31 Best Physical Therapy schools in Illinois

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Illinois ranked based on their research performance in Physical Therapy. A graph of 1.65M citations received by 42.8K academic papers made by 31 universities in Illinois 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. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Physical Therapy

#10 in the United States

#14 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,830

2. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

Champaign

For Physical Therapy

#23 in the United States

#30 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 64%

3. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Physical Therapy

#33 in the United States

#43 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 80%

4. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Physical Therapy

#55 in the United States

#68 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $28,060

5. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Physical Therapy

#158 in the United States

#181 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 1265
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $39,147

6. Rush University

Chicago

For Physical Therapy

#159 in the United States

#182 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 2,769
Male:Female: 21:79
Founded: 1972

7. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Physical Therapy

#180 in the United States

#205 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1032
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $17,375

8. Illinois State University

Normal

For Physical Therapy

#190 in the United States

#217 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1100
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 98%

9. DePaul University

Chicago

For Physical Therapy

#197 in the United States

#225 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $34,135

10. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Physical Therapy

#198 in the United States

#226 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $14,387
Enrollment: 15,414

11. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Physical Therapy

#211 in the United States

#240 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 25:75

12. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Physical Therapy

#221 in the United States

#252 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1030
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 98%

13. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Physical Therapy

#225 in the United States

#257 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 2,021
Male:Female: 39:61
Founded: 1912

14. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Physical Therapy

#251 in the United States

#285 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1310
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $24,796

15. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Physical Therapy

#317 in the United States

#353 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Average SAT: 985
Receiving Aid: 96%
Average Aid: $12,960

16. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Physical Therapy

#351 in the United States

#389 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average SAT: 1070
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 95%

17. National University of Health Sciences

Lombard

For Physical Therapy

#393 in the United States

#434 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Enrollment: 511
Male:Female: 36:64
Founded: 1906

18. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Physical Therapy

#462 in the United States

#509 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Receiving Aid: 55%
Average Aid: $14,994
Enrollment: 6,332

19. Bradley University

Peoria

For Physical Therapy

#496 in the United States

#543 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Net Price: $23,787
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $30,808

20. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Physical Therapy

#553 in the United States

#603 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Receiving Aid: 90%
Average Aid: $12,876
Enrollment: 5,734

21. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Physical Therapy

#577 in the United States

#627 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average SAT: 1035
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $22,366

22. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Physical Therapy

#583 in the United States

#633 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $18,194
Enrollment: 2,238

23. Illinois College of Optometry

Chicago

For Physical Therapy

#630 in the United States

#682 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 474
Male:Female: 26:74
Founded: 1872

24. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Physical Therapy

#641 in the United States

#693 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Average SAT: 1230
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $28,644

25. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Physical Therapy

#660 in the United States

#715 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $31,356

26. Governors State University

University Park

For Physical Therapy

#675 in the United States

#732 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Receiving Aid: 88%
Average Aid: $11,455
Enrollment: 4,397

27. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Physical Therapy

#706 in the United States

#765 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1125
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $24,629

28. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Physical Therapy

#743 in the United States

#805 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1070
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 97%

29. Concordia University - Chicago

River Forest

For Physical Therapy

#745 in the United States

#807 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Net Price: $19,073
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $26,361

30. Aurora University

Aurora

For Physical Therapy

#778 in the United States

#843 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1025
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $19,053

31. Spertus College

Chicago

For Physical Therapy

#782 in the United States

#847 in North America

Enrollment: 89
Male:Female: 38:62

Closest to Illinois states to learn Physical Therapy

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	18	38
Missouri	20	21
Iowa	9	25
Kentucky	10	50
Wisconsin	16	14
Tennessee	20	60
Ohio	27	20
Michigan	17	5
Arkansas	8	113
West Virginia	6	85
Minnesota	14	12
Mississippi	6	136
Kansas	8	71
Alabama	17	22
Virginia	21	40
Georgia	23	31
North Carolina	22	9
Oklahoma	7	106
Nebraska	7	104
South Carolina	11	39
Pennsylvania	53	4
South Dakota	6	238
District of Columbia	6	77
Louisiana	12	90
Maryland	13	3
New York	65	18
New Jersey	14	47
North Dakota	3	202
Connecticut	14	16
Texas	51	34
Vermont	3	68
Colorado	16	49
Massachusetts	37	1
Rhode Island	4	42
Florida	24	8
New Hampshire	6	118
New Mexico	3	94
Maine	5	276
Montana	3	177
Utah	7	24
Arizona	6	46
Idaho	3	194
Nevada	3	139
Oregon	13	30
Washington	15	2
California	66	6
Puerto Rico	5	411
Hawaii	4	149