### SUMMARY

 A degree in Physical Therapy is a valuable choice and naturally an essential first step for scholars endeavoring to enter a career as a pediatric physical therapist, a physical therapist, or an outpatient physical therapist. Interestingly, physical therapy is a ​unique degree coming in at the 302nd most popular major. Last year alone, there were 385 physical therapy graduates. In-state tuition for physical therapy at private schools is, on average, 6.1 times more spendy than their public peers.

 With only 28 colleges having programs for physical therapy you may have limited options as to the institutions which will have a degree program for you. If you're looking to surround yourself with other physical therapy undergrads, look at schools in Massachusetts which have more undergraduates admitted to physical therapy than any other state. More generally, the best region to major in physical therapy is in the Mid East region with [Ithaca College](/colleges/ithaca-college), [Duquesne University](/colleges/duquesne-university), and [Saint Francis University](/colleges/saint-francis-university) best representing the region. Interestingly, our selection for the best conference to major in physical therapy is the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association with [Ithaca College](/colleges/ithaca-college) representing the conference. On that topic, our choice for the best college for physical therapy is [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university). You might also want to check out our list of [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges).

 The 'best' school is not necessarily the best school for every student. There are tons of facets to consider when deciding on institution. Features like campus amenities, transportation services, and food would refashion your choice on which college to attend. Here at Authority, we've examined the pros and cons for you. If, as an example, you are interested in which physical therapy college boasts the top campus, the answer is [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university). If, for example, you are very interested in which school boasts the best campus, then we have a whole page [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through government databases, student reviews, professor reviews, and more so we can compare every U.S. major in an unbiased and informative way. Here you can explore our well researched list for the universities with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbspand, from that list, our pick of the school with the best student life for physical therapy is [Duquesne University](/colleges/duquesne-university). Curious why? Keep reading to learn more about Authority's top recommendations. Many of our conclusions will probably surprise you.

 If expense is a primary factor in your choice of where you attend school, you might consider avoiding [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university). [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university)&nbspappears to be the most expensive college for physical therapy, at least regarding out of state students. That being said, we have an entire list of the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspuniversities that could put the price tag at [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university)&nbspinto perspective. For more context, you may care to know that physical therapy is the 106th most expensive major in the nation, with an average cost of $38,800. To zoom out a little, the most costly state for physical therapy nationally is Massachusetts with costs at the main two colleges Northeastern University and Springfield College of $52,420 and $38,030 respectively. Even more broadly, the most expensive region for physical therapy is the New England region which is best demonstrated with [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university) with a cost of $52,420, and [Springfield College](/colleges/springfield-college) with a cost of $38,030.

 Our cheapest region for physical therapy is the Southwest region which is represented by [Oklahoma Baptist University](/colleges/oklahoma-baptist-university) with a cost of $26,584. In better news, the most affordable college for physical therapy is [Georgia Southern University](/colleges/georgia-southern-university). Our entire list of the most affordable schools can be found [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state attendees can expect to pay about $6,500 for a degree in physical therapy. That price increases significantly to an average of $17,500 for an out-of-state public-school student. Our choice for the college constituting the best value for physical therapy: [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university). On this page you can see our comprehensive list about the schools we believe to be the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspoverall. That being said, this section is predicated on being an out-of-state student. A discussion of value changes when in-state tuition is considered, but we do not know where you live (and are not trying to collect that kind of data).

 Earnings for physical therapy students can cover a wide range, but two years after finishing the degree students will often make around $57,100. There can be a lot of variation in salary; highest paid earners can rake in up to $91,300. Straight out of college, the minimum earning positions within the physical therapy field make $35,000, which could be worse. The highest earning grads from physical therapy come from [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university)&nbspand if you want to find the colleges with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), Authority has that too.

