What is APTA?
APTA supports physical therapy professionals, connecting you to your #PTFam and helping you achieve your career goals.
APTA is the professional organization representing 100,000 member physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students of physical therapy. Founded in 1921, APTA is the leading voice in advocating for the profession, recruiting the next generation of students, and providing guidance on practice and career advancement opportunities for physical therapists, aka PTs, and physical therapist assistants, aka PTAs.
Quick facts
7 Years
Students can receive their doctor of physical therapy, or DPT, degree in less than seven years, and become a physical therapist assistant even quicker.
Quick facts
11% Increase
Demand for physical therapists is growing much faster than the average profession.
Quick facts
$101,020 Expected Salary
Median salary of physical therapists in 2025.
PT Moves Me
Choose a Career in Physical Therapy
- A career in physical therapy opens the door to a wide range of meaningful and rewarding opportunities, whether that is through advancing your practice by becoming a board-certified specialist or through shaping the field by completing research or teaching others.
- Explore what it means to become a PT or PTA and find resources to guide your next steps — from understanding what the profession is all about to preparing your application.
- Training for a profession in physical therapy includes both clinical and classroom education, ensuring that you are prepared to work in numerous locations and with a variety of patient populations.
For Students
Resources
Resource
PTs Changes Lives
If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a licensed physical therapist or learning more about the profession of physical therapy, this flyer is a great starting point.
Resource
PTAs Changes Lives
If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a physical therapist assistant or learning more about the profession of physical therapy, this flyer is a great starting point.
Resource
Sample Education Plan
We encourage students to use this timeline to get a better understanding of how they can use their undergraduate experience to set them up for success.
Resource
PTCAS Directory
Each doctor of physical therapy program has its own set of admission standards and requirements. Review the directory to find programs that may be of interest and begin to map out how to meet their requirements.