Physical Therapy · California

Physical Therapy colleges in California

CampusPin lists 320 U.S. colleges in California that offer Physical Therapy programs. Compare tuition, acceptance rate, and enrollment in the table below, every figure links back to the institution's official IPEDS data.

Physical therapy trains you to evaluate why movement breaks down after injury or illness and to restore function through hands-on treatment and guided exercise.

Schools in California that offer Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy programs in California: by the numbers

A quick comparison of the 50 schools (of 320 total) listed above, drawn from each institution's published IPEDS data.

Schools listed

320

Public / private

15 / 35

Universities / 2-year

38 / 12

Cities represented

34

In-state tuition range

$1,104–$63,255

Median in-state tuition

$15,977

Lowest published in-state tuition

Barstow Community College

$1,104

Most selective

California Institute of Technology

3% acceptance

Largest by enrollment

Ashford University

31,389 students

Figures reflect the schools currently listed and each institution's most recent reported data. Verify current tuition and admissions details with the school before applying.

What you'll study in a Physical Therapy program

  • Human anatomy and physiology with cadaver or applied lab work
  • Kinesiology and biomechanics of normal and impaired movement
  • Neuroscience and neurological rehabilitation methods
  • Exercise physiology and therapeutic exercise prescription
  • Patient examination, clinical evaluation, and measurement techniques
  • Manual therapy and gait, balance, and mobility retraining
  • Biophysical agents and assistive and rehabilitation technology
  • Clinical reasoning, care-plan development, and patient documentation
  • Supervised clinical rotations across rehabilitation settings

Where a Physical Therapy degree can lead

  • Physical Therapist
  • Sports Physical Therapist
  • Orthopedic Physical Therapist
  • Neurological Physical Therapist
  • Geriatric Physical Therapist
  • Rehabilitation Specialist

Typical pay: Early-career wages vary by employer, region, and experience (BLS, 2024 physical therapists median $101,020).

Physical therapy is the study of how the human body moves and why that movement breaks down after injury, surgery, illness, or aging, and how to restore it. Students learn to examine a patient, identify the source of pain or limited function, and design a plan of care that rebuilds strength, mobility, balance, and endurance. The coursework leans heavily on the sciences that explain movement: human anatomy, physiology, exercise physiology, kinesiology, biomechanics, and neuroscience, layered with pathology, pharmacology, and clinical reasoning so a future therapist can connect a diagnosis to a treatment. Alongside the science, students practice the hands-on side of the work, manual techniques, therapeutic exercise, gait and balance retraining, and the use of biophysical agents, while also learning to communicate clearly, document care, and apply professional ethics. Unlike sports medicine or athletic training, which focus on athletes and acute field care, or occupational therapy, which centers on daily-living and self-care tasks, physical therapy concentrates on movement, mobility, and the musculoskeletal and neurological systems across the whole lifespan.

Becoming a practicing physical therapist requires a clinical doctorate, not just an undergraduate degree; many students complete a bachelor's degree with prerequisite science courses and then enter a graduate professional program that grants a doctoral credential. That professional program combines classroom science with laboratory practice and supervised clinical rotations, where students treat real patients in different settings before they graduate, and it typically ends with full-time clinical fieldwork rather than a written thesis. Practice as a physical therapist requires a state license earned by passing a national examination, and prospective students should verify both a program's accreditation and their state's licensing rules, which can vary. Graduates work across many environments, outpatient orthopedic and sports clinics, hospitals and inpatient rehabilitation units, skilled nursing and home-health settings, pediatric and school-based services, and neurological recovery programs, and the field also includes supporting roles such as physical therapist assistants, who carry out treatment plans under a therapist's direction.

In federal data for the closely related occupation of physical therapists, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median wage of $101,020 and projects employment to grow about 10.9% from 2024 to 2034; a doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education for that occupation. National figures are occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages or graduate outcomes.

Physical Therapy in other states

Other majors in California

Find more Physical Therapy schools

Use CampusPin's filter-first search to narrow 320+ Physical Therapy programs in California by tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting.

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