20 Cheapest DPT Programs. This article will examine the most effective and cheapest DPT programs. To become a professional physical therapist, you will almost probably require a degree.
With the abundance of low-cost DPT programs available today, it is easier than ever to pay for college and enhance your physiotherapy profession.
DPT programs are designed for students who wish to become highly educated healthcare professionals specializing in the prevention and management of pain, injury, disability, and impairment. It serves as the basis for future research and study in the discipline.
They are taught how to aid people with various problems and how to overcome hurdles. Employers recognize the critical thinking and analytical skills developed by physical therapists. The program teaches students to examine, explore, and critique treatment and therapy plans. They learn how to manage and treat concerns such as back discomfort, automobile accidents, and bone fractures, among others.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, physical therapy is one of the leading healthcare vocations, with a projected 34% increase in jobs and an annual median wage of $84,000. Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) curriculum must be completed in an entry-level or transitional graduate degree program.
The Transitional DPT is designed for physical therapists who are already employed, whereas the entry-level DPT curriculum needs between three and four years of study, including clinical experience. The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) assesses DPT programs to ensure that they adhere to best practices and provide students with quality educational experiences.
What is DPT Programs
A physical therapy qualifying degree is a Doctor of Physical Therapy program (DPT program) or Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT) degree.
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program educates students to function as competent, caring, and ethical physical therapists in a range of healthcare settings.
Graduates will have superior critical thinking, communication, patient education, advocacy, practice management, and research skills.
Students who successfully complete the program will receive a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree, allowing them to sit for the national board test that leads to state licensure as a Physical Therapist.
What is the duration of The Cheapest DPT Programs?
Your physical therapy program will last between two and three years, in addition to the four years required to earn your undergraduate degree.
All of these years of schooling make acquiring a degree in physical therapy a considerable undertaking. Nevertheless, physical therapy school is typically a profitable investment due to the high earning potential that justifies the financial and time commitments.
To be admitted into a physical therapy program, you must have a bachelor’s degree, and many programs demand that you have taken a particular number of science and health-related courses during your undergraduate education.
Previously, students may choose between a master’s degree in physical therapy (MPT) and a doctoral degree in physical therapy (DPT); however, all recognized physical therapist schools are now doctoral level.
When to enroll to the Cheapest DPT Programs?
The application deadlines for the Cheapest DPT Programs vary widely among institutions. Check the websites of individual physical therapy schools for application deadlines.
The PTCAS website lists physical therapy programs, including application deadlines, entrance requirements, certifications awarded, fees, etc.
Typically, applications are due one year before to the year of enrollment. Always submit your application as soon as feasible.
Applying early can help you avoid delays, ensure prompt processing, and improve your admissions prospects for schools with rolling admissions.
List of the cheapest DPT Programs
The following institutions provide the cheapest DPT programs:
- University of Iowa
- Virginia Commonwealth University School Of Allied Professions
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Ohio State University
- University of California-San Francisco
- Regis University Rueckert-Hartman College For Health Professions.
- University of Florida
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
- Texas Woman’S University
- Kansas University Medical Center
- University of Oklahoma health science center
- University of Nebraska
- University of Illinois
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- University of Colorado Anschutz
- University of Kentucky
- University of Central Arkansas
- University of North Carolina
- University of New England
- University of Washington-seattle
Cheapest DPT Programs
1. University Of Iowa
Cheapest DPT Programs
The Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa Health Care provides a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at its Iowa City campus. Each academic year, around 40 students are enrolled in a CAPTE-accredited program.
The curriculum consists of classes on human anatomy, pathology, kinesiology, and pathomechanics, neuroanatomy, physical therapy and administrative management, pharmacology, adult and pediatric physical therapy, and clinical practice.
This organization At the request of the United States Army, the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree was founded in 1942, and it succeeded the Master of Physical Therapy degree in 2003.
Tuition: $58,042 (Resident); $113,027 (Non-Resident) (Non Resident).
2. Virginia Commonwealth University School Of Allied Professions
Cheapest DPT Programs
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Virginia Commonwealth University, which is certified by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), can be completed in three years.
The curriculum includes kinesiology, anatomy, pharmacology, rehabilitation elements, orthopaedics, and clinical education.
Clinical education can be performed at any of the nation’s 210 available clinical sites. There are various scholarships through the School of Allied Professionals.
In 1941, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) began offering a master’s degree in physical therapy, and the program has since developed exponentially.
Tuition: $44,940 (Resident); $95,800 (Non-Resident) (Non Resident).
