therapists 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 home care physical therapists.

1. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

2. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

3. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

4. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

5. University of Colorado Denver

Denver, CO • Private

In-state tuition

$9,283

Cost of attendance

22,243

6. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Cost of attendance

24,718

7. Augusta University

Augusta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$8,604

Cost of attendance

20,618

8. San Jose State University

San Jose, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,796

Cost of attendance

24,514

9. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

10. Tarleton State University

Stephenville, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$7,292

Cost of attendance

20,387

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for home care physical therapists

The hardest universities for home care physical therapists to get into are Northwestern University, Tufts University, and Loyola Marymount University.

Some great schools for home care physical therapists 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 home care physical therapists 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

3. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,321

4. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

51%

SAT average

1,395

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

59%

SAT average

1,367

9. Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,304

10. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,326

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for home care physical therapists

The easiest schools for home care physical therapists to get into are AdventHealth University, notre dame de namur university, and d'youville college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a home care physical therapist 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 home care physical therapists.

1. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

4. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

5. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

6. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

7. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

8. Albertus Magnus College

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

931

9. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

10. Clarke University

Dubuque, IA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

1,058

Average home care physical therapist salary by education level

Home care physical therapists with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $79,232 annually. With a Doctorate degree, home care physical therapists earn a median annual income of $76,373 compared to $73,037 for home care physical therapists with an Bachelor's degree.
Home care physical therapist education levelHome care physical therapist salary
Master's Degree$79,232
Bachelor's Degree$73,037
Doctorate Degree$76,373

Home care physical therapist education FAQs

Search for home care physical therapist jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse healthcare practitioner and technical jobs