PTA programs in Alabama

5 PTA (physical therapist assistant) programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

5 schools offer these physical therapist assistant programs, and Alabama has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Physical therapist assistants work under a physical therapist, helping patients move again and manage pain after injuries and illness. Every state requires an associate degree from an accredited program and a license or certification, which takes passing an exam.¹ The exam is the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) from the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy.²

In Alabama, 3 of the 5 programs ask for a high school diploma or equivalent and 2 ask for earlier courses first.

By kind, the 5 programs here are PTA program (level not stated, 3 programs) and PTA (associate degree, 2 programs).

See the 5 programs

How much do PTA programs cost in Alabama?

$11,040 to $11,741 is what most PTA programs in Alabama cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 5 programs with a price. All of them: $5,590 to $11,995

In the typical program

Finished the program: 86%
Working 6 months later: Left out; Alabama's rates sit far below every other state's
Earned a year, estimated: Not enough data; 2 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Length: Not enough data; 2 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Alabama may also offer PTA programs. How these figures are made

Are there free PTA programs in Alabama?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.³⁴⁵In program year 2024 it paid toward the training of at least 16 people at 3 of the 5 programs here.
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁶ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁵
Or pay yourself. Most physical therapist assistant programs in Alabama cost $11,040 to $11,741. Prices on this page run from $5,590 to $11,995.

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 5 PTA programs in Alabama approved for WIOA funding

5 programs

PTA program (level not stated)In personEducation and courses
Physical Therapist Assistant
George C. Wallace Community College
Dothan
Accredited school
Education and courses
George C. Wallace Community College, DothanPTA program (level not stated) · Accredited schoolIn person · Education and courses
Earned a year, estimated$34,100
Price if you pay yourself$11,995
5 students trained with WIOA funding
Program website, Physical Therapist Assistant at George C. Wallace Community College
More details about Physical Therapist Assistant at George C. Wallace Community College
Finished
83%
Working at 6 months
Left out
Earned in a quarter
$8,526
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
$3,943
Students counted
134
Earned a year, estimated
$34,100
Price if you pay yourself
$11,995
students trained with WIOA funding
5
Program website, Physical Therapist Assistant at George C. Wallace Community College
PTA program (level not stated)HybridEducation and courses
Physical Therapist Assistant Program
Southern Union Community College
Opelika
Accredited school
Education and courses
Southern Union Community College, OpelikaPTA program (level not stated) · Accredited schoolHybrid · Education and courses
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$11,524
School website, Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Southern Union Community College
More details about Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Southern Union Community College
Finished
88%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
80 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$2,800
Students counted
65
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$11,524
School website, Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Southern Union Community College
PTA (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Physical Therapist Assistant AAS
Wallace State Community College
Hanceville
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Wallace State Community College, HancevillePTA (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$20,000
Price if you pay yourself$11,040
6 students trained with WIOA funding
Program website, Physical Therapist Assistant AAS at Wallace State Community College
More details about Physical Therapist Assistant AAS at Wallace State Community College
Finished
97%
Working at 6 months
Left out
Earned in a quarter
$4,993
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
$3,225
Students counted
34
Earned a year, estimated
$20,000
Price if you pay yourself
$11,040
students trained with WIOA funding
6
Program website, Physical Therapist Assistant AAS at Wallace State Community College
PTA (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Physical Therapist Assistant, AAS (CE)
Bishop State Community College
Mobile
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Bishop State Community College, MobilePTA (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$5,590
5 students trained with WIOA funding
School website, Physical Therapist Assistant, AAS (CE) at Bishop State Community College
More details about Physical Therapist Assistant, AAS (CE) at Bishop State Community College
Finished
86%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
70 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$2,500
Students counted
32
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$5,590
students trained with WIOA funding
5
School website, Physical Therapist Assistant, AAS (CE) at Bishop State Community College
PTA program (level not stated)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Physical Therapist Assistant
LBW
Andalusia
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
LBW, AndalusiaPTA program (level not stated) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$11,741
Program website, Physical Therapist Assistant at LBW
More details about Physical Therapist Assistant at LBW
Finished
58%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
$4,506
Students counted
30
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$11,741
Program website, Physical Therapist Assistant at LBW

How to pay for PTA programs in Alabama

WIOA funding can pay for PTA programs in Alabama

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for PTA programs

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.⁷⁸

GI Bill for PTA programs

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.⁹

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Quick facts: PTA programs in Alabama

lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare: 9th of 14
PTA programs here, against the typical state's 4: 5 vs 4

State comparisons use the same figures as the PTA programs by state table: the middle program of each state, and only states with three or more schools for prices. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).

PTA programs in Dothan, Auburn, Cullman and other Alabama cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above. 1 in smaller cities and towns.

Other training in Alabama

How PTA programs compare with the rest of allied health: Allied health programs in Alabama

Where the Alabama physical therapist assistant program numbers come from

Which Alabama physical therapist assistant programs are on this list?

These are the physical therapist assistant programs Alabama approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).¹⁰ The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Alabama offers.

How the prices and results of Alabama physical therapist assistant programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

How reliable are the Alabama figures?

The US Department of Labor's own results site lists Alabama among the states with "known data quality concerns".¹¹ We leave out the share working 6 months later for Alabama: its rates sit far below every other state's.

Sources for the facts about PTA programs in Alabama

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