2026 Best Value Pre-Physical Therapy Studies Associate’s Degree Schools
[Pre-Physical Therapy Studies](/majors/health-care-professions/health-medical-preparatory-programs/pre-physical-therapy-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong pre-physical therapy studies education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 52 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for pre-physical therapy studies students.
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2026 Best Value Pre-Physical Therapy Studies Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in pre-physical therapy studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Pre-Physical Therapy Studies Schools
For return on investment in pre-physical therapy studies, no school beat Western Nebraska Community College this year. Set in the town of Scottsbluff, Western Nebraska Community College is a small public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $3,840, compared with $4,410 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for pre-physical therapy studies graduates is $14,507. Pre-Physical Therapy Studies graduates of Western Nebraska Community College earn a median of $62,413 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Holmes Community College earned it the #2 place for pre-physical therapy studies. Located in the rural area of Goodman, Holmes Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $3,710 in tuition and fees, compared with $6,610 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for pre-physical therapy studies graduates is $11,000. Pre-Physical Therapy Studies graduates of Holmes Community College earn a median of $21,326 early in their careers. Set against $11,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Snow College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value pre-physical therapy studies schools. Located in the town of Ephraim, Snow College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,338, with out-of-state students paying around $14,288. Students borrow a median of $10,440 to complete the pre-physical therapy studies program here. Pre-Physical Therapy Studies graduates of Snow College earn a median of $42,776 early in their careers. Set against $10,440 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
South Plains College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value pre-physical therapy studies schools. Located in the town of Levelland, South Plains College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,733, with out-of-state students paying around $5,157. Typical student debt for pre-physical therapy studies graduates is $13,788. Soon after graduation, pre-physical therapy studies degree recipients from South Plains College generally make around $30,949. That is a strong return on a $13,788 median debt.
Casper College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value pre-physical therapy studies schools. Located in the city of Casper, Casper College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,410, compared with $10,710 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $12,598 to complete the pre-physical therapy studies program here. Pre-Physical Therapy Studies graduates of Casper College earn a median of $49,729 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Butler Community College came in at #6 for value in pre-physical therapy studies this year. Butler Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of El Dorado. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,541, compared with $6,271 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,670 to complete the pre-physical therapy studies program here. Pre-Physical Therapy Studies graduates of Butler Community College earn a median of $39,404 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,670 median debt.
South College landed the #7 spot for pre-physical therapy studies value this year. Set in the city of Knoxville, South College is a large private for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,535. Typical student debt for pre-physical therapy studies graduates is $24,533. Soon after graduation, pre-physical therapy studies degree recipients from South College generally make around $51,389. That is a strong return on a $24,533 median debt.
Other Pre-Physical Therapy Studies Degree Levels
Explore the best-value pre-physical therapy studies schools at other degree levels:
View All Pre-Physical Therapy Studies Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 52 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
