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Physical therapist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a physical therapist. Physical therapists usually study physical therapy, kinesiology, or biology. 58% of physical therapists hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 29,666 real physical therapist resumes to see exactly what physical therapist education sections show.
The most common colleges for physical therapists are the Northeastern University and the Northeastern University.
There are also many online physical therapist courses to help get the education required to be a physical therapist.
There are certain physical therapist certifications that you should consider. These physical therapist certifications include Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).
What education do you need to become a physical therapist?
What degree do you need to be a physical therapist?
- Bachelor's, 58%
- Doctorate, 17%
- Master's, 14%
- Associate, 6%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a physical therapist?
- Physical Therapy, 63%
- Kinesiology, 11%
- Biology, 5%
- Other Majors, 18%
Most common colleges for physical therapists
| Physical therapist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Northeastern University | 8.88% |
| University of the Sciences | 8.74% |
| Ithaca College | 6.84% |
| Loma Linda University | 6.30% |
| University of Pittsburgh | 6.10% |
Best majors for physical therapists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physical Therapy | 62.9% |
| 2 | Kinesiology | 11.2% |
| 3 | Biology | 5.2% |
| 4 | Health Sciences And Services | 3.2% |
| 5 | Psychology | 3.1% |
Best colleges for physical therapists
The best colleges for physical therapists are Northwestern University, Tufts University, and Loyola Marymount University.
A 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 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 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 physical therapists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for physical therapists
The most affordable schools for physical therapists are Brigham Young University, hunter college of the city university of new york, and florida international university.
If the best universities for 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 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 physical therapists
The hardest universities for physical therapists to get into are Northwestern University, Tufts University, and Loyola Marymount University.
Some great schools for 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 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 physical therapists
The easiest schools for 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 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 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 physical therapist salary by education level
| Physical therapist education level | Physical therapist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $78,148 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $74,197 |
| Doctorate Degree | $76,339 |
Physical therapist education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025