Compare PTA Schools Nearby

Looking for physical therapist assistant schools near you? Compare top CAPTE-accredited PTA programs and PT Aide programs in nearby cities in your state, surrounding areas and online, helping you make an informed choice based on tuition costs, graduation rates, job placement, and student reviews.

1-12 of 390 results

Albany State University

Albany, Georgia

Assistant

4.3

5,934

50%

96%

98%
Allegany College of Maryland

Cumberland, Maryland

Assistant

4.3

4,730

92%

92%

91%
Amarillo College

Amarillo, Texas

Assistant

3.9

2,136

64%

97%

99%
American Allied Health

Online

Aide

4.3

3,200

79%

88%

88%
American Career College

Anaheim, California

Assistant

4.1

9,370

98%

98%

99%
American Career College (Exp)

Ontario, California

Assistant

4.3

9,150

100%

91%

98%
Anoka Ramsey Community College

Coon Rapids, Minnesota

Assistant

3.8

5,812

98%

94%

92%
Arapahoe Community College

Castle Rock, Colorado

Assistant

4.3

4,027

56%

90%

90%
Arapahoe Community College (Exp)

Littleton, Colorado

Assistant

3.9

4,027

56%

90%

95%
Arkansas State University

State University, Arkansas

Assistant

4.1

2,928

78%

91%

98%
Arkansas Tech University-Ozark

Ozark, Arkansas

Assistant

4.6

9,070

98%

96%

100%
Ashworth College

Online

Aide

2.7

1,200

93%

96%

91%

No results found.

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FAQ: PTA Programs

Below are some frequently asked questions about physical therapist assistant programs and physical therapy aide programs.

Assistant	2 yr Associate Degree	Licensing Exam & Fees	Works directly with patients
Aide	1 yr Certificate Program	No exam or fees	Works with equipment

Although they both assist physical therapists, their duties and the training required for them differ significantly. One typically doesn’t need a license or associate degree, while the other does.

PT Assistants interact with patients more directly and have licenses. They assist patients with treatments, monitor their progress, and lead them through exercises. Before applying for your state license, you must finish a two-year associate degree from a CAPTE accredited program in order to work as a PT assistant and pass a licensing exam to apply for licensure in your state.

PT aides do not carry out clinical duties and are not required to hold a state license or receive an associate degree. They work more in the background. They don’t actually provide care; instead, they help set up equipment, clean treatment rooms, and occasionally help patients move around. The majority of aides get trained on the job, or they might take a short course that lasts a few weeks or months.

So, if you’re thinking about which path to take, PT Assistants have more responsibility, need more education, and typically earn more. Aides can get started faster and can later advance their career to become assistants, but their role is more limited. Both careers are in high demand and pay competitive healthcare salaries with high satisfaction ratings by employees.

	PT Assistant Program	PT Aide Program
CAPTE Accreditation	Required	Not Required
Clinical Experience	Required	Not Required
Program Cost	$5,500 – $20,000+	$2,000 – $3,500
Student Outcomes	Graduation, Licensing & Employment rates	Graduation & Employment rates

Yes, all of the physical therapist assistant programs on our website are CAPTE accredited. We regularly review the program accreditation data provided on the CAPTE website to update the schools in our database.

The PT Aide programs in our database however are not CAPTE accredited because accreditation is not required for these programs. Every PTA school program on our website is clearly marked as to whether or not it is CAPTE accredited and you can also verify accreditation by visiting the CAPTE website. That said, many of the PT Aide programs are DEAC (Distance Education Accrediting Commission) accredited or AMCA (American Medical Certification Association) accredited. You can see on each program listing if it is accredited or not.

Most PT Assistant associate degree programs take about 2 years to complete roughly 70 credit hours in 5 semesters with one summer session, including the required clinical hours. PT Aide certificate programs may take just a few months up to a year and do not require clinical hours.

Job prospects for physical therapist assistants (PTAs) and aides are exceptionally strong, driven primarily by the needs of an aging population and growing emphasis on rehabilitation for chronic health conditions.

Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs)

Projected growth: Employment is expected to grow 26% from 2021 to 2031, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.
Demand drivers: The aging baby-boom generation, along with chronic conditions like diabetes and obesity, will increase demand for physical therapy services.
Annual openings: Around 25,600 new PTA jobs and replacements are expected each year.

Physical Therapy Aides

Projected growth: Expected to grow by 19–24% between 2021 and 2031
bls.gov.
New openings: Approximately 8,300 aide jobs will open annually

Not at this time, but we do connect you directly with the PTA programs listed on our website. Click the green request info button to contact programs of interest for additional information on the program and application process.

Tuition varies by school and state. Community colleges typically offer the most affordable options. Many programs qualify for financial aid, scholarships, or payment plans. Click the request info button to get more information on tuition and financial aid for each program.

No. Your location is only used temporarily to find schools near you. We don’t store or share any personal or location data. Scroll down and click on privacy policy for complete details.

If no nearby schools are found, try adjusting your location settings by manually selecting your state on the dropdown menu or searching a nearby city. You can also search for online PTA programs on our website that can be accessed from anywhere.

We regularly update our school listing data using accreditation data from CAPTE. Our data on student outcomes and costs come directly from each school website as well as IPEDS. Student rating data comes from Google Listings for each school.

Nationwide data

Find a PTA School Near You

Looking into PTA programs? Our nationwide database makes your search easier. Each listing includes important details to help you find the physical therapist assistant or aide program that fits your goals — whether that’s affordability, flexibility, or career outcomes. You’ll be able to compare things like graduation rates, tuition, license exam pass rates (NPTAE), curriculum, accreditation (CAPTE), financial aid options, job placement success, online classes, and more — all in one place.

In-Person Programs

There are great CAPTE accredited PTA programs offering traditional local campus-based classroom teaching.

Online Programs

There are great online PTA programs that are non-traditional flexible programs with courses taken remotely.

Hybrid Programs

There are also some hybrid PTA programs that offer a blend of campus-based and online learning.

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Compare PTA Schools Nearby

Albany State University

Allegany College of Maryland

Amarillo College

American Allied Health

American Career College

American Career College (Exp)

Anoka Ramsey Community College

Arapahoe Community College

Arapahoe Community College (Exp)

Arkansas State University

Arkansas Tech University-Ozark

Ashworth College