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Best Physical Therapy Colleges in Illinois (2026)

Updated

This page ranks the 6 Physical Therapy schools in Illinois by the median earnings of Physical Therapy graduates four years after completing. Rush University ranks 1st on this list, reporting median earnings of $85,450 for its graduates four years after completing.

Across the 2 schools with a published figure, earnings range from $85,450 to $45,500, with a median of $65,475. For 1 of the 6 listed schools the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

The list is evenly split between 3 public and 3 private nonprofit institutions. Eastern Illinois University posts the lowest average net price at $12,786, while Illinois State University ranks 137th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The ranked list

6 schools in list order
RankSchoolMedian Physical Therapy EarningsAverage net priceNet price, families under $30KAdmission rate
1Rush University · Chicago, IL$85,450Not reportedNot reportedNot reported
Rush University reports median earnings of $85,450 for its Physical Therapy graduates four years after completing, the highest figure on this list.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (30 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions ($85,450)

2Southern Illinois University-Carbondale · Carbondale, IL$80,220$13,297$9,41586.9%
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale ranks 2nd on this list and posts a six-year completion rate of 62% alongside an average net price of $13,297.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Health and Medical Administrative Services (59 graduates), Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (52 graduates), Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (26 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions ($80,220), Dental Support Services and Allied Professions ($68,609), Health and Medical Administrative Services ($61,807)

3University of St Francis · Joliet, IL$59,124$13,006$8,54765.3%
University of St Francis admits 65% of applicants and carries an average net price of $8,547 for families earning under $30,000.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (127 graduates), Health and Medical Administrative Services (67 graduates), Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (16 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($87,383), Health and Medical Administrative Services ($79,421)

4Illinois State University · Normal, IL$52,417$19,398$11,56888.2%
Illinois State University ranks 137th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports an admission rate of 88%.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (207 graduates), Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (92 graduates), Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services (41 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Health ($84,790), Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($81,264), Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions ($73,220)

5Eastern Illinois University · Charleston, IL$49,556$12,786$9,82865.4%
Eastern Illinois University lists an average net price of $12,786, the lowest among the six schools, and a six-year completion rate of 47%.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (46 graduates), Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (14 graduates), Health and Medical Administrative Services (7 graduates)

6North Central College · Naperville, IL$45,500$21,044$12,50777.3%
North Central College reports median earnings of $45,500 for its Physical Therapy graduates two years after completing and an average net price of $21,044.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General (16 graduates), Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (5 graduates)

How this list is ordered

Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Physical Therapy graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only schools with a reported Physical Therapy earnings cohort in Illinois appear. The figure reflects federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled. For 1 of the 6 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the 2 schools with a published figure. Rush University reports $85,450, while Southern Illinois University-Carbondale posts the lowest published median, a spread of $39,950 from top to bottom.

Job market context in Illinois

Physical Therapy graduates in Illinois enter a labor market that links to occupations such as Nursing Assistants, Registered Nurses, and Medical Assistants. The median annual wage across those occupations is $67,040, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $54,685. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 8.9% higher, with about 59,880 projected openings a year, or about 442 openings a year for every hundred graduates, more projected openings than graduates. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. These figures describe the occupations, not the earnings of any listed program; the ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing.

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