3. University Of Wisconsin-Madison
Cheapest DPT Programs
US News and World Report placed this entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of Wisconsin-School of Medicine and Public Health as the #28 Best Physical Therapy Program in the nation.
The curriculum includes human anatomy, neuromuscular mechanics, physical therapy foundations, prostheses, and a clinical internship with an emphasis on diagnosis and intervention. Depending on their prior degrees, students may be needed to complete prerequisite coursework.
The first class of the School of Medicine and Public Health graduated in 1908, and the physical therapy department was established in 1926.
The DPT program is accredited by CAPTE, and there are now 119 students enrolled.
Tuition: $52,877 (Resident); $107,850 (Non-Resident) (Non Resident).
4. Ohio State University
Cheapest DPT Programs
With over 60 years of expertise training students for successful careers in PT, Ohio State’s doctor of physical therapy degree program is among the world’s finest.
If you are already a physical therapist, Ohio State offers a number of robust alternatives for post-professional study. In collaboration with other programs at the OSU Wexner Medical Center and other clinics, they presently offer five clinical residency programs.
Included in these residencies are Orthopaedic, Neurologic, Pediatric, Geriatric, Sports Medicine, and Women’s Health. Clinical fellowships in Orthopaedic Manual, Performing Arts, and Upper Extremity may help advance your career.
Tuition: $53,586 (Resident); $119,925 (Non-Resident) (Non Resident).
5. University of California-San Francisco
Cheapest DPT Programs
This school offers a three-year Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and is ranked #20 on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the Best Physical Therapy Programs. The UCSF and San Francisco State University (SFSU) DPT program is approved by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTHE) (CAPTE).
The University of California-San Francisco Medical Center was created in 1864 by a surgeon from South Carolina who had moved west during the 1849 California Gold Rush.
After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the original hospital and its affiliates provided care for the casualties. In 1949, the California Board of Regents established an academic medical program that has since developed into the renowned medical center it is today.
Cost of tuition is $33,660.
6. Regis University Rueckert-Hartman College For Health Professions
Cheapest DPT Programs
The Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions (RHCHP) provides creative and active degree and certificate programs that will prepare you for a variety of occupations in the health professions.
As a graduate of the RHCHP, you will enter the healthcare workforce with cutting-edge knowledge that is indispensable in today’s dynamic healthcare environments.
Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions (RHCHP) consists of three schools and two divisions: Nursing, Pharmacy, and Physical Therapy, as well as Counseling and Family Therapy and Health Services Education.
Our innovative and active degree and certificate programs are designed to prepare you for a variety of health professions occupations.
Cost of Education: $90,750
7. University Of Florida
Cheapest DPT Programs
The College of Public Health and Health Professions at the University of Florida offers this CAPTE-accredited, two-year entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Included in the program are conventional courses in pathophysiology, anatomy, exercise physiology, and differential diagnosis. In addition, the curriculum calls for 32 weeks of clinical internship followed by several weeks of part-time clinical practice.
The program began in 1953 to teach physical therapists at the undergraduate level and was approved in 1997 to offer the graduate entry-level degree.
This degree maintains a strong first-time board pass rate of 91.3%, placing it at #10 on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the Best Physical Therapy Programs.
Cost of tuition: $45,444 (resident); $63,924 (non-resident (Non Resident).
8. University Of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Cheapest DPT Programs
This institution’s Division of Physical Therapy develops scholarly, collaborative physical therapists and rehabilitation scientists who promote health care and disease prevention for diverse populations throughout Minnesota and beyond.
In 1941, the Division of Physical Therapy at the University of Minnesota began as a certificate program. It added a bachelor’s degree program in 1946, a master’s degree program in 1997, and a doctoral program in 2002. All students who successfully complete the program receive a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree (DPT).
Tuition: $71,168 (Resident); $119,080 (Non-Resident) (Non Resident).
9. Texas Woman’S University
Cheapest DPT Programs
The entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy degree is offered at both the Houston and Dallas campuses of Texas Woman’s University.
In an effort to enhance the number of academic physical therapy professors to satisfy the profession’s growing demand, the institution also offers a DPT to Ph.D. program.
Students must have completed necessary courses in chemistry, physics, anatomy and physiology, college algebra, medical terminology, and psychology, and earn a bachelor’s degree.
Tuition: $35,700 (Resident); $74,000 (Non-Resident) (Non Resident).
10. Kansas University Medical Center
Cheapest DPT Programs
The mission of the doctoral program in physical therapy at KU is to produce compassionate physical therapists with the highest level of clinical expertise and knowledge, who are prepared to enhance the dignity and quality of the human experience by optimizing movement and maximizing functional potential.
