Academic and Career Information
Updated July 2026
Nature of the Work, Earnings and Occupational Outlook
Physical Therapists (PTs) evaluate and treat people of all ages with movement disorders and other health problems resulting from diseases, disorders, conditions or injuries. The treatment goals of Physical Therapists include making patients stronger, relieving their pain, helping them to regain and maintain maximum human performance and educating patients on proper health maintenance. Treatment may include therapeutic exercise, cardiovascular endurance training, and training in activities of daily living. Physical therapists are employed in hospitals, private offices, community health centers, industrial health centers, sports facilities, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, home health agencies, schools, research institutions, or teach in colleges or universities. They work with other health care providers such as physicians, occupational therapists, nurses, mental health professionals, and speech pathologists and audiologists.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, physical therapists held approximately 259,200 jobs in 2024. Employment is projected to grow 14% from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations. Approximately 13,600 job openings for physical therapists are projected each year over the decade. The median annual wage for physical therapists was $101,020 in May 2024. The highest 10 percent earned more than $132,500 annually. Earnings vary depending on geographic location, years of experience, specialty certification, and employment setting ().
Physician Assistant Preparation
Admission requirements vary by program, but most admissions committees are very selective and are looking for specific prerequisite courses, strong academic and prerequisite course records, the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), quality letters of recommendation, and work or volunteer experience in the field as indicators of potential to succeed. Application deadlines vary from October of the year prior to matriculation to May. Some programs require a student to have at least a 3.0 cumulative and prerequisite GPA, although the average GPA for accepted students may be higher. Increasingly, programs are also requiring applicants to have paid or volunteer experience in one or more physical therapy settings and may ask that a student have adult Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification. Prerequisite requirements can vary widely from program to program. Most programs require Anatomy, Physiology, the year鈥恖ong sequences of General Chemistry and Physics, all with laboratory plus courses in psychology and mathematics. Many programs also have additional required and strongly suggested courses.
For a list and descriptions of PT education programs visit:
- database of accredited programs
Physical Therapy Education
The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) accredits physical therapy programs. Professional (entry-level) physical therapist education programs in the United States only offer the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree to all new students who enroll. Physical Therapy graduate course work investigates questions related to body movement, simple and complex motor skill development, and the effects of therapeutic activity. Research in the field focuses on understanding the impairments underlying disability, or applications for practical clinical problems.
There are currently 16 accredited Physical Therapy programs in California: Azusa Pacific University, CSU Fresno, CSU Long Beach, CSU Northridge, CSU Sacramento, Chapman University, Loma Linda University, Mount Saint Mary鈥檚 University, Samuel Merritt University, San Diego State University, UC San Francisco and San Francisco State University joint program, USC, University of St Augustine for Health Sciences, University of the Pacific, West Coast University, Western University
Physical Therapy Licensure
To practice in the US students need to graduate from an accredited professional physical therapy graduate program and pass the national licensure exam. Most programs require two to three years of education including didactic work and clinical training in various health care settings. This is NOT a comprehensive list of prerequisites for all programs. Students maintain responsibility for verifying course selection with individual programs.
Course Requirements for Physical Therapy Program
This is NOT a comprehensive list of prerequisites for all programs. Students maintain responsibility for verifying course selection with individual programs.