This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Data sourced from official university Cost of Attendance publications and federal legislation (Public Law 119-21, Title VIII, Sec. 81001).
By The DPTSchoolLoans Data Team | Updated March 2026
We analyzed 206 DPT programs across 151 institutions. The median total program cost is $156,060. Every single program, 100% of them, exceeds the $20,500/year federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan cap, creating a funding gap that must be covered by private loans, personal savings, or family contributions. At the extremes, total costs range from $69,789 to $375,699.
How much does DPT school cost in 2026?
The short answer: more than federal loans will cover. The longer answer requires understanding what changed and why.
Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), graduate students are now classified under a $20,500 annual federal loan cap. The previous Grad PLUS loan program, which allowed borrowing up to the full cost of attendance, has been eliminated. For DPT students facing a median annual cost of attendance of $52,095, this creates an immediate annual shortfall of $31,595.
Over a typical three-year program, that shortfall compounds to $94,785 at the median. And that's before interest.
Here are the headline numbers across all 206 programs:
| Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| Mean annual cost of attendance | $54,147 |
| Median annual cost of attendance | $52,095 |
| Mean total program cost | $161,354 |
| Median total program cost | $156,060 |
| Highest total program cost | $375,699 |
| Lowest total program cost | $69,789 |
| Mean annual funding gap | $33,647 |
| Median annual funding gap | $31,595 |
That median total cost of $156,060 is particularly painful when you consider the earning power on the other side. DPTs start at $80,000 to $90,000. A student graduating from a median-cost program carries a debt-to-income ratio approaching 2:1. That ratio ranks among the worst in allied health professions.
For context, the median total cost across all 7,191 graduate programs in the dataset is $90,276. DPT programs run 73% higher than that cross-discipline median.
Which DPT programs are the most expensive?
The cost ceiling is staggering. Anderson University tops the list at $375,699 in total cost of attendance, driven by annual tuition of $100,170. The University of Southern California follows at $347,889. Both programs generate annual funding gaps exceeding $95,000, meaning students must find nearly $100,000 per year beyond what federal loans provide.
| Rank | Institution | Annual COA | Tuition | Total Cost | Annual Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anderson University | $125,233 | $100,170 | $375,699 | $104,733 |
| 2 | University of Southern California | $115,963 | $86,125 | $347,889 | $95,463 |
| 3 | Franklin Pierce University | $99,860 | $57,408 | $299,580 | $79,360 |
| 4 | University of Arizona (OOS) | $93,590 | $58,550 | $280,770 | $73,090 |
| 5 | Boston University | $90,734 | $69,870 | $272,202 | $70,234 |
| 6 | Saint Joseph's University | $86,696 | $52,654 | $260,088 | $66,196 |
| 7 | Mount Saint Mary's University | $83,894 | $58,080 | $251,682 | $63,394 |
| 8 | U of Maryland Eastern Shore (OOS) | $38,017 | $12,726 | $250,912 | $17,517 |
| 9 | Western University of Health Sciences | $83,363 | $51,816 | $250,089 | $62,863 |
| 10 | Northeastern University | $81,466 | $57,408 | $244,398 | $60,966 |
| 11 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | $81,049 | $68,175 | $243,147 | $60,549 |
| 12 | U of Oklahoma HSC (OOS) | $80,245 | $45,229 | $240,735 | $59,745 |
| 13 | William Carey University | $80,058 | $36,501 | $240,174 | $59,558 |
| 14 | Northwestern University | $89,639 | $56,367 | $239,336 | $69,139 |
| 15 | Baylor University (Online) | $79,408 | $58,500 | $238,224 | $58,908 |
| 16 | Midwestern University-Downers Grove | $79,038 | $50,975 | $237,114 | $58,538 |
| 17 | Columbia University | $78,395 | $41,741 | $235,185 | $57,895 |
| 18 | University of Kentucky (OOS) | $77,506 | $50,638 | $232,518 | $57,006 |
| 19 | Medical University of SC (OOS) | $75,755 | $40,791 | $227,265 | $55,255 |
| 20 | Elon University | $75,410 | $51,932 | $226,230 | $54,910 |
Look closely at rank 8. University of Maryland Eastern Shore appears on this list not because of high annual costs but because its program runs 6.6 years, more than double the typical DPT timeline. Low annual tuition can still produce enormous total debt when the clock keeps running.
