Best institutions to study Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry
A program that prepares individuals for the independent professional practice of podiatric medicine, involving the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and injuries to the foot and lower extremities.
9 U.S. institutions graduated 536 Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 51.1203, a specialization of Medicine (CIP 51.12), and leads most directly to the Podiatrists occupation (BLS SOC 29-1081).
About Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry programs
A program that prepares individuals for the independent professional practice of podiatric medicine, involving the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and injuries to the foot and lower extremities. Includes instruction in the basic medical sciences, anatomy of the lower extremity, functional orthopedics, foot biomechanics, podiatric radiology, dermatology, podiatric surgery, podopediatrics, sports medicine, physical diagnosis, emergency medicine and traumatology, practice management, and professional standards and ethics.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry program prepares students for the independent practice of podiatric medicine, focusing on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of foot and lower extremity conditions. This program is ideal for individuals interested in a specialized healthcare career dedicated to improving patients' mobility and overall foot health.
Students in this program will gain knowledge in basic medical sciences, foot biomechanics, podiatric surgery, and emergency medicine. Core skills developed include critical thinking, active listening, and effective communication, all essential for diagnosing and treating foot-related disorders.
Credentials awarded
What Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Doctor's degree - professional practice536 graduates / yr · 9 institutions100%
Graduates over time
Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 547 |
| 2021 | 536 |
| 2022 | 536 |
| 2023 | 559 |
| 2024 | 569 |
| 2025 | 536 |
Top 9 institutions for Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York College of Podiatric Medicine New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral (prof.) | 91 | — | — |
| 2 | Kent State University at Kent Kent, OHPublicDoctoral (prof.) | 88 | 64% | — |
| 3 | Temple University Philadelphia, PAPublicDoctoral (prof.) | 77 | 75% | — |
| 4 | Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science North Chicago, ILPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral (prof.) | 75 | — | — |
| 5 | Barry University Miami, FLPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral (prof.) | 54 | 38% | $24,719 |
| 6 | Des Moines University - Osteopathic Medical Center West Des Moines, IAPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral (prof.) | 50 | — | — |
| 7 | Western University of Health Sciences Pomona, CAPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral (prof.) | 37 | — | — |
| 8 | Samuel Merritt University Oakland, CAPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral (prof.) | 34 | — | — |
| 9 | Midwestern University - Glendale Glendale, AZPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral (prof.) | 30 | — | — |
Offered in 8 states
Where Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry graduates come from. Each state links to all Medicine programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 1 | 91 | New York College of Podiatric Medicine91 / yr |
| Ohio | 1 | 88 | Kent State University at Kent88 / yr |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 77 | Temple University77 / yr |
| Illinois | 1 | 75 | Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science75 / yr |
| California | 2 | 71 | Western University of Health Sciences37 / yr |
| Florida | 1 | 54 | Barry University54 / yr |
| Iowa | 1 | 50 | Des Moines University - Osteopathic Medical Center50 / yr |
| Arizona | 1 | 30 | Midwestern University - Glendale30 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 29-1081, Podiatrists, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry program typically become podiatrists, with a median wage of $152,800. The job outlook shows little or no change, with an annual opening of approximately 300 positions and a growth rate of 1.8%. A Doctor's degree in professional practice is required for this career.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 51.1203
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Podiatristsprimary SOC 29-1081 | $160,300 | +1.8% Little or no change | ~300 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Treat bone, muscle, and joint disorders affecting the feet and ankles.
- Diagnose diseases and deformities of the foot using medical histories, physical examinations, x-rays, and laboratory test results.
- Advise patients about treatments and foot care techniques necessary for prevention of future problems.
- Prescribe medications, corrective devices, physical therapy, or surgery.
- Surgically treat conditions such as corns, calluses, ingrown nails, tumors, shortened tendons, bunions, cysts, or abscesses.
- Refer patients to physicians when symptoms indicative of systemic disorders, such as arthritis or diabetes, are observed in feet and legs.
Tools and technology used
Other Medicine specializations
The 3 other 6-digit CIP codes under Medicine (CIP 51.12).
- MedicineCIP 51.120121,453 graduates / yr151 institutions
- Osteopathic Medicine/CIP 51.1202
Osteopathy 8,814 graduates / yr36 institutions
Show 1 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Medicine51.1299
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
Common questions
What degree do I earn from this program?+
You will earn a Doctor's degree in professional practice.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in critical thinking, active listening, and effective communication.
What is the job outlook for podiatrists?+
The job outlook shows little or no change, with about 300 annual openings.
What types of conditions do podiatrists treat?+
Podiatrists treat bone, muscle, and joint disorders affecting the feet and ankles.
What is the CIP code for Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry?+
Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry is CIP 51.1203 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Medicine (CIP 51.12). NCES defines it as: A program that prepares individuals for the independent professional practice of podiatric medicine, involving the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and injuries to the foot and lower extremities. Includes instruction in the basic medical sciences, anatomy of the lower extremity, functional orthopedics, foot biomechanics, podiatric radiology, dermatology, podiatric surgery, podopediatrics, sports medicine, physical diagnosis, emergency medicine and traumatology, practice management, and professional standards and ethics.
How many institutions offer Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry programs?+
9 U.S. institutions reported Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 8 states, awarding 536 credentials in the year. That is 1.7% of all Medicine graduates.
How much do Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Podiatrists occupation, which Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry most directly leads to, pays a median of $160,300 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
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.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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