How to become a physical therapist

The six steps to become a physical therapist

Every state requires physical therapists to be licensed, and the license requires a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) from a CAPTE-accredited program plus a passing score on the national exam.^{[ooh_pt][capte_degree]}

1. Earn a bachelor's degree with the science prerequisites. DPT programs typically require a bachelor's degree and courses such as anatomy, chemistry and physics.^[ooh_pt_how]
2. Apply to CAPTE-accredited DPT programs. Programs averaged 298 applicants for 45 enrolled students in CAPTE's 2025 data, so most applicants apply to several. The DPT is the only entry-level PT degree.^{[capte_agg][capte_degree]}
3. Complete the DPT. DPT programs accredited by CAPTE last 122.4 weeks on average, about three years, including roughly 35 weeks of full-time clinical education.^[capte_agg]
4. Pass the NPTE. The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy charges $485 to register, and Prometric adds a $112 seat fee. In 2025, 86.3% of graduates passed on the first attempt and 93% eventually.^{[fsbpt_npte][fsbpt_prom][capte_agg]}
5. Get a state license. Apply to the board of the state where you will work; California, for example, also requires its CAL-JAM law module.^{[ooh_pt][ptbc_caljam]} California is not a member of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact, which 38 jurisdictions are actively using (with Maine, Michigan and Rhode Island enacted but not yet live), so a PT moving to California needs a full California license.^[ptcompact]
6. Optional: residency and board certification. Residencies typically last about a year and train you in a specialty; board specialist certification requires an exam and clinical work in that specialty.^[ooh_pt_how]

How long it takes to become a physical therapist

About seven years of college: four for the bachelor's and about three for the DPT, which averages 122.4 weeks (2.4 years) including about 35 weeks of full-time clinical education.^{[capte_agg][ooh_pt_how]} The NPTE and the license usually take a few more months after graduation.

Are physical therapists doctors?

Yes, physical therapists are doctors of physical therapy, but they are not physicians. Every new PT earns the Doctor of Physical Therapy, which CAPTE makes the only entry-level degree, and BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the entry education.^{[capte_degree][ooh_pt]} The DPT is a clinical doctorate in physical therapy, not a medical degree (MD or DO): PTs diagnose and treat movement problems, while physicians diagnose disease, prescribe drugs and perform surgery. Many PTs work from referrals or notes written by doctors and surgeons.^[ooh_pt] The U.S. Department of Education also does not count the DPT among the "professional degrees" such as medicine for federal loan limits.^[fr_therapy]

What it costs

The professional DPT program alone averages $74,348 at public schools for in-state students and $129,942 at private schools, not counting housing.^[capte_agg] Since July 1, 2026 federal loans for a DPT are capped at $20,500 a year and $100,000 in total, because the Department of Education did not classify physical therapy as a professional degree.^[fr_therapy] The full cost breakdown and a payback calculator are on physical therapy school cost.

Physical therapist vs physical therapist assistant

A physical therapist assistant (PTA) works under a PT's supervision after a two-year associate degree from a CAPTE-accredited program (about 73 weeks on average); the route costs $13,790 on average at a public in-district program, against $74,348 for a public DPT.^{[capte_pta][capte_agg]} At the medians, PTAs earn $68,380 and PTs $102,760, a gap of $34,380 a year; state-by-state assistant pay is on PTA salary.^{[onet_pta][onet_pt]} Length, cost and pass rates for the assistant route are on PTA programs.

PT, OT or PTA: compare the pay

OTs can enter with a master's while PTs need the DPT, and pay is close: $102,760 for PTs and $100,330 for OTs at the median.^{[ooh_ot][onet_pt][onet_ot]} The full comparison of the two jobs, schools and exams is on occupational therapy vs physical therapy, and the OT route on how to become an occupational therapist. The calculator below compares any two therapy careers in any state; all 13 therapy careers are ranked on therapist salary.

What new physical therapists earn

New graduates usually start near the lower percentiles: $77,140 at the 10th and $86,160 at the 25th, or $37.09 to $41.42 an hour.^[onet_pt] BLS projects PT jobs to grow 12% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the 3% average for all occupations. California pays the most ($124,190 median); every state is ranked on physical therapist salary.^{[ooh_pt][onet_pt]}