66 Best Physical Therapy schools in California, US

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in California ranked based on their research performance in Physical Therapy. A graph of 4.04M citations received by 87.8K academic papers made by 66 universities in California was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Stanford University

Stanford

For Physical Therapy

#6 in the United States

#7 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $17,998

2. University of California - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Physical Therapy

#7 in the United States

#10 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 3,126
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1864

3. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Physical Therapy

#13 in the United States

#17 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Receiving Aid: 60%
Average Aid: $22,441
Enrollment: 46,678

4. University of California-San Diego

San Diego

For Physical Therapy

#19 in the United States

#26 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Receiving Aid: 70%
Average Aid: $24,176
Enrollment: 42,376

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles

For Physical Therapy

#29 in the United States

#37 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Average SAT: 1495
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $41,496

6. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Physical Therapy

#52 in the United States

#64 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $21,258
Enrollment: 39,707

7. University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley

For Physical Therapy

#56 in the United States

#69 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $25,951
Enrollment: 45,699

8. University of California - Irvine

Irvine

For Physical Therapy

#61 in the United States

#74 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $21,533
Enrollment: 36,582

9. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Physical Therapy

#77 in the United States

#91 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $5,459
Enrollment: 39,241

10. Loma Linda University

Loma Linda

For Physical Therapy

#129 in the United States

#150 in North America

Enrollment: 4,202
Male:Female: 33:67
Founded: 1905

11. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Physical Therapy

#145 in the United States

#168 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Receiving Aid: 67%
Average Aid: $11,311
Enrollment: 36,062

12. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Physical Therapy

#154 in the United States

#177 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Receiving Aid: 82%
Average Aid: $10,445
Enrollment: 41,962

13. University of California - Riverside

Riverside

For Physical Therapy

#182 in the United States

#207 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Receiving Aid: 75%
Average Aid: $21,566
Enrollment: 26,426

14. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Physical Therapy

#184 in the United States

#209 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Net Price: $23,397
Receiving Aid: 68%
Average Aid: $60,201

15. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Physical Therapy

#185 in the United States

#211 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 28%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $21,732
Enrollment: 26,068

16. Palo Alto University

Palo Alto

For Physical Therapy

#220 in the United States

#251 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 1,223
Male:Female: 15:85
Founded: 1975

17. Western University of Health Sciences

Pomona

For Physical Therapy

#224 in the United States

#256 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 3,625
Male:Female: 36:64
Founded: 1977

18. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Physical Therapy

#232 in the United States

#264 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Receiving Aid: 82%
Average Aid: $10,512
Enrollment: 40,278

19. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento

For Physical Therapy

#238 in the United States

#270 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Receiving Aid: 85%
Average Aid: $11,503
Enrollment: 31,172

20. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Physical Therapy

#240 in the United States

#273 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Receiving Aid: 79%
Average Aid: $11,498
Enrollment: 23,908

21. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Physical Therapy

#244 in the United States

#277 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Receiving Aid: 87%
Average Aid: $12,000
Enrollment: 37,760

22. California State University - Fresno

Fresno

For Physical Therapy

#267 in the United States

#303 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $11,412
Enrollment: 23,986

23. University of the Pacific

Stockton

For Physical Therapy

#280 in the United States

#316 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $30,975

24. California State University - San Marcos

San Marcos

For Physical Therapy

#284 in the United States

#320 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Receiving Aid: 79%
Average Aid: $10,247
Enrollment: 15,431

25. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

For Physical Therapy

#287 in the United States

#323 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Receiving Aid: 60%
Average Aid: $12,707
Enrollment: 22,485

26. Alliant International University - San Diego

San Diego

For Physical Therapy

#301 in the United States

#337 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 0%
Net Price: $25,481
Receiving Aid: 33%
Average Aid: $9,411

27. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Physical Therapy

#305 in the United States

#341 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $12,478
Enrollment: 25,080

28. Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science

Los Angeles

For Physical Therapy

#308 in the United States

#344 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Net Price: $27,789
Receiving Aid: 43%
Average Aid: $6,184

29. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Physical Therapy

#314 in the United States

#350 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $21,564
Enrollment: 19,764

30. West Los Angeles College

Culver

For Physical Therapy

#316 in the United States

#352 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 70%
Average Aid: $6,817
Enrollment: 9,299

31. Chapman University

Orange

For Physical Therapy

#331 in the United States

#367 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Average SAT: 1340
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $48,037

32. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Physical Therapy

#341 in the United States

#378 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Receiving Aid: 78%
Average Aid: $10,441
Enrollment: 26,848

33. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Physical Therapy

#347 in the United States

#385 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Net Price: $37,675
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $37,444

34. Fielding Graduate University

Santa Barbara

For Physical Therapy

#373 in the United States

#411 in North America

Enrollment: 937
Male:Female: 19:81
Founded: 1974

35. Pepperdine University

Malibu

For Physical Therapy

#377 in the United States

#416 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1350
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $52,216

36. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Physical Therapy

#379 in the United States

#419 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Average SAT: 1300
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $44,104

37. California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino

For Physical Therapy

#396 in the United States

#437 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $10,421
Enrollment: 18,925

38. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles

For Physical Therapy

#397 in the United States

#438 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Net Price: $54,471
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $21,575

39. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Physical Therapy

#400 in the United States

#441 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Average SAT: 1420
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $49,651

40. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Physical Therapy

#401 in the United States

#442 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 99%
Receiving Aid: 73%
Average Aid: $10,046
Enrollment: 6,156

41. Southern California University of Health Sciences

Whittier

For Physical Therapy

#409 in the United States

#450 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $26,443
Receiving Aid: 67%
Average Aid: $10,217

42. Samuel Merritt University

Oakland

For Physical Therapy

#411 in the United States

#452 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Enrollment: 1,894
Male:Female: 21:79
Founded: 1909

43. California State University - Chico

Chico

For Physical Therapy

#416 in the United States

#457 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Receiving Aid: 73%
Average Aid: $10,331
Enrollment: 14,523

44. Azusa Pacific University

Azusa

For Physical Therapy

#464 in the United States

#511 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1154
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $26,117

45. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson

For Physical Therapy

#477 in the United States

#524 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $11,074
Enrollment: 15,181

46. California State University - Monterey Bay

Seaside

For Physical Therapy

#494 in the United States

#541 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Receiving Aid: 79%
Average Aid: $10,480
Enrollment: 6,742

47. Dominican University of California

San Rafael

For Physical Therapy

#516 in the United States

#563 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Average SAT: 1181
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $51,292

48. Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey

For Physical Therapy

#526 in the United States

#575 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Enrollment: 2,600
Male:Female: 79:21
Founded: 1909

49. Pomona College

Claremont

For Physical Therapy

#530 in the United States

#579 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $17,423

50. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Physical Therapy

#546 in the United States

#596 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Receiving Aid: 85%
Average Aid: $24,868
Enrollment: 9,147

51. California State University - East Bay

Hayward

For Physical Therapy

#550 in the United States

#600 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $10,886
Enrollment: 13,333

52. Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park

For Physical Therapy

#584 in the United States

#634 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $8,546
Enrollment: 5,990

53. Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

San Diego

For Physical Therapy

#614 in the United States

#665 in North America

Enrollment: 48
Male:Female: 37:63

54. California Lutheran University

Thousand Oaks

For Physical Therapy

#635 in the United States

#687 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1227
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $27,080

55. Saybrook University

Oakland

For Physical Therapy

#638 in the United States

#690 in North America

Enrollment: 1,055
Male:Female: 16:84
Founded: 1971

56. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield

For Physical Therapy

#641 in the United States

#694 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $12,437
Enrollment: 9,787

57. University of the West

Rosemead

For Physical Therapy

#652 in the United States

#706 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $11,137
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $13,807

58. Claremont Graduate University

Claremont

For Physical Therapy

#655 in the United States

#709 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 1,763
Male:Female: 40:60
Founded: 1925

59. Point Loma Nazarene University

San Diego

For Physical Therapy

#658 in the United States

#712 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 1275
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $36,370

60. Marshall B Ketchum University

Fullerton

For Physical Therapy

#679 in the United States

#736 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Enrollment: 686
Male:Female: 27:73
Founded: 1904

61. Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Physical Therapy

#689 in the United States

#748 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Net Price: $39,401
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $2,599

62. Touro University California

Vallejo

For Physical Therapy

#699 in the United States

#758 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Enrollment: 1,090
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1997

63. California Baptist University

Riverside

For Physical Therapy

#708 in the United States

#768 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Net Price: $28,596
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $23,828

64. Master's University and Seminary

Santa Clarita

For Physical Therapy

#727 in the United States

#787 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Net Price: $33,463
Receiving Aid: 87%
Average Aid: $15,528

65. California State University Maritime Academy

Vallejo

For Physical Therapy

#736 in the United States

#797 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 99%
Receiving Aid: 66%
Average Aid: $11,063
Enrollment: 805

66. West Coast University - Orange County

Anaheim

For Physical Therapy

#771 in the United States

#836 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $36,263
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $2,938

Closest to California states to learn Physical Therapy

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Nevada	3	141
Oregon	13	30
Utah	7	25
Arizona	6	46
Idaho	3	194
Washington	15	2
Colorado	16	51
New Mexico	3	93
Montana	3	177
Nebraska	7	105
South Dakota	6	241
Kansas	8	70
Texas	51	34
Oklahoma	7	106
North Dakota	3	203
Minnesota	13	12
Iowa	9	24
Missouri	20	21
Arkansas	8	113
Louisiana	12	90
Wisconsin	16	14
Illinois	30	11
Mississippi	6	138
Indiana	17	38
Michigan	17	5
Tennessee	20	60
Alabama	17	22
Kentucky	10	50
Ohio	27	20
Georgia	22	32
West Virginia	6	85
South Carolina	11	39
North Carolina	22	9
Virginia	20	40
Pennsylvania	52	4
Florida	24	8
District of Columbia	6	75
Maryland	13	3
New York	64	18
New Jersey	14	47
Vermont	3	67
Hawaii	4	151
Connecticut	14	16
Massachusetts	37	1
New Hampshire	6	118
Rhode Island	4	43
Maine	5	276
Puerto Rico	5	413