How Much Does An Entry Level Physical Therapist Make
As of Jul 19, 2022, the average annual pay for an Entry Level Physical Therapist in the United States is $55,498 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $26.68 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,067/week or $4,625/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $120,500 and as low as $21,500, the majority of Entry Level Physical Therapist salaries currently range between $29,000 to $77,000 with top earners making $101,500 annually across the United States. The average pay range for an Entry Level Physical Therapist varies greatly , which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.
Based on recent job postings on ZipRecruiter, the Entry Level Physical Therapist job market in both Glendale, AZ and the surrounding area is very active. An Entry Level Physical Therapist in your area makes on average $53,600 per year, or $1,898 less than the national average annual salary of $55,498. Arizona ranks number 22 out of 50 states nationwide for Entry Level Physical Therapist salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Entry Level Physical Therapist jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
Find your next high paying job as an on ZipRecruiter today.
Are You Suited For A Sports Physical Therapist Career
Personality and Skills
A good sports physical therapist is empathetic and can communicate well with patients and their loved ones.
A good sports physical therapist is patient, with good interpersonal skills. So much of the job is getting to the heart of the problem, and that starts by talking with the patient.
A good sports physical therapist can solve problems and think creatively. They use the latest techniques to help resolve the problem and get the patient back to normal. That is the case whether the patient is a weekend warrior or a high-level professional athlete.
A good sports physical therapist is often an athlete, or has participated in sports in the past. This experience helps the therapist understand an athletes competitive nature .
Certifications & Proficiencies
See above for a detailed explanation of the lengthy education required to become a sports physical therapist.
Depending on your state, as a sports physical therapist, you may need to take continuing education to maintain your license.
Physical Therapist Jobs In Albany Ny
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Physical Therapist Education Requirements
In order to become a physical therapist, you need to have a bachelors degree, preferably in a science-related field. Then you need to earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from a CAPTE-accredited physical therapist program. The DPT is the entry-level degree to the profession. Most programs take three years or more to complete and include classroom work, hands-on lab activities, and clinical internship experiences.
Following graduation, you must pass the National Physical Therapy Examination , which is administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy . You must also pass your home states licensure exam. State requirements for licensure vary.
Career Paths For Physical Therapists
Physical therapy offers several opportunities for advancement. You can choose to continue your education with a clinical residency or fellowship, or you can opt to specialize in one or more areas. Many PTs choose to become leaders in the field by opening their own private practice. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, physical therapist jobs are growing at 18%, much faster than the average for all professions.
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How Much Do Sports Physical Therapists Make
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2018, physical therapists earned an average salary of $87,930 per year .
Employment in this field is expected to increase by 22% from 2018-2028 .
The BLS doesn’t separate the salary between a physical therapist or a sports physical therapist, however.
Licenses Certifications And Registrations
All states require physical therapists to be licensed, which includes passing the National Physical Therapy Examination administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. Other requirements vary by state. For example, some states also require a law exam and a criminal background check. Continuing education is typically required for physical therapists to keep their license. Check with your state board for specific licensing requirements.
After gaining work experience, some physical therapists choose to become a board-certified specialist. The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties offers certification in clinical specialty areas of physical therapy, such as orthopedics, sports, and geriatrics. Board specialist certification requires passing an exam and completing clinical work in the specialty area.
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Career Salary And Education Information
What They Do: Physical therapists help injured or ill people improve their movement and manage their pain.
Work Environment: Physical therapists typically work in private offices and clinics, hospitals, patients homes, and nursing homes. They spend much of their time on their feet, actively working with patients.
How to Become One: Physical therapists entering the profession need a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. All states require physical therapists to be licensed.
Salary: The median annual wage for physical therapists is $95,620.
Job Outlook: Employment of physical therapists is projected to grow 21 percent over the next ten years, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of physical therapists with similar occupations.
Following is everything you need to know about a career as a Physical Therapist with lots of details. As a first step, take a look at some of the following Physical Therapist jobs, which are real jobs with real employers. You will be able to see the very real job career requirements for employers who are actively hiring. The link will open in a new tab so that you can come back to this page to continue reading about the career:
Employment Of Physical Therapists
Demand for physical therapy will come in part from the large number of aging baby boomers, who are staying more active later in life than their counterparts of previous generations. Older people are more likely to experience heart attacks, strokes, and mobility-related injuries that require physical therapy for rehabilitation.
In addition, a number of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity, have become more prevalent in recent years. More physical therapists will be needed to help these patients maintain their mobility and manage the effects of chronic conditions.
Advances in medical technology have increased the use of outpatient surgery to treat a variety of injuries and illnesses. Medical and technological developments also are expected to permit survival of a greater number of trauma victims and newborns with birth defects, creating additional demand for rehabilitative care. Physical therapists will continue to help these patients recover from surgery.
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Recreational Therapists
Recreational therapists plan, direct, and coordinate recreation-based treatment programs for people with disabilities, injuries, or illnesses. These therapists use a variety of modalities, including arts and crafts drama, music, and dance sports and games aquatics and community outings to help maintain or improve a patient’s physical, social, and emotional well-being.
Speech-Language Pathologists
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How Does A Sports Physical Therapist Find Work
Finding a job as a sports physical therapist involves the same process as finding any other job. Networking, talking to people, and following leads are part of this. So is speaking with of all of the contacts you made during your studies or residency.
You may opt to start a private practice on your own or with professional friends or acquaintances. However, your client list may be small at first.
Join the American Physical Therapy Association. The membership will open up employment, continuing education, and networking opportunities.
Where you decide to look for work will affect your job search. Sports physical therapy jobs will be more plentiful where there are more people involved in sports and athletics.
