53 Best Physical Therapy schools in Pennsylvania

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Pennsylvania ranked based on their research performance in Physical Therapy. A graph of 2.41M citations received by 59.8K academic papers made by 53 universities in Pennsylvania 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. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

For Physical Therapy

#4 in the United States

#5 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average SAT: 1370
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 74%

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia

For Physical Therapy

#11 in the United States

#15 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $23,570

3. Pennsylvania State University

University Park

For Physical Therapy

#28 in the United States

#36 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Average SAT: 1330
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 67%

4. Thomas Jefferson University

Philadelphia

For Physical Therapy

#69 in the United States

#82 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1245
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $29,325

5. Drexel University

Philadelphia

For Physical Therapy

#84 in the United States

#99 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1340
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $42,801

6. Temple University

Philadelphia

For Physical Therapy

#86 in the United States

#101 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $14,837
Enrollment: 29,640

7. Pennsylvania State University - College of Medicine

Hershey

For Physical Therapy

#121 in the United States

#141 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1967

8. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh

For Physical Therapy

#138 in the United States

#161 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $35,552

9. Duquesne University

Pittsburgh

For Physical Therapy

#210 in the United States

#239 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $37,917

10. Arcadia University

Glenside

For Physical Therapy

#259 in the United States

#294 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1165
Net Price: $30,037
Receiving Aid: 99%

11. California University of Pennsylvania

California

For Physical Therapy

#291 in the United States

#327 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $6,250
Enrollment: 6,885

12. Chestnut Hill College

Philadelphia

For Physical Therapy

#310 in the United States

#346 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Net Price: $28,588
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $29,590

13. University of the Sciences

Philadelphia

For Physical Therapy

#326 in the United States

#362 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Net Price: $29,948
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $14,493

14. Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg

For Physical Therapy

#328 in the United States

#364 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $6,347
Enrollment: 7,500

15. Allegheny College

Meadville

For Physical Therapy

#329 in the United States

#365 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1266
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $26,420

16. Geneva College

Beaver Falls

For Physical Therapy

#333 in the United States

#370 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $23,528
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $21,913

17. West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester

For Physical Therapy

#336 in the United States

#373 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 88%

18. Villanova University

Villanova

For Physical Therapy

#337 in the United States

#374 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Average SAT: 1453
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $37,201

19. Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Philadelphia

For Physical Therapy

#353 in the United States

#391 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 2,901
Male:Female: 36:64

20. East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg

For Physical Therapy

#357 in the United States

#395 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Average SAT: 1090
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 97%

21. University of Scranton

Scranton

For Physical Therapy

#359 in the United States

#397 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1239
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $34,234

22. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock

For Physical Therapy

#368 in the United States

#407 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 96%

23. Lehigh University

Bethlehem

For Physical Therapy

#371 in the United States

#410 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Average SAT: 1435
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $34,154

24. Saint Joseph's University

Philadelphia

For Physical Therapy

#372 in the United States

#411 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $31,205

25. King's College - Pennsylvania

Wilkes-Barre

For Physical Therapy

#373 in the United States

#412 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 1170
Net Price: $23,689
Receiving Aid: 100%

26. Saint Francis University

Loretto

For Physical Therapy

#376 in the United States

#415 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1140
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $28,326

27. Widener University

Chester

For Physical Therapy

#420 in the United States

#462 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1185
Net Price: $26,778
Receiving Aid: 100%

28. Marywood University

Scranton

For Physical Therapy

#434 in the United States

#477 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Average SAT: 1155
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $26,217

29. Misericordia University

Dallas

For Physical Therapy

#443 in the United States

#488 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Net Price: $26,747
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $27,066

30. Gannon University

Erie

For Physical Therapy

#449 in the United States

#496 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Net Price: $23,123
Receiving Aid: 85%
Average Aid: $29,799

31. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

Erie

For Physical Therapy

#474 in the United States

#521 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 4,133
Male:Female: 42:58

32. La Roche College

Pittsburgh

For Physical Therapy

#506 in the United States

#553 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1070
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $24,108

33. Chatham University

Pittsburgh

For Physical Therapy

#511 in the United States

#560 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 62%
Average SAT: 1183
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $31,280

34. Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Indiana

For Physical Therapy

#524 in the United States

#573 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1075
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 100%

35. Messiah College

Mechanicsburg

For Physical Therapy

#548 in the United States

#598 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1230
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $29,408

36. Lock Haven University

Lock Haven

For Physical Therapy

#580 in the United States

#630 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $4,862
Founded: 1870

37. Salus University

Elkins Park

For Physical Therapy

#586 in the United States

#636 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 1,106
Male:Female: 20:80
Founded: 1919

38. Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr

For Physical Therapy

#589 in the United States

#639 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $33,221

39. Lebanon Valley College

Annville

For Physical Therapy

#594 in the United States

#644 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1221
Net Price: $27,995
Receiving Aid: 100%

40. Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine

Scranton

For Physical Therapy

#600 in the United States

#650 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $23,384
Receiving Aid: 75%
Average Aid: $2,461

41. Gettysburg College

Gettysburg

For Physical Therapy

#613 in the United States

#664 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $32,769

42. Bucknell University

Lewisburg

For Physical Therapy

#617 in the United States

#668 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $39,003

43. Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Shippensburg

For Physical Therapy

#624 in the United States

#676 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $6,756

44. Swarthmore College

Swarthmore

For Physical Therapy

#628 in the United States

#680 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $22,469

45. La Salle University

Philadelphia

For Physical Therapy

#637 in the United States

#689 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Net Price: $18,069
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $30,880

46. Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown

For Physical Therapy

#653 in the United States

#707 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1208
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $27,760

47. Moravian College

Bethlehem

For Physical Therapy

#656 in the United States

#710 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Average SAT: 1178
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $31,743

48. Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

Mansfield

For Physical Therapy

#658 in the United States

#712 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $8,863
Enrollment: 1,784

49. DeSales University

Center Valley

For Physical Therapy

#664 in the United States

#719 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1175
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $31,732

50. Lafayette College

Easton

For Physical Therapy

#671 in the United States

#727 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $38,442

51. Ursinus College

Collegeville

For Physical Therapy

#677 in the United States

#734 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Average SAT: 1293
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $32,158

52. Haverford College

Haverford

For Physical Therapy

#711 in the United States

#771 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1505
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,535

53. Wilkes University

Wilkes-Barre

For Physical Therapy

#717 in the United States

#777 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1135
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $28,511

Closest to Pennsylvania states to learn Physical Therapy

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