2026 Best Physical Therapy/Therapist Schools in California
Physical Therapy/Therapist degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 17 schools to find the best for physical therapy/therapist students.
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Best Schools for Physical Therapy/Therapist in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall physical therapy/therapist education in California.
Top Schools in Physical Therapy/Therapist
No school ranked higher than University Of Southern California this year for physical therapy/therapist. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Los Angeles. University Of Southern California graduates 92% of students within six years. University Of Southern California awarded about 152 physical therapy/therapist degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their physical therapy/therapist degree from University Of Southern California earn around $77,049 in the first couple years of their career. University Of Southern California graduates carry a median of $15,625 in student loans.
Read more about the physical therapy/therapist program at University Of Southern California
A rank of #2 makes San Francisco State University one of the top schools for physical therapy/therapist. Set in the city of San Francisco, San Francisco State University is a very large public institution. Roughly 50% of students complete a degree within six years here. San Francisco State University awarded about 94 physical therapy/therapist degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the physical therapy/therapist program make about $85,961 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $17,024 to complete this degree.
Read more about the physical therapy/therapist program at San Francisco State University
Loma Linda University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in physical therapy/therapist, ranking #3. Loma Linda University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Loma Linda. There were roughly 80 physical therapy/therapist students who graduated with this degree at Loma Linda University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their physical therapy/therapist degree from Loma Linda University earn around $78,518 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $25,094.
Get the full physical therapy/therapist details for Loma Linda University
A rank of #4 makes University Of The Pacific one of the top schools for physical therapy/therapist. Located in the city of Stockton, University Of The Pacific is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. About 68% of students finish within six years. University Of The Pacific awarded about 38 physical therapy/therapist degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the physical therapy/therapist program make about $88,755 in their early career. University Of The Pacific graduates carry a median of $23,514 in student loans.
See the full physical therapy/therapist program report for University Of The Pacific
A rank of #5 makes California State University Long Beach one of the top schools for physical therapy/therapist. Set in the city of Long Beach, California State University Long Beach is a very large public institution. California State University Long Beach graduates 69% of students within six years. There were roughly 40 physical therapy/therapist students who graduated with this degree at California State University Long Beach in the most recent data year. Physical Therapy/therapist graduates of California State University Long Beach earn a median of $83,234 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $15,671 to complete this degree.
See the full physical therapy/therapist program report for California State University Long Beach
Samuel Merritt University landed the #6 spot for physical therapy/therapist this year. Samuel Merritt University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Oakland. About 41 physical therapy/therapist degrees were awarded at Samuel Merritt University in the most recent year. Physical Therapy/therapist graduates of Samuel Merritt University earn a median of $86,688 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in physical therapy/therapist from Samuel Merritt University
California State University Sacramento came in at #7 for physical therapy/therapist this year. Set in the city of Sacramento, California State University Sacramento is a very large public institution. About 56% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 30 physical therapy/therapist students who graduated with this degree at California State University Sacramento in the most recent data year. Students who receive their physical therapy/therapist degree from California State University Sacramento earn around $91,568 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $17,492 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in physical therapy/therapist from California State University Sacramento
Azusa Pacific University earned the #8 position for physical therapy/therapist this year. Located in the suburb of Azusa, Azusa Pacific University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 62%. About 74 physical therapy/therapist degrees were awarded at Azusa Pacific University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, physical therapy/therapist degree recipients from Azusa Pacific University generally make around $82,817. Typical student debt for the program is $23,709.
See the full physical therapy/therapist program report for Azusa Pacific University
Western University Of Health Sciences landed the #9 spot for physical therapy/therapist this year. Set in the suburb of Pomona, Western University Of Health Sciences is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Western University Of Health Sciences awarded about 95 physical therapy/therapist degrees in the most recent data year. Physical Therapy/therapist graduates of Western University Of Health Sciences earn a median of $93,424 early in their careers.
More information about a degree in physical therapy/therapist from Western University Of Health Sciences
University Of St Augustine For Health Sciences placed #10 among the best physical therapy/therapist schools. Set in the suburb of San Marcos, University Of St Augustine For Health Sciences is a moderately-sized private for-profit institution. There were roughly 808 physical therapy/therapist students who graduated with this degree at University Of St Augustine For Health Sciences in the most recent data year. Physical Therapy/therapist graduates of University Of St Augustine For Health Sciences earn a median of $74,506 early in their careers.
Read more about the physical therapy/therapist program at University Of St Augustine For Health Sciences
West Coast University Center For Graduate Studies ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best physical therapy/therapist schools. Set in the city of Los Angeles, West Coast University Center For Graduate Studies is a small private for-profit institution. There were roughly 44 physical therapy/therapist students who graduated with this degree at West Coast University Center For Graduate Studies in the most recent data year. Physical Therapy/therapist graduates of West Coast University Center For Graduate Studies earn a median of $86,227 early in their careers.
Read more about the physical therapy/therapist program at West Coast University Center For Graduate Studies
University Of California San Francisco came in at #12 for physical therapy/therapist this year. University Of California San Francisco is a mid-sized public school located in the city of San Francisco. About 47 physical therapy/therapist degrees were awarded at University Of California San Francisco in the most recent year. Graduates of the physical therapy/therapist program make about $84,998 in their early career.
More information about a degree in physical therapy/therapist from University Of California San Francisco
Chapman University came in at #13 for physical therapy/therapist this year. Chapman University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Orange. Chapman University graduates 82% of students within six years. Chapman University awarded about 73 physical therapy/therapist degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their physical therapy/therapist degree from Chapman University earn around $77,192 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $21,657.
See the full physical therapy/therapist program report for Chapman University
Mount St Marys College placed #14 among the best physical therapy/therapist schools. Set in the city of Los Angeles, Mount St Marys College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. About 48% of students finish within six years. Mount St Marys College awarded about 31 physical therapy/therapist degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the physical therapy/therapist program make about $89,701 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $27,555.
Get the full physical therapy/therapist details for Mount St Marys College
San Diego State University came in at #15 for physical therapy/therapist this year. This very large public university is located in the city of San Diego. The six-year graduation rate is 76%. About 37 physical therapy/therapist degrees were awarded at San Diego State University in the most recent year. Students who receive their physical therapy/therapist degree from San Diego State University earn around $67,333 in the first couple years of their career. San Diego State University graduates carry a median of $16,417 in student loans.
Read more about the physical therapy/therapist program at San Diego State University
California State University Fresno landed the #16 spot for physical therapy/therapist this year. California State University Fresno is a very large public school located in the city of Fresno. About 57% of students finish within six years. California State University Fresno awarded about 32 physical therapy/therapist degrees in the most recent data year. Physical Therapy/therapist graduates of California State University Fresno earn a median of $72,248 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $15,598 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in physical therapy/therapist from California State University Fresno
California State University Northridge landed the #17 spot for physical therapy/therapist this year. Set in the city of Northridge, California State University Northridge is a very large public institution. California State University Northridge graduates 57% of students within six years. About 32 physical therapy/therapist degrees were awarded at California State University Northridge in the most recent year. Physical Therapy/therapist graduates of California State University Northridge earn a median of $55,764 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $16,202.
Read more about the physical therapy/therapist program at California State University Northridge
More Physical Therapy/Therapist Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 17 schools evaluated.
- 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.