Top 10 Online Physical Therapy Programs for 2025
Becoming a physical therapist requires a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. This terminal healthcare degree educates students on the role of a PT, research, ethics, and administrative duties.
We’ve compiled the top 10 online physical therapy programs to help you find an online DPT school that suits your needs!
Can I Earn a DPT Online?
Unfortunately, you cannot complete your DPT through online courses alone. DPT schools offer didactic courses online, but all programs require in-person clinical experiences and on-campus immersive requirements.
Despite the in-person requirements, online DPT programs offer greater flexibility than traditional programs, making them appealing to working professionals.
Top 10 Online Physical Therapy Programs
Our ranking criteria are based on factors such as tuition, acceptance rate, student-to-faculty ratio, and accreditation, and we use the latest and most robust U.S. government data sets, specifically the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the College Scorecard.
|
School |
Tuition |
Program Length |
Accreditation |
|
Arcadia University |
$130,945 total |
26 months |
CAPTE |
|
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences |
$120,241 - $136,568 total |
3 years |
CAPTE |
|
South College |
$11,975 per quarter |
2 years |
CAPTE |
|
Nova Southeastern University |
$33,465 per year |
3 years |
CAPTE |
|
University of Southern California |
$134,786 total |
3 years |
CAPTE |
|
Winston-Salem State University |
$2,485 - $7,752 per semester |
2 years |
CAPTE |
|
University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Center |
$72,848 - $152,540 total |
2.5 years |
CAPTE |
|
Midwestern University |
$48,122 - $50,545 per year |
30 - 34 months |
CAPTE |
|
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center |
$999 - $1,409 per credit hour |
2 years |
CAPTE |
|
Spalding University |
$106,700 total |
4 years |
CAPTE |
Students in Arcadia’s hybrid DPT program attend didactic courses online via synchronous learning. During the last eight weeks of the second fall semester, students participate in in-person clinical rotations. Then, they complete a 24-week terminal clinical rotation after the second academic year.
Students can access more than 250 clinical relationships in the area to gain unprecedented clinical experience. Among the top-notch faculty, three members are Fellows of the American Physical Therapy Association, the highest honor awarded to those in the profession.
- Application Deadline: May 16th
- Contact Info
- Phone Number: (844) 373-8833
- Email Address: ptadmissions@onlinehealth.arcadia.edu
Among the top DPT programs online, St. Augustine offers Residential and Flex DPT pathways. Both options offer online coursework. However, the Residential DPT program requires hands-on weekday labs and some in-person courses. The frequency of in-person requirements means that Residential DPT students must live in or near the campus.
Conversely, the Flex DPT program allows students to live almost anywhere in the US. While they must travel to campus on select weekends, the in-person requirements are less frequent.
- Total Tuition (Residential DPT Program)
- Austin, TX Campus: $120,241
- Dallas, TX Campus: $120,241
- Miami, FL Campus: $120,241
- San Marcos, CA Campus: $136,568
- St. Augustine, FL Campus: $120,241
- See Tuition for Other Tracks Here
- Application Deadlines
- Summer: April 1st
- Fall: April 1st
- Spring: May 15th
- Contact Info
- Phone Number: (855) 481-9203
One of the top physical therapy schools online, South College's DPT is 65 weeks long. Students complete 31 weeks of full-time clinical education in various settings. Rotations include an 8-week experiential portion and a 23-week terminal clinical experience.
South College DPT students complete didactic coursework online. However, the program requires students to attend quarterly onsite lab immersion sessions. These intensives allow them to develop hands-on patient management skills that they can apply to their practice as a PT.
- Application Deadline: January 15th
- Contact Info
- Phone Number: (865) 288-8750
- Email Address: contactus@south.edu
NSU's hybrid online PT program requires students to travel to the Tampa Bay Regional Campus three times a semester for a five-day intensive. Otherwise, they attend asynchronous and synchronous online courses via Skype and Zoom. Students must submit an application, meet admission requirements, and attend an interview to qualify for this program.
- Application Deadline: January 16th
- Contact Info
- Phone Number: (813) 574-5286
- Email Address: barshay@nova.edu
The USC hybrid PT program is one of the top programs in the country. The university provides online students access to the same resources as residential students. This includes state-of-the-art technology and immersive labs.
Classes have a small 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The course combines online learning with intensive immersion experiences in fully equipped campus learning laboratories.
- Application Deadline: January 16th
- Contact Info
- Phone Number: (855) 751-0083
- Email Address: admissions@dpt.usc.edu
Winston-Salem's online physical therapy degree is a transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy, or tDPT. This program is for currently practicing PTs with a bachelor's or master's in physical therapy. The university designed its unique online format specifically with full-time workers in mind.
