California · Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions

Best colleges for Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions in California

Ranked by graduate earnings

University of Southern California, Loma Linda University and Stanbridge University award the most Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions degrees and certificates in California: 288, 125 and 118 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 29 California colleges offer Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions and award 3,184 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions program prepares students for careers in various health-related fields focused on improving the quality of life for individuals through therapeutic interventions. This program is ideal for…

Institutions
29
offering CIP 51.23
States offered
51
with a program page
Degrees / yr
3,184
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$17,956
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
2
College Scorecard
Median net price
$26,727
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
62%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Physical Therapists
$122,580
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 2 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles Public · Bachelor's degree
$32,8056253%—$12,812
2Fremont University
Cerritos Private for-profit · Associate degree Small program
$17,956639%$32,428$20,000

Colleges awarding the most Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions degrees in California

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1University of Southern California
Los Angeles Private not-for-profit
288Not reported
2Loma Linda University
Loma Linda Private not-for-profit
125Not reported
3Stanbridge University
Irvine Private for-profit
118Not reported
4Samuel Merritt University
Oakland Private not-for-profit
85Not reported
5San Diego State University
San Diego Public
84Not reported
6University of the Pacific
Stockton Private not-for-profit
80Not reported
7Dominican University of California
San Rafael Private not-for-profit
78Not reported
8Chapman University
Orange Private not-for-profit
76Not reported
9San Jose State University
San Jose Public
72Not reported
10California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson Public
67Not reported
Show the other 19 California colleges offering Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (Graduate only)San MarcosPrivate for-profit1,409
West Coast University - Center for Graduate Studies (Graduate only)Los AngelesPrivate for-profit110
Western University of Health Sciences (Graduate only)PomonaPrivate not-for-profit98
Azusa Pacific UniversityAzusaPrivate not-for-profit64
California State University - Los AngelesLos AngelesPublic62
California State University - FresnoFresnoPublic52
University of California-San Francisco (Graduate only)San FranciscoPublic50
San Francisco State UniversitySan FranciscoPublic50
California State University - NorthridgeNorthridgePublic49
California State University - Long BeachLong BeachPublic35
California State University - SacramentoSacramentoPublic32
Keck Graduate Institute (Graduate only)ClaremontPrivate not-for-profit28
Mount Saint Mary's UniversityLos AngelesPrivate not-for-profit25
Southern California University of Health Sciences (Online)WhittierPrivate not-for-profit15
California State University - San BernardinoSan BernardinoPublic12
Southern California Health InstituteNorth HollywoodPrivate for-profit12
Fremont UniversityCerritosPrivate for-profit6
Biola UniversityLa MiradaPrivate not-for-profit1
Taft CollegeTaftPublic1

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Physical Therapists (SOC 29-1123).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+10.9%
Much faster than average
Openings / yr (US)
~13,200
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$101,020
typically Doctoral or professional degree

Top skills

Reading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingActive ListeningSpeakingMonitoringWriting

What Physical Therapists earn in California

Jobs in California
26,580
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$122,580
median $124,190
Best-paying metro
$145,040
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

Related careers

Physical Therapists
$122,580 avg · 26,580 jobs
Occupational Therapists
$121,920 avg · 13,810 jobs
Rehabilitation Counselors
$48,570 avg · 13,690 jobs
Recreational Therapists
$95,420 avg · 1,920 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions programs in California.

Which California colleges award the most Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions degrees?+

University of Southern California (288 graduates a year), Loma Linda University (125 graduates a year) and Stanbridge University (118 graduates a year) award the most Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions degrees and certificates in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 29 California colleges offer Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.

Which Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, California State University - Los Angeles tops the list at $32,805. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Physical Therapists earn in California?+

The average annual wage for Physical Therapists in California is $122,580 (median $124,190), across about 26,580 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions program?+

The Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions program prepares students for careers in various health-related fields focused on improving the quality of life for individuals through therapeutic interventions. This program is ideal for…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop reading comprehension, critical thinking, active listening, speaking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Physical Therapists?+

The national job outlook is about +10.9% growth with around 13,200 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions in other statesWashingtonUtahMichiganNew HampshireIllinoisVirginiaMarylandPennsylvania

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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