The Top 100 Best Physical Therapy Schools in the U.S. (2022)
Posted by Rohit Mittal
Updated on June 16, 2022
You are planning to major in physical therapy and you want to study in the United States. You might have heard that the US has the best physical therapy schools worldwide, so of course, the US crossed your mind when deciding to choose your PT school.
We want to help you pursue your dreams and choose the best school for you so in this article you will find a ranking of the top 100 physical therapy schools in the United States.
The trophy for the best physical therapy school goes to the University of Southern California. The second best school for you to consider is the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania.
We give an overview of both schools below and wrap up the article with the top 100 list you have been waiting for.
Table of Contents
5 Best Physical Therapy Schools in the U.S.
Topping our list of the best Physical Therapy schools in the U.S. are:
- The University of Southern California
- The University of Pittsburgh
- Washington University in St. Louis
- University of Delaware
- University of Iowa
Read on to learn what makes these schools the best of the best for a Physical Therapy education!
1. The University of Southern California
The University of Southern California offers a complete 115-unit program in physical therapy. In order to be able to achieve 115 units, the program is made up of six semesters and two summer courses.
In addition, the university has made it obligatory as part of their curriculum during all 3 years to gain clinical experience during your studies.
Once you have finished your three years with success, the USC graduate school will award you with a D.P.T., the degree of Doctor of Physical Therapy.
In order to complete your studies with success, you need to have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 in all of your courses. Aside from excelling academically, USC requires recipients of the award to meet all professional standards and to pass all clinical clerkships.
2. The University of Pittsburgh
The childhood jingle “second is the best” rings true when you consider the accolades and prestige of the University of Pittsburgh PT program.
The University of Pittsburgh offers a full-time program that will lead you down the path to getting your D.P.T. degree in three years or an equivalent of nine semesters.
During the last year, all students have to do a one-year internship in a clinic to complete their degree.
3. Washington University in St. Louis
The Washington University Program in Physical Therapy is a full-time, three-year program.
The program combines the classroom and clinical learning to prepare the students for professional leadership. The esteemed faculty of the program is recognized for its extensive command of neuromuscular and orthopedic conditions as well as in-depth knowledge of movement impairment classification.
Founded in 1942, the Program in Physical Therapy will make the students fully prepared to treat as well as diagnose the patients’ movement impairments.
4. University of Delaware
One of the largest programs in the College of Health Sciences, The University of Delaware DPT Program is a university-based extensive physical therapist educational program.
The curriculum is designed to develop lifelong learning skills amongst the students and enables them to become pioneers in their respective careers.
The program regularly utilizes instructors who are well-known experts to help students establish relationships between clinical research and practice. The faculty members of the DPT program are of the belief that the university is a suitable environment to educate and prepare future physical therapists.
World Report and The US News ranked the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program as the best in the country
5. University of Iowa
The Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science offers a distinctive learning experience to its students. The program provides proper resources to the students to harmonize the mission of excellence in research, clinical service, and teaching.
The department is situated in the Carver College of Medicine. The Department of Rehabilitation Therapies is a unique department in the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. The Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences offers degrees like DPT, MA, and Ph.D.
As a professional clinical entry-level program, the Doctor of Physical Therapy or DPT admits about 40 students in the month of July every year. The program is 2½ year curriculum and includes 35 weeks of clinical education experience (full time).
If the candidates complete the curriculum satisfactorily, they shall be allowed to partake in a state-administered national licensing examination.
Now we get to our top 100 Physical Therapy Schools in the United States!
Top 100 Ranking US Physical Therapy Schools
| Rank | School | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern California | |
| 2 | University of Pittsburgh | |
| 3 | Washington University in St. Louis | |
| 4 | University of Delaware | |
| 5 | University of Iowa | |
| 6 | US Army-Baylor University | |
| 7 | Arcadia University | |
| 8 | MGH Institute of Health Professions | |
| 9 | Northwestern University | |
| 10 | University of Miami | |
| 11 | Emory University | |
| 12 | University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill | |
| 13 | Duke University | |
| 14 | University of California–San Francisco | |
| 15 | New York University | |
| 16 | University of Florida | |
| 17 | University of Illinois–Chicago | |
| 18 | University of Maryland–Baltimore | |
| 19 | Creighton University | |
| 20 | Marquette University | |
| 21 | Ohio State University | |
| 22 | University of Minnesota–Twin Cities | |
| 23 | University of Utah | |
| 24 | Boston University | |
| 25 | Texas Woman’s University | |
| 26 | University of Kansas Medical Center | |
| 27 | University of Texas Medical Branch–Galveston | |
| 28 | Virginia Commonwealth University | |
| 29 | Northern Arizona University | |
| 30 | Regis University | |
| 31 | University of Alabama–Birmingham | |
| 32 | University of Washington | |
| 33 | Columbia University | |
| 34 | Mayo School of Health Related Sciences | |
| 35 | University of Colorado–Denver | |
| 36 | University of Nebraska Medical Center | |
| 37 | University of Wisconsin–Madison | |
| 38 | University of Kentucky | |
| 39 | University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center | |
| 40 | University of Wisconsin–La Crosse | |
| 41 | Ithaca College | |
| 42 | Ohio University | |
| 43 | Simmons College | |
| 44 | St. Louis University | |
| 45 | Temple University | |
| 46 | University of Central Arkansas | |
| 47 | University of Indianapolis | |
| 48 | University of Montana–Missoula | |
| 49 | University of Tennessee Health Science Center | |
| 50 | University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center–Dallas | |
| 51 | University of Vermont | |
| 52 | Belmont University | |
| 53 | Indiana University–Indianapolis | |
| 54 | Sacred Heart University | |
| 55 | University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey–Newark | |
| 56 | University of Missouri | |
| 57 | Drexel University | |
| 58 | Eastern Washington University | |
| 59 | Old Dominion University | |
| 60 | Pacific University | |
| 61 | Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science | |
| 62 | Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey–Camden/UMDNJ | |
| 63 | St. Ambrose University | |
| 64 | Stony Brook University–SUNY | |
| 65 | Texas State University–San Marcos | |
| 66 | University at Buffalo–SUNY | |
| 67 | University of Connecticut | |
| 68 | University of Michigan–Flint | |
| 69 | Bradley University | |
| 70 | Chapman University | |
| 71 | College of St. Scholastica | |
| 72 | East Carolina University | |
| 73 | Medical College of Georgia | |
| 74 | Medical University of South Carolina | |
| 75 | Northeastern University | |
| 76 | Samuel Merritt University | |
| 77 | SUNY Upstate Medical Center | |
| 78 | Thomas Jefferson University | |
| 79 | University of North Dakota | |
| 80 | University of Puget Sound | |
| 81 | University of South Carolina | |
| 82 | University of South Florida | |
| 83 | University of Tennessee–Chattanooga | |
| 84 | West Virginia University | |
| 85 | Armstrong Atlantic State University | |
| 86 | Elon University | |
| 87 | St. Catherine University | |
| 88 | SUNY Downstate Medical Center | |
| 89 | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center | |
| 90 | University of Evansville | |
| 91 | University of Rhode Island | |
| 92 | University of Texas Health Science Center–San Antonio | |
| 93 | University of the Pacific | |
| 94 | University of the Pacific | |
| 95 | California State University–Fresno | |
| 96 | California State University–Northridge | |
| 97 | Concordia University Wisconsin | |
| 98 | CUNY–Hunter College | |
| 99 | George Washington University | |
| 100 | Georgia State University |
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