- Semesterly Tuition
- Resident: $2,484.50
- Nonresident: $7,752
- Application Deadlines
- Summer: April 15th
- Fall: July 15th
- Spring: November 15th
- Contact Info
- Phone Number: (336) 750-2000
- Email: smithna@wssu.edu
UC's online DPT program has over 500 clinical affiliations located throughout Colorado and the US. The hybrid curriculum allows students to complete clinical rotations near their current location. They also receive personalized attention from faculty with small class sizes (8:1 student-to-faculty ratio). Students attend virtual classes and two mandatory lab immersions each semester at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs.
- Total Tuition
- Resident: $72,848
- Nonresident: $152,540
- Application Deadline: October 1st
- Contact Info
- Phone Number: (303) 724-7223
- Email Address: digital@cuanschutz.edu
- Annual Tuition
- Arizona Campus: $48,122
- Illinois Campus: $50,545
- Application Deadline: March 15th
- Glendale, AZ Contact Info
- Phone Number: (623) 572-3215
- Email Address: admissaz@midwestern.edu
- Downer’s Grove, IL Contact Info
- Phone Number: (630) 515-7200
- Email: admissil@midwestern.edu
The TTUHSC Doctor of Science (ScD) in Physical Therapy is a post-professional terminal degree for practicing physical therapists. The program focuses on concepts from biomechanical, tissue-specific, and motor control models. Students enrolled in this program have the option of clinical research or clinical teaching for their final dissertation project.
- Tuition Per Credit Hour
- Resident: $998.69 per credit hour
- Nonresident: $1,408.69 per credit hour
- Application Deadline: October 1st
- Contact Info
- Phone Number: (806) 743-3220
- Email Address: health.professions@ttuhsc.edu
Students in Spalding University's online physical therapy program take their lecture courses online. They also attend labs on campus for one week each month.
The hybrid program provides students with access to a 22,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility featuring anatomy and skills labs. The immersive experiences in this facility provide PT students with valuable hands-on experience.
- Application Deadline: May 15th
- Contact Info
- Phone Number: (502) 873-4174
- Email Address: jnixon01@spalding.edu
What to Expect in an Online Physical Therapy Program
Physical therapist schooling online is rigorous, intense, and time-consuming. Most online PT programs require full-time attendance. Except for a few post-professional programs designed for working PTs, students usually cannot maintain a full-time work schedule while they study.
These programs include both synchronous and asynchronous virtual didactic courses. However, all online PT programs have in-person requirements. These include clinical rotations at designated sites with approved preceptors and on-campus immersions.
Admission Requirements
To qualify for admission to an online physical therapy program, applicants must meet the following program-specific requirements:
- A bachelor’s degree or master’s degree from a nationally accredited institution
- Minimum GPA of 3.0
- Official transcripts
- Official program application
- Resume/CV
- Letters of recommendation
- Personal statement
- GRE scores, if applicable
- Prerequisite coursework
- Personal interviews
- Volunteer or work experience with a PT*
*Applicants must complete a specific amount of relevant volunteer or work experience with a licensed physical therapist. They will follow proper documentation procedures to log these hours and submit them to the program.
Prerequisites
Applicants must also complete the following prerequisite courses before applying:
- Anatomy & Physiology (with lab)
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Psychology
- Statistics
Classes & Coursework
Courses in an online physical therapy program are generally the same among all programs, as required to obtain national accreditation. The names of the specific classes will vary depending on the university. Students can expect to take the following courses:
- Human Anatomy
- Lifespan Development
- Exercise Physiology
- Foundations of Examination
- Foundations of Interventions
- Neuroscience in Rehabilitation
- Clinical Research
- Teaching in Physical Therapy
- Principles of Exercise
- Kinesiology
- Applied Anatomy and Physiology
- Fitness Theory and Practice
- Administration Physical Therapy
- Management of Musculoskeletal Dysfunction
- Management of the Pediatric Patient
- Management of the Aging Adult
- Management of Cardiopulmonary Dysfunction
- Management of Integumentary Dysfunction
Most online physical therapy programs comprise 105 to 135 credit hours, including multiple in-person clinical experiences. Students will also have to attend a variety of in-person, on-campus immersive experiences throughout the program.
How to Choose an Online Physical Therapy Program
Various factors will affect your decision when selecting an online physical therapy program. The first determining factor is accreditation. To qualify for your national certification exam, the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) must accredit the program.
According to the CAPTE website, it “grants specialized accreditation status to qualified entry-level education programs for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. Accreditation is a process used in the US to ensure the quality of students' education.”
Other factors to consider when choosing an online PT program include:
- Cost
- Financial aid options
- In-person campus requirements
- Admission requirements
- Clinical requirements and placement
- Faculty-to-student ratio
- Online learning support
- Program structure
- Attrition rate
- National certification pass rate
- Graduation rate
- Networking opportunities
Physical Therapy Resources
- How to Become a Physical Therapist
- Best Online Physical Therapy Assistant Programs
- How to Become a Physical Therapy Assistant
- How to Become a Physical Therapy Aide
- Physical Therapist Assistant Salary by State