A student at Anderson University faces a total funding gap of $314,199. That's money federal loans won't touch. Even the 20th-ranked program on this list, Elon University, produces a total gap exceeding $164,000. For the full gap breakdown, see the largest DPT funding gaps ranked.
📊 Your Funding Gap These are the extremes. Your program falls somewhere on this spectrum, and the exact number matters more than any average. Find your specific DPT program → Calculate Your Gap →
Which DPT programs are the most affordable?
Affordable is relative in DPT education. Even the cheapest program still exceeds the federal loan cap. But the difference between the top and bottom of this list is $305,910, so choosing strategically can save you hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Oregon State University comes in lowest at $69,789 in total cost, with $0 listed in tuition and fees. The University of Iowa follows at $71,886 under a similar cost structure. Winston-Salem State University offers an in-state total of $76,707.
| Rank | Institution | Status | Annual COA | Tuition | Total Cost | Annual Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon State University | Full-Time | $23,263 | $0 | $69,789 | $2,763 |
| 2 | University of Iowa | Full-Time | $23,962 | $0 | $71,886 | $3,462 |
| 3 | Winston-Salem State University | In-State | $25,569 | $8,569 | $76,707 | $5,069 |
| 4 | Auburn University | Full-Time | $25,763 | $2,500 | $77,289 | $5,263 |
| 5 | Andrews University | Full-Time | $37,921 | $14,328 | $79,634 | $17,421 |
| 6 | Grand Valley State University | Full-Time | $42,055 | $18,792 | $84,110 | $21,555 |
| 7 | Northern Arizona University | In-State | $44,012 | $18,936 | $88,024 | $23,512 |
| 8 | University of Central Arkansas | In-State | $29,378 | $5,773 | $88,133 | $8,878 |
| 9 | Wheeling University | Full-Time | $29,949 | $5,016 | $89,847 | $9,449 |
| 10 | Langston University | In-State | $30,149 | $6,228 | $90,447 | $9,649 |
| 11 | University of North Florida | In-State | $32,671 | $7,845 | $98,012 | $12,171 |
| 12 | Texas Woman's University | In-State | $32,745 | $5,814 | $98,234 | $12,245 |
| 13 | University of North Georgia | In-State | $33,289 | $8,846 | $99,867 | $12,789 |
| 14 | College of Staten Island CUNY | In-State | $33,483 | $11,090 | $100,449 | $12,983 |
| 15 | Graceland University-Lamoni | Full-Time | $33,613 | $10,350 | $100,839 | $13,113 |
A pattern emerges immediately. The most affordable DPT programs are overwhelmingly in-state public university options. Seven of the top 10 cheapest programs are either explicitly in-state or at public institutions listing low tuition figures.
Oregon State's annual gap of $2,763 is almost manageable. A student could cover that with part-time work or modest savings. Compare that to Anderson University's annual gap of $104,733 and the two programs might as well exist in different financial universes.
Still, even at Oregon State, federal loans cover only $61,500 of the $69,789 total, leaving $8,289 unfunded. Zero programs escape the gap entirely.
How does the funding gap vary across DPT programs?
The funding gap is the difference between what a DPT program costs and what federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans will cover. Under the OBBBA's new $20,500 annual cap, every DPT program in the country produces one.
The numbers tell a clear story:
- 206 out of 206 programs (100%) require funding beyond federal loans
- The mean annual gap is $33,647
- The median annual gap is $31,595
- The smallest annual gap is $2,763 (Oregon State University)
- The largest annual gap is $104,733 (Anderson University)
For a standard three-year program, the median total gap reaches approximately $94,785. That's the amount a typical DPT student needs from private loans, family resources, or savings.
The lifetime aggregate limit for graduate students is $257,500 (including undergraduate borrowing). A student who borrowed $27,000 for undergrad would have $230,500 remaining, but their annual disbursement is still capped at $20,500. The aggregate limit doesn't solve the annual shortfall problem. It's a ceiling, not a faucet.
