2026 Best Physical Therapy/Therapist Schools in Iowa
Physical Therapy/Therapist programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for physical therapy/therapist students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Physical Therapy/Therapist in Iowa
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the physical therapy/therapist degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Physical Therapy/Therapist
Saint Ambrose University tops our 2026 ranking of the best physical therapy/therapist schools. Set in the city of Davenport, Saint Ambrose University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. About 61% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 36 physical therapy/therapist students who graduated with this degree at Saint Ambrose University in the most recent data year. Physical Therapy/therapist graduates of Saint Ambrose University earn a median of $70,244 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $27,528 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in physical therapy/therapist from Saint Ambrose University
Students looking for a strong physical therapy/therapist program will find one at University Of Iowa, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public university. About 75% of students finish within six years. University Of Iowa awarded about 46 physical therapy/therapist degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, physical therapy/therapist degree recipients from University Of Iowa generally make around $71,754. Students borrow a median of $24,463 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in physical therapy/therapist from University Of Iowa
Briar Cliff University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best physical therapy/therapist schools. Set in the city of Sioux City, Briar Cliff University is a small private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 48% of students complete a degree within six years here. Briar Cliff University awarded about 27 physical therapy/therapist degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their physical therapy/therapist degree from Briar Cliff University earn around $74,352 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $29,918 to complete this degree.
Read more about the physical therapy/therapist program at Briar Cliff University
Clarke University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in physical therapy/therapist, landing the #4 spot this year. This small private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Dubuque. Clarke University graduates 56% of students within six years. About 24 physical therapy/therapist degrees were awarded at Clarke University in the most recent year. Graduates of the physical therapy/therapist program make about $73,651 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $26,895.
More information about a degree in physical therapy/therapist from Clarke University
Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best physical therapy/therapist schools. Located in the rural area of West Des Moines, Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center is a small private not-for-profit university. Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center awarded about 48 physical therapy/therapist degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their physical therapy/therapist degree from Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center earn around $73,529 in the first couple years of their career.
Read more about the physical therapy/therapist program at Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center
More Physical Therapy/Therapist Rankings
View All Physical Therapy/Therapist Rankings >
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 · 7 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.
