PTA Program
The BYU-Idaho PTA program was approved by the board of trustees as a new offering in 2012. The program received full accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) in November of 2015.
This program prepares students to pass the national licensure exam and work under the direction of a physical therapist as a licensed physical therapist assistant. For those interested in graduating with a dual degree (BS and AAS), this program allows PTA course work to count towards a variety of bachelor's degrees. The PTA program accepts 22 new students each Fall.
Expected Student Outcomes
Consistent with the mission of Brigham Young University-Idaho, the mission of the PTA Program is to provide quality education in an atmosphere consistent with the ideals and principles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It is expected that students will graduate with the education and the skills necessary to become disciple-leaders, to deliver high quality care within their scope of practice, to work effectively under a supervising physical therapist, to pass the national licensure exam, and to secure employment as a PTA.
We fully support the university's outcomes of students becoming: disciple leaders, lifelong learners, creative & critical thinkers, effective communicators, skilled professionals, and engaged citizens. We feel that the university's outcomes embody the program's goal of educating PTA students to deliver high quality care within the PTA's scope of practice.
As data becomes available, the following statistics about student and program outcomes will be provided (class is defined by matriculation year not by graduation year):
| BYU-Idaho PTA Program Statistics |
2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of applications: | 16 | 40 | 42 | 44 | 38 | 49 | 32 | 29 | 31 | 43 | 34 |
| Number of applicants accepted: | 16 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| Class size: | 14 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| Average overall GPA of applicants: | 3.48 | 3.75 | 3.80 | 3.82 | 3.86 | 3.84 | 3.71 | 3.68 | 3.72 | 3.83 | 3.8 |
| Range of overall GPA: | - | 3.20 - 4.00 | 3.50 - 4.00 | 3.56 - 4.00 | 3.63 - 4.00 | 3.51 - 4.00 | 2.43 - 4.00 | 2.77 - 4.00 | 3.08 - 4.00 | 3.48 - 4.00 | 3.44 - 4.00 |
| Average core GPA of applicants (Bio 264&L, Bio 265&L, HRHP 359 & HS 280): |
- | 3.75 | 3.70 | 3.86 | 3.86 | 3.93 | 3.78 | 3.74 | 3.70 | 3.90 | 3.84 |
| Range of core GPA: | - | 3.30 - 4.00 |
3.40 - 4.00 |
3.63 - 4.00 |
3.63 - 4.00 |
3.65 - 4.00 |
2.72 - 4.00 |
2.92 - 4.00 |
3.02 - 4.00 |
3.69 - 4.00 | 3.52 - 4.00 |
| Graduation %: | 93% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | In Process |
In Process |
In Process |
| Employment % (employable): | 100% | 100% | 100% | 90.5% | 100% | 100% | 100% | In Process |
In Process |
In Process |
In Process |
| National licensure exam pass rate (first time): | 100% | 90% | 90% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 96% | 91% | In Process |
In Process |
In Process |
| National licensure exam pass rate (overall): | 100% | 95% | 95% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | In Process |
In Process |
In Process |
| Active in cont. ed. post-graduation %: | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Program Costs
Tuition for PTA students is the same as BYU-Idaho's current tuition rate.
The current Physical Therapist Assistant Program Financial Fact Sheet is available here.
Student fees once accepted into the program are $130 per semester.
Background checks, drug screening and immunizations are required for clinical internships. The following are estimated costs that may change at any time. These fees are collected only once during the entire program unless otherwise noted.
- Background check = $27.00
- Drug screen = $29.00
- Immunizations = varies
Students must also be willing and able to cover any extra costs associated with their clinical internships (travel, transportation, housing, food, etc.).
Books are estimated to cost about $600.00 total for PTA coursework.