July 27, 2022

July 27, 2022 – Northland’s Physical Therapist Assistant program has achieved an overall 100% licensure exam pass rate for the fifth consecutive year. This is the third year in a row it has been achieved on the first attempt.

The National Physical Therapy Exam pass rate for physical therapist assistants taking the test for the first time averages around 85%, with 2021 pass rates coming in at 79%, according to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy.

“I’m very proud of this group of graduates,” shared Justin Berry, PT, DPT, Ph.D., Director of Northlands PTA program. “Their first year of the program was especially challenging due to COVID-19, and they still excelled academically and during their clinical internships.”

The future looks bright for Northland’s recent PTA grads. The profession’s outlook has a projected 20% growth rate by 2028 in Minnesota and 35% nationwide. “The job market for PTAs in the region is the strongest it has been in over ten years,” stated Berry. “Right now there are many more job opportunities than graduates.” Northland PTA graduates are employed in a wide variety of settings, including hospitals, physical therapy clinics, rehabilitation centers, pediatric facilities, home health agencies, schools, and long-term care facilities.

Northland’s PTA program was initially started in 2007, graduating its first class in 2009 as a call for more trained professionals in the region. Berry was integral in the program’s creation and has been at the college since 2006.