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Registered physical therapist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a registered physical therapist. Registered physical therapists usually study physical therapy, medical technician, or nursing. 58% of registered physical therapists hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 243 real registered physical therapist resumes to see exactly what registered physical therapist education sections show.

The most common colleges for registered physical therapists are the University of Mobile and the University of Mobile.

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

What education do you need to become a registered physical therapist?

What degree do you need to be a registered physical therapist?

The most common degree for registered physical therapists is bachelor's degree, with 58% of registered physical therapists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 19% and master's degree degree at 12%.
  • Bachelor's, 58%
  • Master's, 19%
  • Associate, 12%
  • Doctorate, 8%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a registered physical therapist?

You should major in physical therapy to become a registered physical therapist. 53% of registered physical therapists major in physical therapy. Other common majors for a registered physical therapist include medical technician and nursing.

Most common colleges for registered physical therapists

Registered physical therapists often get their degrees at University of Mobile, The University of Findlay, and University of South Alabama. Here are the most common colleges for registered physical therapists in the US based on their resumes.
Registered physical therapist common collegePercentages
University of Mobile7.69%
The University of Findlay7.69%
University of South Alabama7.69%
University of Kansas7.69%
Loma Linda University7.69%

Best majors for registered physical therapists

Best colleges for registered physical therapists

The best colleges for registered physical therapists are Northwestern University, Tufts University, and Duke University.

A registered 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 registered 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 registered physical therapists.

1. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,382

Enrollment

5,597

5. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

6. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

8. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,306

Enrollment

6,975

9. Kettering College

Kettering, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$12,960

Enrollment

610

10. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

20 best online courses for registered physical therapists

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Top 10 most affordable universities for registered physical therapists

The most affordable schools for registered physical therapists are University of Florida, brigham young university, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for registered 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 registered physical therapists.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

7. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

8. California State University - Northridge

Northridge, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,893

Cost of attendance

18,870

9. San Jose State University

San Jose, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,796

Cost of attendance

24,514

10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Cost of attendance

25,527

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for registered physical therapists

The hardest universities for registered physical therapists to get into are Northwestern University, Tufts University, and Duke University.

Some great schools for registered 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 registered 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. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,449

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

9. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,326

10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,398

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for registered physical therapists

The easiest schools for registered physical therapists to get into are AdventHealth University, d'youville college, and barry university.

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

1. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

2. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

3. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

4. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

5. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

6. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

7. Clarke University

Dubuque, IA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

1,058

8. Dominican College of Blauvelt

Orangeburg, NY • Private

Admissions rate

77%

SAT average

1,038

9. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

10. Wheeling University

Wheeling, WV • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,072

Average registered physical therapist salary by education level

According to our data, registered physical therapists with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $80,552 annually. Registered physical therapists with a Doctorate degree earn an average annual salary of $77,801.
Registered physical therapist education levelRegistered physical therapist salary
Master's Degree$80,552
Bachelor's Degree$74,584
Doctorate Degree$77,801

Registered physical therapist education FAQs

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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.

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