Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy graduates earn an average annual wage of $124,258, making it one of the higher-paying degree fields. With 50,000 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Physical Therapy and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$11,790 Median In-State Public
$15,700 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Physical Therapy majors are, on average, $11,790 for in-state public colleges, and $15,700 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Physical Therapy programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
10,000 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Physical Therapy from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Physical Therapy.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insufficient Data | |||
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Physical Therapy programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insufficient Data | |||
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Physical Therapy programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insufficient Data | |||
Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for Physical Therapy programs.
Graduation Rates
57.89% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
57.57% Average Graduation Rate
609 Institutions Reporting
47.76% - 69.32% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Physical Therapy programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ Physical Therapy graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$124,258 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Physical Therapy majors is $124,258.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Physical Therapy majors.
Occupations by Share
50,000 2023 Workforce
The number of Physical Therapy graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Physical Therapy by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of Physical Therapy degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
$18,750 Median Student Debt
$50,000 Median Annual Earnings (10 years after enrollment)
37.50% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
3.8 years Estimated Payback Period (assuming 10% of income)
683.99% Return on Investment (10-year earnings vs 4-year cost)
This degree shows strong ROI, with 10-year earnings significantly exceeding the cost of education.
$63,776 Estimated Total Cost (4 years at median net price)
Financial value comparison for Physical Therapy degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Physical Therapy in the United States.
Workforce Age
40.0 Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Physical Therapy.
Age distribution for Physical Therapy degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
13,424 Total Degrees Awarded
4,950 Male (36.87%)
8,474 Female (63.13%)
Gender distribution of Physical Therapy degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
8,451 White (62.95%)
1,427 Asian (10.63%)
1,326 Hispanic or Latino (9.88%)
611 Black or African American (4.55%)
443 Two or More Races (3.30%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Physical Therapy degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Physical Therapy are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Physical Therapy.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Physical Therapy field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Physical Therapy majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Physical Therapy majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Physical Therapy majors.
About
Physical Therapy
In 2023, 10,000 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Physical Therapy.
CIP Code
51.2308 - Physical Therapy
Insights and Analysis
Exceptional Return on Investment: Physical Therapy offers an outstanding ROI of 684%, meaning graduates typically earn significantly more over 10 years than the total cost of their education. This makes it one of the most financially rewarding degree choices available.
High Earning Potential: Physical Therapy graduates earn an average annual wage of $124,258, placing them among the top earners in the workforce. This strong earning potential reflects both the demand for skills in this field and the value employers place on this degree.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.