Here's how DPT compares to the broader graduate education picture. Across all 7,191 programs in the full dataset, 95.2% create a funding gap. DPT hits 100%. The median annual gap across all graduate programs is $20,627. DPT's median of $31,595 runs 53% higher.
Of the 206 DPT programs analyzed, 43.1% of all graduate programs nationwide exceed $100,000 in total cost. In DPT specifically, the median alone is $156,060, placing more than half of all DPT programs above that threshold.
What factors drive cost differences?
A $305,910 spread between the cheapest and most expensive DPT programs doesn't happen by accident. Several factors explain the variation.
Tuition is the dominant variable. At the top of the cost table, Anderson University charges $100,170 per year in tuition. At the bottom, Oregon State lists $0. This single line item accounts for more of the cost variation than any other factor. Private institutions cluster heavily at the expensive end.
Living expenses vary more than you might expect. Franklin Pierce University lists $41,128 in annual living expenses. William Carey University lists $43,557. Boston University, located in one of the most expensive cities in the country, lists just $19,862. These figures reflect different methodologies and different geographic realities. They also represent budgets that directly affect your borrowing.
Residency status creates two different price tags. The University of Arizona costs $280,770 for out-of-state students. The University of Central Arkansas runs $88,133 in-state versus $105,451 out-of-state. If you have the option and the timeline to establish residency, the savings can be substantial. Our in-state vs. out-of-state DPT cost analysis breaks down the 20 largest residency premiums.
Program length multiplies everything. Most DPT programs run three years. But Andrews University completes in 2.1 years, and Grand Valley State University finishes in 2.0 years. University of Maryland Eastern Shore stretches to 6.6 years. Shorter programs mean fewer years of living expenses and fewer years of accruing interest before you start earning.
Mandatory fees are the hidden variable. Saint Joseph's University charges $10,779 in mandatory fees on top of $52,654 in tuition. Columbia charges $7,274 in fees beyond its $41,741 tuition. These line items are easy to overlook when comparing programs. They shouldn't be.
For DPT graduates starting at $80,000 to $90,000, the debt-to-income math is unforgiving. A graduate of the median program carries roughly $156,060 in total cost against first-year earnings of approximately $85,000. That's a 1.84:1 ratio. A graduate of Anderson University faces a 4.4:1 ratio. Even a graduate of the cheapest program, Oregon State, starts at a more manageable 0.82:1 ratio, but only if they financed the entire cost through debt.
The program you choose is the single largest financial decision of your PT career. A $100,000 difference in total cost, invested over a 30-year career, represents a fundamentally different financial trajectory.
📊 Your Funding Gap Your school, your residency status, your program length. These details determine whether your gap is $8,289 or $314,199. Calculate your exact DPT funding gap → Calculate Your Gap →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average cost of DPT school?
The mean total cost across 206 DPT programs is $161,354. The median is $156,060, which better represents a typical program because extreme values at the top (like Anderson University at $375,699) pull the mean higher. Annual costs average $54,147 per year, with a median of $52,095. These figures include tuition, mandatory fees, and estimated living expenses as reported in each institution's official Cost of Attendance.
What is the cheapest DPT program?
Oregon State University has the lowest total cost of attendance at $69,789 for the full three-year program. The university lists $0 in tuition and mandatory fees, with costs consisting entirely of $23,263 per year in estimated living expenses. The University of Iowa is second at $71,886, followed by Winston-Salem State University at $76,707 for in-state students. Even at these prices, federal loans at $20,500 per year fall short. Oregon State still produces an annual gap of $2,763 and a total gap of $8,289.
How many DPT programs require private loans?
All of them. 206 out of 206 programs (100%) exceed the $20,500 annual federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan cap established under the OBBBA. This means every DPT student in the country must find alternative funding for at least part of their education costs. The gap ranges from $2,763 per year at Oregon State University to $104,733 per year at Anderson University. Private student loans, institutional aid, employer sponsorship, or personal savings must fill the difference. No DPT program in the United States can be fully funded through federal student loans alone.