2026 Best Value Physical Therapy Technician/Assistant Schools in Iowa
[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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for physical therapy technician/assistant students.
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2026 Best Value Physical Therapy Technician/Assistant Schools in Iowa
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the physical therapy technician/assistant degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Physical Therapy Technician/Assistant Schools
Indian Hills Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value physical therapy technician/assistant schools in Iowa. Indian Hills Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Ottumwa. Students from in state pay about $5,040 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,120. Typical student debt for physical therapy technician/assistant graduates is $19,316. Early-career physical therapy technician/assistant graduates make about $36,313. That is a strong return on a $19,316 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at North Iowa Area Community College earned it the #2 place for physical therapy technician/assistant. Located in the rural area of Mason City, North Iowa Area Community College is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,653, while out-of-state students pay about $9,551. Typical student debt for physical therapy technician/assistant graduates is $17,000. Early-career physical therapy technician/assistant graduates make about $44,455. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Iowa Tech Community College earned it the #3 place for physical therapy technician/assistant. Western Iowa Tech Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Sioux City. In-state tuition and fees average $5,186, with out-of-state students paying around $5,330. Students borrow a median of $13,750 to complete the physical therapy technician/assistant program here. Early-career physical therapy technician/assistant graduates make about $37,483. That is a strong return on a $13,750 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Kirkwood Community College earned it the #4 place for physical therapy technician/assistant. Kirkwood Community College is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Rapids. In-state tuition and fees average $6,176, while out-of-state students pay about $8,220. Typical student debt for physical therapy technician/assistant graduates is $18,616. Physical Therapy Technician/assistant graduates of Kirkwood Community College earn a median of $33,912 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $18,616 median debt.
Hawkeye Community College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value physical therapy technician/assistant schools. Hawkeye Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Waterloo. In-state tuition and fees average $6,525, with out-of-state students paying around $6,612. Typical student debt for physical therapy technician/assistant graduates is $20,716. Early-career physical therapy technician/assistant graduates make about $39,614. That is a strong return on a $20,716 median debt.
Mercy College Of Health Sciences earned the #6 position for value in physical therapy technician/assistant this year. Mercy College Of Health Sciences is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Des Moines. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,664. Typical student debt for physical therapy technician/assistant graduates is $32,929. Soon after graduation, physical therapy technician/assistant degree recipients from Mercy College Of Health Sciences generally make around $62,029. Set against $32,929 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 100% of applicants are accepted.
More Physical Therapy Technician/Assistant Rankings
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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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
