Best Online Physical Therapy Assistant Programs

In order to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA), you’ll need to complete a  two-year physical therapy assistant program and then earn licensure or certification by taking a state-administered national exam. To help you choose the right PTA school for you, we've compiled a list of the top-ranked programs for 2024. 

Top Online Physical Therapy Assistant Programs  

There are just under 400 physical therapy assistant programs that have been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. Of those, several offer the option of taking some coursework online. To select the top online physical therapy assistant programs, we evaluated several criteria, including graduation rates, tuition, and career placement services. 

1. Clarkson College 

Clarkson College offers a transfer hybrid option that allows individuals with an associate degree or higher or who have earned at least 35 credit hours from an accredited college or university to complete three semesters of asynchronous distance education courses and four to five on-campus skills weekends per semester. The online programming is followed by one semester of clinical experience. 

• Tuition - $632 per credit hour 
• Program Length – 16 months  
• Accreditation – Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education 
• Application Deadline – Rolling Admission 
• Requirements – Associate degree or higher or 35 credit hours from an accredited college or university 
• Contact Information – (402) 552-3100 
• Email – admissions@clarksoncollege.edu 

2. San Juan College 

San Juan College offers both on-campus and online hybrid physical therapist assistant programming. The online/hybrid program can be completed in five semesters with 49 program core credits required. Students will be required to travel to campus for approximately 9 to 18 consecutive days for labs for the five semesters.  

• Tuition - $6,526 New Mexico residents or $12,494 non-residents 
• Program Length – 5 semesters  
• Accreditation – Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education 
• Application Deadline – May 31st 
• Requirements – Completion of all prerequisites, with science courses having been completed within 5 years of application. Students must earn a grade of C or higher and have a minimum of 2.75 GPA for consideration.  
• Contact Information – (505) 566-3562 
• Email – pta@sanjuancollege.edu 

3. Miami Dade College 

Miami Dade College’s Physical Therapist Assistant Program offers both in-person and online learning options, including MDC LIVE, a 100% virtual learning environment with live faculty lectures, and MDC Online, where students can learn at their own pace. The clinical portion of the program sees students assigned to a facility within Miami-Dade County.  

• Tuition - $8,748.28 
• Program Length – 2+ years, 74 credits. There is also an option to complete the program in five semesters.  
• Accreditation – Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education 
• Application Deadline – Milestone reviews must be submitted by September 1st 
• Requirements – Applicants must be 18 and have earned a high school diploma or GED, must have completed a prerequisite course and a minimum of 25 observation hours with a licensed Physical Therapist or Physical Therapist Assistant. Minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and 2.75 Program GPA. 
• Contact Information – (305) 237-4141 
• Email – madvisement@mdc.edu 

4. Clark State College 

Clark State College’s Physical Therapy Assistant program is composed of an online lecture component and an onsite lab component.  Students also participate in directed practice in clinical facilities in the region. Students who are outside of the region can take advantage of national contracts that the college has with several organizations that will facilitate clinical placement in other areas. 

• Tuition - $4,463 per year for in-state students 
• Program Length – 76 weeks  
• Accreditation – Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education 
• Application Deadline – February 1st 
• Requirements – Students must apply for admission to both the college and the PTA program separately.  Students must have completed academic requirements and must meet minimum grade requirements, and must complete a total of 60 hours of observation/volunteer/paid work experience in three different settings under the supervision of a PT or PTA within five years and have a completed observation evaluation form from each.  
• Contact Information – (937) 328-6102 
• Email – dinsmoret@clarkstate.edu 

5. Delta College 

Delta College’s physical therapist assistant program is offered during the day and on some evenings or weekends, but there are some fully online courses and blended courses incorporated into the program. 

• Tuition - $121 per contact hour 
• Program Length – The technical phase of the program is four semesters long 
• Accreditation – Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education 
• Application Deadline – Rolling Admission 
• Requirements – Completion of 40 required observation hours split between two different clinical sites and submission of a completed observation hours form; prerequisite courses 
• Contact Information – (989) 686-9316 
• Email – christopherhausbeck@delta.edu 

6. Rasmussen University 

Rasmussen University’s Physical Therapist Assistant program combines online courses with immersive on-campus labs held at the school’s Ocala, Florida and Hennepin/Anoka, Minnesota campuses. The on-campus laboratories are offered in a concentrated, uninterrupted series of days. Clinical practice is scheduled at a healthcare facility to offer hands-on, real-world training. 