The Kansas University Medical Center School of Health Professions houses the physical therapy program, which was established in 1943 in response to a national polio outbreak.
The degree is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, and the DPT is ranked #20 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report as the Best Physical Therapy Program.
Tuition $70,758 (Residency); $125,278 (Non Resident).
11. University of Oklahoma health science center
Cheapest DPT Programs
Students will get a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree after completing 108 credit hours of curriculum in physical therapy principles, clinical anatomy, concepts in rehabilitation sciences, differential diagnosis, evidence-based practice, pathology, and clinical education. This school is accredited by CAPTE and ranks #46 among the Best Physical Therapy Programs by U.S. News & World Report.
The University of Oklahoma was founded in Enid, Oklahoma, in 1890, and the Health Sciences program began in 1970. Currently, the institution offers programs in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Estimated Tuition Cost: $37,800
12. University of Nebraska
Cheapest DPT Programs
The Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the College of Allied Health Professions at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) is CAPTE-accredited and ranked #28 by U.S. News and World Report. Curriculum topics include, among others, anatomy, physiology, musculoskeletal physical therapy, pathophysiology, orthotics and prosthetics, differential diagnosis, and critical thinking. The second and third semesters of study must incorporate a clinical education component.
The medical center was founded in Omaha in 1881 and has since grown to include 11 departments: College of Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, College of Dentistry, College of Public Health, Graduate College, College of Allied Health Professions, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, Munroe-Meyer Institute, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, and College of Allied Health Professions.
Estimated Tuition Cost: $45,690 (Resident); $88,495 (Non Resident)
13. University of Illinois
Cheapest DPT Programs
A Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at the entry level. Introduction to physical therapy, gross anatomy, applied kinesiology, therapeutic appliances, neuromuscular dysfunction, clinical applications, and clinical internships are among the topics covered in these courses.
This eight-semester curriculum is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) and prepares students to work with a variety of pediatric, geriatric, and adult patients. The institution has a 97.7% pass record on the national physical therapy board test.
The College of Applied Health Sciences was founded in 1913, while the Physical Therapy program was established in 1971. The University of Illinois-Chicago DPT program was ranked #6 in U.S. News and World Report’s list of the Best Physical Therapy programs, and the university was placed #78 among the Top Public Schools. The institution, located in Chicago, enrolls more than 29,000 students.
14. University of Wisconsin-Madison
Cheapest DPT Programs
This entry-level eDoctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of Wisconsin-School Madison’s of Medicine and Public Health was ranked #28 by U.S. News & World Report as a Best Physical Therapy Program.
The program focuses on diagnosis and treatment, and the curriculum includes human anatomy, neuromuscular mechanics, physical therapy foundations, prosthetics, and a clinical internship. Depending on their prior degree, students may be required to take prerequisite classes.
The School of Medicine and Public Health conferred its first diploma in 1908, while the physical therapy program dates back to 1926. The DPT program currently enrolls 119 students and is accredited by the CAPTE. In 2017, U.S. News and World Report’s list of National Universities ranked the University of Wisconsin-Madison among the top 50.
Estimated Tuition Cost: $52,877 (Resident); $107,850 (Non Resident)
15. University of Colorado Anschutz
Cheapest DPT Programs
This is the first doctoral level in physical therapy A CAPTE-accredited Doctor of Physical Therapy program that can be completed in three years. The curriculum requires clinical education, advanced patient care, clinical reasoning, and integrated clinical experience in addition to the normal curriculum of anatomy, neuromuscular disorders, and physiology, etc.
The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado, is the biggest academic health institution in the Rocky Mountain region and contains two of the nation’s Top Hospitals, according to U.S. News & World Report. The DPT program is ranked #15 by U.S. News and World Report’s Best Physical Therapy Program and began in 1948 as a certificate program, giving a bachelor’s degree in 1952, and the DPT degree since 2007 to the present.
Estimated Tuition Cost: $55,796 (Resident); $116,696 (Non Resident)
16. University of Kentucky
Cheapest DPT Programs
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences was ranked #18 among the Best Physical Therapy Programs by U.S. News and World Report. The nine-semester curriculum includes both traditional coursework and clinical internships at one of the college’s associated 29 national and international clinical sites.
Both the University of Kentucky’s Lexington campus and the Center of Excellence in Rural Health in Hazard, Kentucky offer courses. The university in Frankfort, Kentucky was founded in 1865, has an enrolment of nearly 29,000 students, and is ranked 133rd among national universities by U.S. News and World Report.
