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2025 Best Physical Therapy/Therapist Doctor's Degree Schools in California

12 Colleges in California
1,677 Doctor's Degrees
If you pursue a doctor's degree in physical therapy/therapist, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #4 most popular program in the country. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.

In 2025, College Factual analyzed 12 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Physical Therapy/Therapist Doctor's Degree Schools in California ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 1,677 doctor's degrees in physical therapy/therapist to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Physical Therapy/Therapist School for Your Doctor's Degree

Best Physical Therapy/Therapist Doctor's Degree Schools in California Your choice of physical therapy/therapist for getting your doctor's degree school matters. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:

Quality Overall Is Important

The overall quality of a doctor's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Doctor's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for physical therapy/therapist students working on their doctor's degree.

More Ways to Rank Physical Therapy/Therapist Schools

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Physical Therapy Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Physical Therapy/Therapist Doctor's Degree Schools in California list, to help you choose the best school for you.

Best Schools for Doctorate Students to Study Physical Therapy/Therapist in California

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a doctor's degree in physical therapy/therapist.

10 Top California Schools for a Doctorate in Physical Therapy

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
141 Annual Graduates

It is hard to beat University of Southern California if you want to pursue a doctor's degree in physical therapy/therapist. USC is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Los Angeles.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from University of Southern California

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
48 Annual Graduates

Samuel Merritt University is one of the best schools in the country for getting a doctor's degree in physical therapy/therapist. Located in the large city of Oakland, Samuel Merritt University is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from Samuel Merritt University

3
Loma Linda University crest
Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, CA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
113 Annual Graduates

It is hard to beat Loma Linda University if you want to pursue a doctor's degree in physical therapy/therapist. Located in the large suburb of Loma Linda, Loma Linda University is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from Loma Linda University

4
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
33 Annual Graduates

Mount Saint Mary's University is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a doctor's degree in physical therapy/therapist. Located in the city of Los Angeles, MSMU is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from Mount Saint Mary’s University

5
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
31 Annual Graduates

CSULB is a fairly large public university located in the city of Long Beach.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from California State University - Long Beach

6
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
69 Annual Graduates

Azusa Pacific is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Azusa.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from Azusa Pacific University

7
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
33 Annual Graduates

Pacific is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Stockton.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from University of the Pacific

8
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
37 Annual Graduates

SDSU is a very large public university located in the city of San Diego.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from San Diego State University

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
80 Annual Graduates

Chapman is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the city of Orange.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from Chapman University

10
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
21 Annual Graduates

Located in the large city of Sacramento, Sac State is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from California State University - Sacramento

Best Physical Therapy/Therapist Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best Physical Therapy/Therapist Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Washington 216 131
Oregon 145 94
Nevada 111 83

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Physical Therapy/Therapist is one of 16 different types of Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions programs to choose from.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Occupational Therapy 444
Rehabilitation Science 4
Art Therapy 2

Notes and References

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