• Tuition - $30,514 total costs 
• Program Length – 18 months  
• Accreditation – Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education 
• Application Deadline – Rolling Admission 
• Requirements – Admission information is available from admissions counselors at Rasmussen 
• Contact Information – (763) 496-6022 (Hennepin/Anoka) or (352) 291-8552 (Ocala) 
• Email – Laura.Miele@rasmussen.edu (Hennepin/Anoka)/ Stacy.Campbell1@rasmussen.edu (Ocala) 

7. Mendocino College 

This program is a hybrid design offering theory courses online and laboratory courses conducted at the school’s Ukiah, California campus. Students are required to be on campus two consecutive days per week to participate in these laboratories.  

• Tuition - $46 per unit, course tuition $2,001 
• Program Length – Five semesters  
• Accreditation – Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education 
• Application Deadline – October 15th 
• Requirements – Admission to Mendocino College, completion of the PTA Program application, completion of the four pre-requisite courses with a grade of “C” or better, and submission of college transcripts verifying successful completion of prerequisite courses. 
• Contact Information – (707)467-1062 
• Email – sbogner@mendocino.edu  

8. Great Falls College/Montana State University 

The Physical Therapist Assistant program at Great Falls College provides students the option of accessing the lecture portion of their program either face-to-face or online via pre-recorded lectures. The hands-on laboratory portion of the program is scheduled on Thursdays and Fridays for twelve weeks in the fall and spring and clinicals can be scheduled to take place at nearly any location.  

• Tuition - $8,829 
• Program Length – 11 months  
• Accreditation – Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education 
• Application Deadline – May 31st 
• Requirements – Admission to Great Falls College MSU; completion of 40 hours or more of observation with a licensed physical therapist or physical therapist assistant; 30 credits of prerequisite courses that must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher 
• Contact Information – (406) 771-5134 
• Email – Bradley.bechard@gfcmsu.edu 

9. Jefferson State Community College 

Jefferson State’s PTA Program is a two-year course of study that requires one year of prerequisite general education coursework and one year of core PTA coursework that can be taken either on campus or in a hybrid online track. The online program requires students to be at the school’s Shelby-Hoover campus for all laboratory sessions. 

• Tuition - Professional Coursework - $6,000 
• Program Length – 40 credit hours  
• Accreditation – Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education 
• Application Deadline – January 15th 
• Requirements – Cumulative GPA of 2.50 on all college credits, completion of all required PTA general education courses with a grade of “C” or better; maintain a GPA of 2.50 or above for required PTA general education courses, ACT exam with a composite score of 21 or higher, signed documentation by a PT or PTA of 75 hours or more experience in a Physical therapy setting, at least 25 of which must have been in acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, or skilled nursing facility. 
• Contact Information – (205) 983-5995 
• Email – cwelliott@jefferesonstate.edu 

10. American Career College 

American Career College has multiple campuses throughout the state of California. Its 20-month Physical Therapy Assistant program focuses on hands-on training, providing more than 600 hours of clinical experience as well as a blended format that combines online classes and in-person instruction. 

• Tuition - $48,450 total tuition cost 
• Program Length – 20 months  
• Accreditation – Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education 
• Application Deadline – Rolling Admission 
• Requirements – Applicants must provide a copy of their high school diploma and transcripts or GED, must take and pass a standardized entrance exam, complete an interview with a program faculty member, and submit two professional reference letters. Applicants must also have a minimum GPA of 2.0 and complete an essay through a computer-based application. 
• Contact Information – (877) 832-0790 

FAQs About Online Physical Therapy Assistant Programs 

• Where do PTAs make the most money?  

  • According to the BLS, physical therapy assistants who work in a home healthcare setting earn the highest salaries, averaging $76,750.  

• What is the difference between a PT and a PTA?  

  • There are many differences, starting with the amount of schooling each requires. While you can become a PTA in two years, becoming a physical therapist will require four years to pursue your bachelor’s degree and then another three years to earn your DPT degree. In practice, physical therapists make decisions about treatment and physical therapy assistants can apply treatment plans. 

• Can you make a living being a PTA?  

  • Physical therapy assistants earn a generous salary, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting that they earn a median annual wage of $64,080. 

• Is it better to become a PTA before a PT? 

  • According to the American Physical Therapy Association, only 90% of physical therapy assistants decide to move on to become physical therapists. The education and training between the two do not transfer easily, and there are only two schools that offer a bridge program between the two.