Bay State Physical Therapy Releases 2025 DPT Student Experience Survey Highlighting Rising Debt Concerns, Career Pressures, and Long-Term Opportunities in Physical Therapy
Survey of 673 DPT students across 23 programs reveals growing concerns about PT school ROI, student debt, mentorship, and career growth pathways
BOSTON – June 1, 2026
Bay State Physical Therapy, today released the findings of its 2025 DPT Student Experience Survey, a comprehensive study examining the experiences, concerns, and career priorities of Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students across the United States.
The survey gathered insights from 673 DPT students across 23 physical therapy programs and explored topics including clinical preparedness, student debt, physical therapist salary expectations, job selection criteria, mentorship, continuing education, and long-term career growth in the PT profession.
The report, The PT Paradigm: Balancing Present and Future, highlights growing challenges between the financial pressures facing physical therapy students and the long-term opportunities available within the profession.
“Students are entering the profession with a genuine passion for helping people, but many are also navigating financial and career uncertainty,” said Brady, CEO of Bay State Physical Therapy. “Our hope is that this study creates more transparency for students, PT programs, and employers while encouraging deeper investment in team, mentorship, career development, and long-term growth opportunities.”
Key Findings from the 2025 DPT Student Experience Survey
- Student debt is heavily influencing career decisions.More than half of respondents carry over $100K in student debt, and 92% say debt impacts their job choices. Students rated the ROI of PT school at just 2.76/5, with concerns driven largely by rising tuition, loan rates, and reimbursement pressures.
- Clinical placements are the top recruiting channel.83% of students said clinical experiences are how they discover employers, reinforcing the importance of mentorship, clinical readiness, and strong rotation experiences.
- Students are prioritizing short-term stability.Compensation, location, and work-life balance ranked as the top job factors, while long-term growth drivers like continuing education, specialization, and company growth ranked lower.
- The long-term outlook for physical therapy remains strong.Experienced PTs now earn median salaries above $100K, with top earners reaching approximately $125K annually. Mentorship, specialization, and leadership pathways were identified as key drivers of long-term career growth.
- Many students still lack a financial plan.22% of respondents remain undecided on how they plan to manage student loans after graduation, highlighting the need for stronger financial education and career planning support across the profession.
View the full 2025 DPT Student Experience Survey.
About Bay State Physical Therapy
Bay State Physical Therapy, together with its partner brands, MVPT Physical Therapy and Cypress Health Partners is the largest network of outpatient physical therapy clinics in New England, operating more than 160 physical therapy locations across five states. The organization delivers more than 1.4 million patient visits annually and is committed to achieving industry-leading clinical outcomes through investment in clinician development and innovation. For more information, visit https://baystatept.com.
Media Contact:
Erik Milster
For Bay State Physical Therapy
emilster@seriesmpr.com