2026 Best Value Physical Therapy Technician/Assistant Schools in New Jersey

[Physical Therapy Technician/Assistant](/majors/health-care-professions/allied-health-medical-assisting-services/physical-therapy-technician-assistant/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value physical therapy technician/assistant schools.
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2026 Best Value Physical Therapy Technician/Assistant Schools in New Jersey
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in physical therapy technician/assistant, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Physical Therapy Technician/Assistant Schools
Essex County College tops our 2026 list of the best value physical therapy technician/assistant schools in New Jersey. Located in the city of Newark, Essex County College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,415, with out-of-state students paying around $9,523. Students borrow a median of $25,125 to complete the physical therapy technician/assistant program here. Physical Therapy Technician/assistant graduates of Essex County College earn a median of $54,592 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes Mercer County Community College one of the best values for physical therapy technician/assistant. Set in the rural area of West Windsor, Mercer County Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,310, compared with $9,174 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for physical therapy technician/assistant graduates is $12,250. Soon after graduation, physical therapy technician/assistant degree recipients from Mercer County Community College generally make around $45,389. That is a strong return on a $12,250 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Union County College earned it the #3 place for physical therapy technician/assistant. Union County College is a large public school located in the suburb of Cranford. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,280, compared with $9,500 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for physical therapy technician/assistant graduates is $26,000. Physical Therapy Technician/assistant graduates of Union County College earn a median of $48,332 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Gloucester County College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in physical therapy technician/assistant, landing the #4 spot this year. Gloucester County College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Sewell. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,160, while out-of-state students pay about $6,000. Physical Therapy Technician/assistant graduates carry a median of $13,236 in student loans. Early-career physical therapy technician/assistant graduates make about $38,274. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.