Estimated Tuition Cost: $56,676 (Resident); $135,225 (Non Resident)
17. University of Central Arkansas
Cheapest DPT Programs
Accredited by CAPTE to grant a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. The curriculum will consist of gross anatomy, human physiology, neurology, kinesiology, pathology, musculoskeletal physical therapy, cardiopulmonary concepts and practice, research, and an educational practicum.
Graduates who successfully complete the program will be qualified to take the national board exam and become licensed physical therapists. Students from Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas are eligible for in-state tuition rates at the university.
The Higher Learning Commission has accredited UCA, which is ranked #53 in U.S. News and World Report’s Best Physical Therapy Programs and #53 in U.S. News and World Report’s Regional Universities and #24 in its Top Public Schools. The University of Central Arkansas, founded in Conway, Arkansas in 1907, enrolls more than 11,000 students.
18. University of North Carolina
Cheapest DPT Programs
This graduate program leads to a Ph.D. in physical therapy. The three-year entry-level program involves 114 credit hours of didactic and clinical study, as well as a minimum of 36 weeks of clinical rotation. Additionally, UNC-Chapel Hill provides a Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy degree for licensed physical therapists. This degree is offered part-time and can be completed via remote learning.
Since 1952, the Department of Allied Health Sciences at the University of North Carolina has included physical therapy in its curriculum. This program is ranked #15 in U.S. News and World Report’s Best Physical Therapy Program; and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill has received high marks from U.S. News and World Report in the categories of Best Colleges for Veterans, National Universities, Best Value Schools, and Top Public Schools. The institution was established in 1789 and currently enrolls more than 29,000 students.
Estimated Tuition Cost: $51,000 (Residents); $95,000 (Non Residents)
19. University of New England
Cheapest DPT Programs
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of New England, which is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), has been listed in the top 100 of U.S. News & World Report’s nationwide Best Physical Therapy Programs.
This requires eight semesters of study in gross anatomy, the musculoskeletal system, psychosocial aspects of disabilities and injuries, physical therapy treatment, public policy and management, and clinical practicum experiences.
The University of New England, based in Biddeford, Maine, was established in 1831 as a private college offering more than 30 undergraduate and 13 graduate degrees. UNE has been placed #80 in Regional Universities North and #44 in Top Schools for Veterans by U.S. News and World Report.
Estimated Total Tuition Cost $64,680
20. University of Washington-seattle
Cheapest DPT Programs
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of Washington is accredited by CAPTE and ranked #28 in the nation by U.S. News and World Report among the Best Physical Therapy Programs.
The DPT curriculum comprises courses on anatomy, physiology, neurophysiology, etc., as well as diseases and diagnoses in rehabilitation, the biomechanical basis of exercise, and kinesiology for rehabilitation. The final three quarters of this DPT program are dedicated to clinical internships.
In 1861, the University of Washington in Seattle was founded as the Territorial University of Washington in Seattle. The university is ranked #54 among National Universities and #16 among Top Public Schools by U.S. News and World Report. With more than 45,000 students enrolled, the university’s 19 colleges house 140 academic departments.
FAQs about Cheapest DPT Programs
Are there cheapest DPT programs out-of-state?
Yes, a number of universities offer low-cost DPT programs to out-of-state students.
Which DPT programs are the most affordable?
University Of Wisconsin-Madison, Ohio State University, Kansas University Medical Center, University Of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Regis University, and Rueckert-Hartman College For Health Professions provide the least expensive DPT programs.
Which DPT programs are easiest to get into?
University of Iowa. The university of Iowa tops our list of easiest PT schools to get into. ...
University of Delaware. ...
Baylor university. ...
University of Washington. ...
University of Miami. ...
University of Pittsburgh.
Can you get into PT school with a 2.7 GPA?
You must meet each school's admission requirements to be considered for admission, and most schools list a minimum GPA of 3.0 as one of their requirements.
Is a 3.5 GPA good for PT school?
Most students accepted to DPT programs have a GPA of 3.5 or better. What doesn't matter so much is your undergraduate major. There is no single, specific major that leads into PT school. As long as your degree program allows you to take the classes listed above, it will be fine
Why is chemistry required for physical therapy?
Physical therapists use chemistry in order to understand the reactions that occur in the body that effect muscle movements.
Conclusion Cheapest DPT Programs
Physical therapy is one of the leading careers in healthcare, with a projected 34% increase in employment and an annual median compensation of $84,000.
The Doctor of Physical Therapy degree requires graduate courses from either an entry-level or transitional degree program (DPT). If you aspire to become a professional in this sector, why not take advantage of the best affordable DPT programs mentioned above?