2026 Best Value Physical Therapy/Therapist Associate’s Degree Schools
[Physical Therapy/Therapist](/majors/health-care-professions/rehab-and-therapeutic-professions/physical-therapy-therapist/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 293 schools to find the best return on investment for physical therapy/therapist students.
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2026 Best Value Physical Therapy/Therapist Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in physical therapy/therapist, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Physical Therapy/Therapist Schools
Our analysis ranked Snow College the best value for a degree in physical therapy/therapist in the United States. Snow College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Ephraim. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,338, compared with $14,288 for out-of-state students. Physical Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $10,440 in student loans. Early-career physical therapy/therapist graduates make about $42,776. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Itawamba Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in physical therapy/therapist, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Fulton, Itawamba Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $3,420, while out-of-state students pay about $5,820. Students borrow a median of $10,942 to complete the physical therapy/therapist program here. Physical Therapy/therapist graduates of Itawamba Community College earn a median of $40,832 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $10,942 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Northwest Mississippi Community College earned it the #3 place for physical therapy/therapist. Set in the town of Senatobia, Northwest Mississippi Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,740 in tuition and fees. Physical Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $9,990 in student loans. Early-career physical therapy/therapist graduates make about $35,001. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Atenas College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in physical therapy/therapist, landing the #4 spot this year. Atenas College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Manati. In-state tuition and fees average $8,954. Physical Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $5,701 in student loans. Physical Therapy/therapist graduates of Atenas College earn a median of $16,526 early in their careers. Set against $5,701 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in physical therapy/therapist will find it at Thomas Jefferson University, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Philadelphia, Thomas Jefferson University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $47,355. Typical student debt for physical therapy/therapist graduates is $35,437. Early-career physical therapy/therapist graduates make about $46,768. Set against $35,437 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Thomas Jefferson University admits about 81% of applicants.
Other Physical Therapy/Therapist Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Physical Therapy/Therapist rankings across degree levels:
View All Physical Therapy/Therapist Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 293 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
