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Rehabilitation Schools and Programs in The United States

22 schools in The United States teach Rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation Studies in The United States

Rehabilitation covers the studies that prepare people to help others live and work with a disability, a chronic illness or the consequences of an injury. It has two strands in the United States. Rehabilitation counselling and rehabilitation services deal with the personal, social and vocational side: according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), rehabilitation counsellors work with clients to overcome or manage the effects of disabilities on employment or independent living. Rehabilitation sciences are the clinical strand and lead towards professions such as physical therapy and occupational therapy, which are entered at graduate level.

Degrees and levels

  • Bachelor's degree (for example a BS in rehabilitation services, rehabilitation and human services, rehabilitation psychology or rehabilitation science): usually four years of full-time study; it leads to entry-level support jobs or to graduate school
  • Master's degree (for example an MS in rehabilitation counselling): usually up to two years, with supervised clinical experience
  • Professional doctorate: the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) is the degree physical therapists need to enter the occupation
  • Doctorate (PhD): five to eight years, for research and university teaching

US degrees are built from credits, and each institution sets the number needed to graduate. Penn State's BS in Rehabilitation and Human Services, for example, requires a minimum of 120 credits and includes an internship supervised by professionals in human service agencies; the university says it prepares students for entry-level positions in settings that serve people with physical, emotional or mental disabilities, and for graduate study in fields such as rehabilitation counselling, occupational therapy and physical therapy.

The Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison offers a BS in Rehabilitation Psychology, an MS in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling and a PhD in Rehabilitation Counselor Education. San Diego State University offers an MS in Rehabilitation Counseling. Troy University has a bachelor's degree in Rehabilitation and Disability Studies with a practicum, which its website marks as available for international students. On the clinical side, the University of Pittsburgh has a School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, and Boston University's Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences offers a combined BS/DPT in physical therapy and a PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences.

Accreditation, licences and certification

According to the BLS, master's programmes in rehabilitation counselling typically include a period of supervised clinical experience such as an internship. CACREP, the accreditor for counsellor education, states that it accredits over 969 master's and doctoral programmes in counselling and its specialised practice areas at 483 colleges and universities. Licensing requirements for rehabilitation counsellors differ by state and by the type of service provided, and counsellors who provide counselling services must obtain a licence from their state board. The Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) awards the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) credential. Physical therapists and occupational therapists must be licensed in all states.

Admission and visa

For a bachelor's degree, international applicants usually send their secondary school diploma and transcripts with English translations, any national final exams, recommendation letters and an essay or personal statement. US universities require an English proficiency test. At Penn State, candidates need a minimum 2.0 GPA to enter the Rehabilitation and Human Services major.

Students must first be accepted by a school certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and then apply for the F-1 student visa, which covers study at an accredited college or university. The academic year usually runs from August to May, and international students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week in their first year.

Where to study rehabilitation in the United States

The schools on this page are spread across the country. Boston and San Diego have two each: Boston University and its Summer Term in Boston, and San Diego State University and National University in San Diego. Other universities include Penn State, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Minnesota, the University of North Texas, West Virginia University and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). There is no official ranking of US universities, so compare accreditation, clinical placements and the route to a licence.

Careers

According to the BLS, rehabilitation counsellors held about 96,900 jobs in 2025, and employment is projected to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 8,200 openings a year. The median annual wage was $46,850 in May 2025.

The clinical professions are larger and growing faster. Employment of occupational therapists, who typically need a master's degree, is projected to grow 15 percent from 2025 to 2035, and employment of physical therapists 12 percent; the median annual wages in May 2025 were $100,330 and $102,760.

Frequently asked questions

What degree do I need to become a rehabilitation counsellor in the US?

According to the BLS, rehabilitation counsellors typically need a master's degree in rehabilitation counselling or a related field, although a bachelor's degree may be sufficient for some jobs. Some positions require a licence or certification.

Is a bachelor's degree in rehabilitation enough to work as a physical or occupational therapist?

No. Physical therapists need a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree and occupational therapists typically need a master's degree in occupational therapy; both must be licensed.

Is there a certification for rehabilitation counsellors?

Yes. The CRCC awards the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) credential. State licences are separate and their requirements differ by state.