 The overall diversity of physical therapy is subpar, being in only the 24th percentile of all programs. The university with the most composite diversity for physical therapy is [Andrews University](/colleges/andrews-university)&nbspand here you can find our general list of the universities which have the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The overall financial diversity of the Physical Therapy major only is in the 6th percentile of all majors. Racial diversity is actually above financial diversity, in the 21st percentile. White collegians compose the largest proportion, 75%, of those studying physical therapy. Additionally, 69% of undergrads pursuing a physical therapy major are women.

 The median ranking of physical therapy professors is 3.5 stars, a rating that is 12% below the average score across every major; this is a subpar score. If you are looking for the most popular physical therapy instructor in the nation, take a look at Evan Hansen from [Brigham Young University-Idaho](/colleges/brigham-young-university-idaho). This might be shocking, but the best rated professors for physical therapy by student are found at [University of California-Davis](/colleges/university-of-california-davis). As we including information beyond just rankings we find that the college with the overall best professors for physical therapy is [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university). One will find an explanation of our ever evolving ranking methodology of the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), along with some of the top examples of professors in the U.S.

 Finally, the hardest university to get into for physical therapy is [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university). While we think of this list more as a novelty, we do have a general page of the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). That being said, we do hope you believe that considering the education process with a lens mainly informed by superlatives can cause problems. We hope you read our other pages on different schools and explore a couple of our background 'blog posts' on essential things to think about as you progress with your college search.



 ### POPULARITY

 Physical therapy is the 302nd most popular degree in America, with 385 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #303 [Non-Profit Management](/rankings/best-colleges-for-non-profit-management).

 The degree is offered at a total of 28 colleges across the nation, and is the 349th most widely offered degree. It is only offered at 1% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America.

 It is also worth noting that 48% of colleges offering physical therapy are public making it a pretty accessible field.

 The mid east produces the most physical therapy graduates, largely led by [Ithaca College](/colleges/ithaca-college), while it’s the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association that leads conference totals. As far as states, Massachusetts ranks highest, with particular help from [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university) and [Springfield College](/colleges/springfield-college).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more physical therapy graduates than [University of Alabama at Birmingham](/colleges/university-of-alabama-at-birmingham), which graduated 87 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study physical therapy). More students studied physical therapy as a percentage of total students at [Springfield College](/colleges/springfield-college) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Physical therapy is the 106th most expensive major in the United States, with a median cost of $38,770 among the top 50 programs.

 New England has the most expensive colleges with top 50 physical therapy programs led by [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university) with an annual cost of $52,420. Massachusetts is the most expensive state for physical therapy also led by [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university) and [Springfield College](/colleges/springfield-college).

 Public schools with solid programs by and large charge 83.67% less than private schools for in-state students. When looking at out-of-state tuition however, the median top 50 Public school charges 55.75% less than the median private school. So be sure to take a look at public shools in your state sooner rather than later.

 The most expensive top 25 college for physical therapy is [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university), which is the 92nd most expensive college in the nation. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [Georgia Southern University](/colleges/georgia-southern-university). It costs just $15,426 per year, and it is ranked 8th for its physical therapy program. Another more affordable option would be #10, [Oklahoma Baptist University](/colleges/oklahoma-baptist-university) in Pottawatomie County, OK with a cost of $26,584 for in-state students and $26,584 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 Begining college is a major investment for most. It's important to have confidence you are equipped to payback that investment. We hope the following career and income data help you in deciding your major at college.

 Just after school, Physical Therapy students take in $61,154 per annum on average, which is the 46th highest of any focus. Further into their employment, they ordinarily take in something between $34,982 and $91,273, but average near $57,078. Just so you know, that's 48% north of average.

 The most common job placement for a Physical Therapy graduate is Registered Nurse, which predominantly make around $46,000; next are Certified Nursing Assistant and Web Developer, which usually make about $22,000 and $55,000 respectively.

 The best paid region for Physical Therapy graduates is The Great Lakes. MI has the highest grossing Physical Therapy alumni of any state. Patriot League has the highest grossing Physical Therapy graduates of any conference..



