by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2025, College Factual analyzed 60 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Physical Therapy/Therapist Doctor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 2,898 doctor's degrees in physical therapy/therapist to qualified students.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
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. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
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.
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.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Physical Therapy/Therapist Doctor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for physical therapy/therapist students seeking a a doctor's degree. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
Duke University is a wonderful choice for individuals interested in a doctor's degree in physical therapy/therapist. Located in the large city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from Duke University
Any student who is interested in a doctor's degree in physical therapy/therapist has to look into University of Florida. Located in the midsize city of Gainesville, UF is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from University of Florida
It is hard to beat Medical University of South Carolina if you want to pursue a doctor's degree in physical therapy/therapist. Located in the medium-sized city of Charleston, MUSC is a public university with a small student population.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from Medical University of South Carolina
Shenandoah University is a great choice for individuals interested in a doctor's degree in physical therapy/therapist. Shenandoah is a small private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Winchester.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from Shenandoah University
U Miami is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Coral Gables.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from University of Miami
NUS Florida is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Fort Lauderdale.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from Nova Southeastern University
Located in the large city of Atlanta, Emory is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from Emory University
Belmont is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Nashville.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from Belmont University
Located in the midsize city of Richmond, VCU is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from Virginia Commonwealth University
UTHSC is a small public university located in the city of Memphis.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from The University of Tennessee - Health Science Center
UNC Chapel Hill is a very large public university located in the city of Chapel Hill.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Located in the medium-sized city of Birmingham, UAB is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical therapy/therapist from University of Alabama at Birmingham
Here are some additional great schools for Physical Therapy/Therapist students in the Southeast Region that almost earned our Best Physical Therapy/Therapist Doctor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | University of Kentucky | Lexington, KY |
| 14 | Marymount University | Arlington, VA |
| 15 | Samford University | Birmingham, AL |
| 16 | Florida Gulf Coast University | Fort Myers, FL |
| 17 | West Virginia University | Morgantown, WV |
| 18 | East Carolina University | Greenville, NC |
| 19 | Marshall University | Huntington, WV |
| 20 | Bellarmine University | Louisville, KY |
Explore the best physical therapy/therapist colleges for a specific state in the Southeast Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 217 | 468 |
| North Carolina | 190 | 426 |
| Georgia | 190 | 291 |
| Virginia | 182 | 390 |
| Mississippi | 154 | 81 |
| Tennessee | 150 | 305 |
| Louisiana | 146 | 100 |
| Alabama | 139 | 150 |
| South Carolina | 135 | 88 |
| Kentucky | 119 | 170 |
| Arkansas | 74 | 150 |
| West Virginia | 61 | 128 |
Physical Therapy/Therapist is one of 16 different types of Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Occupational Therapy | 691 |
| Rehabilitation Science | 14 |
| Other Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 8 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling | 3 |
