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CAPTE is an accrediting agency that is nationally recognized by the US Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). CAPTE grants specialized accreditation status to qualified entry-level education programs for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants.

Learn more about CAPTE.

Accreditation is a process used in the US to assure the quality of the education that students receive. It is a voluntary, non-governmental, peer-review process that occurs on a regular basis.

CAPTE earns Re-recognition from CHEA

COUNCIL FOR HIGHER EDUCATION ACCREDITATION
PUBLIC STATEMENT OF CHEA RECOGNITION


At its meeting on May 2, 2022, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) Board of Directors reviewed the recommendation of the CHEA Committee on Recognition regarding the recognition application submitted by the American Physical Therapy Association-Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy (APTA-CAPTE). The Board of Directors accepted the committee recommendation and recognized APTA-CAPTE for the following recognized scope of accreditation:

CAPTE accredits physical therapist professional education programs offered at the clinical doctoral degree levels by higher education institutions in the United States and internationally. CAPTE also accredits paraprofessional physical therapist assistant technical education programs offered at the associate degree level by higher education institutions in the United States only. (2019)

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By the Numbers

Accredited and Candidacy Programs
Data collected from 2022 Annual Accreditation Reports submitted by programs on or before 12/21/2022.

294

Number of PT Programs

37,306

Number of Enrolled PT Students (2022)

396

Number of PTA Programs

10,096

Number of Enrolled PTA Students (2022)