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Physical Therapy: Median Professor Rating: 3.5 / 5, which is below average.

 Instructors often play a crucial role in your college experience, regardless of your major. A thought-provoking professor might provide inspiration and even make a difficult subject seem fun. Conversely, a poor professor can disenchant you from a subject or even worse... fail you!

 Physical Therapy professors, disappointingly, only have a median student rating of 3.5 / 5, which puts them in the bottom 6% in the nation grounded in overall professor effectivness. For context that's 12.5% south of the national median professor rating for all subjects. Physical Therapy professors barely edged-out those from ["Accounting and Business Management"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-accounting-and-business-management), whereas ["Physiology"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-physiology)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Physical Therapy.

 Now for some statistics about Physical Therapy professors. Colleges located in fringe rural areas tend to have the best Physical Therapy professors. The Independent Northeast Region has the highest rated Physical Therapy professors. The New England region has the highest rated Physical Therapy professors. Private colleges tend to have higher rated Physical Therapy professors than public institutions. Finally, Maine has the highest rated Physical Therapy professors in America.

 Evan Hansen, instructor at [Brigham Young University-Idaho](/colleges/brigham-young-university-idaho)&nbspin Rexburg, ID is the most popular Physical Therapy professor in the nation. Christopher Lopez, instructor at [Florida International University](/colleges/florida-international-university)&nbspin Miami, FL is the highest rated Physical Therapy professor in the US, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 Learn which schools have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College often is an exceedingly consequential time in one's life; it is an opportunity for personal growth and evolution. Students start to figure out what they can be and learn the essential skills to be a successful member of society. But growth also happens outside a classroom - the campus dialogue, the wild anecdote gained from an old professor, the exposure to a different take on things. Therefore, finding a diverse college vastly enhances what one gains from the time at college.

 Physical Therapy is a less racially diverse focus than average\*. 75% of the US' Physical Therapy majors are white students, followed by asian students (9%), students of other races\*\*(8%), and latino students (7%). The most racially diverse college\* in the top 100 is [Loyola University Chicago](/colleges/loyola-university-chicago)&nbspin Chicago, IL.

 Secondly, Physical Therapy significatly skews female, with close to seven out of every ten students majoring in Physical Therapy identifying as women. [Loyola University Chicago](/colleges/loyola-university-chicago) in Chicago, IL has the most gender balanced student body in the top 100.

 Another substantial type of diversity is financial diversity. Unfortunately, Physical Therapy ranks in the bottom 6% of programs income diversity. 37% of its majors come from very high income homes, 17% are from households with $75,000 to $110,000 annual incomes, and 19% grew up in families with a sub $30,000 yearly income. [Georgia Southern University](/colleges/georgia-southern-university) is the most economically diverse college in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall IL is the most diverse state for Physical Therapy. The Great Lakes is the most diverse region, and the Missouri Valley Conference is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 9%
* Black: 2%
* Latino: 7%
* White: 75%
* Other: 8%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 31%
* Female: 69%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 19%
* 30k - 48k: 12%
* 48k - 75k: 15%
* 75k - 110k: 17%
* Over 110k: 37%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 60%
* Out of State: 35%
* International: 5%


University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Loyola University Chicago

University of Missouri-Columbia

Northeastern University

Andrews University

Duquesne University

Bellarmine University

Northwest Nazarene University

Simmons University

Ithaca College

Saint Francis University

Amarillo College

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College

Gogebic Community College

Oklahoma Baptist University

CUNY Hunter College

Southern Adventist University

South Plains College

Fresno Pacific University

Tarleton State University

Snow College

Georgia Southern University

Itawamba Community College

California State University-Fresno

Springfield College

Search for the best Physical Therapy colleges according to your filter parameters.

2023 Physical Therapy Salary

There are about 23,220 students enrolled in Physical Therapy in the USA.

SALARY