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Licensed physical therapist assistant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a licensed physical therapist assistant. Licensed physical therapist assistants usually study physical therapy, medical assisting services, or kinesiology. 81% of licensed physical therapist assistants hold a associate degree, and 16% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 2,213 real licensed physical therapist assistant resumes to see exactly what licensed physical therapist assistant education sections show.
The most common colleges for licensed physical therapist assistants are the Jefferson College of Health Sciences and the Jefferson College of Health Sciences.
There are also many online licensed physical therapist assistant courses to help get the education required to be a licensed physical therapist assistant.
There are certain licensed physical therapist assistant certifications that you should consider. These licensed physical therapist assistant certifications include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).
What education do you need to become a licensed physical therapist assistant?
What degree do you need to be a licensed physical therapist assistant?
- Associate, 81%
- Bachelor's, 16%
- Master's, 1%
- Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a licensed physical therapist assistant?
- Physical Therapy, 68%
- Kinesiology, 4%
- Business, 3%
- Other Majors, 15%
Most common colleges for licensed physical therapist assistants
| Licensed physical therapist assistant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Jefferson College of Health Sciences | 9.16% |
| South University | 8.40% |
| Keiser University | 8.40% |
| St. Petersburg College | 6.87% |
| Kent State University | 6.87% |
Best majors for licensed physical therapist assistants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physical Therapy | 67.5% |
| 2 | Medical Assisting Services | 10.3% |
| 3 | Kinesiology | 4.2% |
| 4 | Business | 2.8% |
| 5 | Health Sciences And Services | 2.2% |
Best colleges for licensed physical therapist assistants
The best colleges for licensed physical therapist assistants are Northwestern University, University of Pittsburgh, and Purdue University.
A licensed 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 licensed 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 licensed physical therapist assistants.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
3. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,306
Enrollment
6,975
4. Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$49,042
Enrollment
5,131
5. Kettering College
Kettering, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$12,960
Enrollment
610
6. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$10,595
Enrollment
30,184
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
8. University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$15,730
Enrollment
18,830
9. Clarkson College
Omaha, NE • Private
In-state tuition
$13,392
Enrollment
646
10. Maria College of Albany
Albany, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$15,140
Enrollment
876
20 best online courses for licensed physical therapist assistants
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Top 10 most affordable universities for licensed physical therapist assistants
The most affordable schools for licensed physical therapist assistants are Brigham Young University - Idaho, purdue university, and tarleton state university.
If the best universities for licensed 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 licensed physical therapist assistants.
1. Brigham Young University - Idaho
Rexburg, ID • Private
In-state tuition
$4,118
Cost of attendance
12,223
2. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
3. Tarleton State University
Stephenville, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$7,292
Cost of attendance
20,387
4. University of Colorado Denver
Denver, CO • Private
In-state tuition
$9,283
Cost of attendance
22,243
5. Trident University International
Cypress, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,240
Cost of attendance
17,912
6. Louisiana State University at Alexandria
Alexandria, LA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,668
Cost of attendance
14,488
7. Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Tifton, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$3,503
Cost of attendance
12,843
8. Midwestern State University
Wichita Falls, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$9,233
Cost of attendance
18,110
9. Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Natchitoches, LA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,922
Cost of attendance
20,612
10. University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,633
Cost of attendance
19,235
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for licensed physical therapist assistants
The hardest universities for licensed physical therapist assistants to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pittsburgh, and Purdue University.
Some great schools for licensed 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 licensed 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. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
59%
SAT average
1,367
3. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,309
4. Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
1,261
5. University of Colorado Denver
Denver, CO • Private
Admissions rate
64%
SAT average
1,132
6. Kettering College
Kettering, OH • Private
Admissions rate
27%
SAT average
1,125
7. Clarkson College
Omaha, NE • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,035
8. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
New Brunswick, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
60%
SAT average
1,303
9. Saint Joseph's College, New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
1,109
10. Nova Southeastern University
Fort Lauderdale, FL • Private
Admissions rate
79%
SAT average
1,196
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for licensed physical therapist assistants
The easiest schools for licensed physical therapist assistants to get into are AdventHealth University, clarkson college, and saint joseph's college, new york.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a licensed 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 licensed physical therapist assistants.
1. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
2. Clarkson College
Omaha, NE • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,035
3. Saint Joseph's College, New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
1,109
4. Louisiana College
Pineville, LA • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,084
5. Tarleton State University
Stephenville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
55%
SAT average
1,056
6. Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Natchitoches, LA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
1,102
7. St. Catherine University
Saint Paul, MN • Private
Admissions rate
73%
SAT average
1,124
8. University of Colorado Denver
Denver, CO • Private
Admissions rate
64%
SAT average
1,132
9. Midwestern State University
Wichita Falls, TX • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,033
10. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
Average licensed physical therapist assistant salary by education level
| Licensed physical therapist assistant education level | Licensed physical therapist assistant salary |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | $53,588 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $56,097 |
Licensed physical therapist assistant education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025