What is more difficult is finding the kind of job that many aspiring sports physical therapists dream of. You could work with a professional sports team. Once again, try networking and getting involved with the community . Keep your eyes open, and perhaps even advertise or promote your outpatient clinic with people in the sports world.
If you have been involved in organized sports, treasure those contacts as well.
Flexibility And Willingness To Travel
The factor you control the most in determining your annual starting salary is your flexibility. A willingness to work in a different setting, such as home health or a skilled nursing facility, will open up higher-paid opportunities.
As a new grad, you cannot control how many years of experience you offer, but you can seek out jobs that reward PTs regardless of their years of experience. For example, switching from an outpatient setting to a home health setting could bump your pay by $20-30k annually.
Another way to land a high-paying job as a new PT graduate is by becoming a travel PT. Through an agency like MedTravelers, you can work short-term contracts at clinics throughout the county and earn $50/hour or more. In order to do this, however, you need to have the utmost flexibility, willing to travel for job stints as long as 13 weeks.
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Factors That Wont Affect A Physical Therapist Starting Salary
Many new graduates experience a gap in expectations between PT school and the PT job universe. Just because you spent a small fortune to attend a highly-ranked PT school doesnt mean youll fetch a higher salary. Employers dont care much which school you attended, and frankly, school rankings are mostly meaningless .
As a new PT grad, you also dont need to obsess over your GPA score this number wont affect your starting salary. Neither will the score you got on the NPTE boards exam. Your grades and test score are accomplishments worth putting on your resume, but dont expect them to have any sort of pull on your base pay.
Submit Your Resume Today
At In Motion, we love meeting talented, driven, and enthusiastic people. If no position here is quite right for you, please feel free to submit an application and resume to be kept on file for future consideration for our physical therapy and sports performance job openings in Hampton Roads!
Please indicate which position you are interested in when uploading your resume in the form below.
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Education For Physical Therapists
There are more than 200 programs for physical therapists accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education . All programs offer a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree.
DPT programs typically last 3 years. Many programs require a bachelor’s degree for admission as well as specific educational prerequisites, such as classes in anatomy, physiology, biology, chemistry, and physics. Some programs admit college freshmen into 6- or 7-year programs that allow students to graduate with both a bachelor’s degree and a DPT. Most DPT programs require applicants to apply through the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service .
Physical therapist programs often include courses in biomechanics, anatomy, physiology, neuroscience, and pharmacology. Physical therapist students also complete at least 30 weeks of clinical work, during which they gain supervised experience in areas such as acute care and orthopedic care.
Physical therapists may apply to and complete a clinical residency program after graduation. Residencies typically last about 1 year and provide additional training and experience in specialty areas of care. Physical therapists who have completed a residency program may choose to specialize further by completing a fellowship in an advanced clinical area. The American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education has directories of physical therapist residency and fellowship programs.
Basic And Transferable Workplace Skills
Basic skills for physical therapists and related careers include:
- Active listening: Physical therapists, assistants and aides need to gather information from patients while allowing them to feel seen and heard.
- Critical thinking: Patients may present complex symptoms or unpredictable responses to treatment, and physical therapists must look for patterns and processes in order to diagnose and treat effectively.
- Empathy and compassion: Positive bedside manner is essential as physical therapists guide patients through recovery.
- Physical fitness: Physical therapy is an active career where you may be on your feet most of the day. You may need to help support patients as they move or lift and manipulate medical equipment.
Some physical therapy skills can transfer to other job environments:
- Giving health care instruction.
- Using tablets, laptops and other devices.
- Complying with HIPAA and other health care privacy regulations.
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Physical Therapy Job Market Outlook
U.S. News & World Report ranks physical therapist as #16 in health care jobs and #20 in its 100 best jobs overall, based on the careers projected salary, growth rate, employment rate, stress level and work-life balance.
Below are the highest-paying U.S. states for physical therapists and the varied salary of physical therapists per state.
Top 3 Physical Therapist Jobs
- Physical Therapist Assistant – PTA – United Health Systems – Milton-Freewater, OR
Physical Therapist / PT Location: Milton Freewater, OR, 97862 Start: ASAP Length: 13 Weeks Guarantee: 40 Hours Shift: Days Must have active OR Physical Therapist Assistant / PTA License. Details
- Physical Therapist – PT – Contract – United Health Systems – San Francisco, CA
Title: Physical Therapist Location: San Francisco, CA Duration: Contract Shift timing: Variables Pay: Crisis Pay Responsibilities * Promotes and maintains health by providing physical therapy …
- Physical Therapist, PT – Full-time – The Samarkand – Therapy Specialists – Santa Barbara, CA
The Physical Therapist evaluates and treats residents, under orders from a physician, through the use of a variety of therapeutic procedures designed to restore loss of muscle strength, coordination …
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Important Qualities For Physical Therapists
Compassion. Physical therapists are often drawn to the profession in part by a desire to help people. They work with people who are in pain and must have empathy for their patients.
Detail oriented. Like other healthcare providers, physical therapists should have strong analytic and observational skills to diagnose a patient’s problem, evaluate treatments, and provide safe, effective care.
Dexterity. Physical therapists must use their hands to provide manual therapy and therapeutic exercises. They should feel comfortable massaging and otherwise physically assisting patients.
Interpersonal skills. Because physical therapists spend a lot of time interacting with patients, they should enjoy working with people. They must clearly explain treatment programs, motivate patients, and listen to patients’ concerns in order to provide effective therapy.
Physical stamina. Physical therapists spend much of their time on their feet, moving as they demonstrate proper techniques and help patients perform exercises. They should enjoy physical activity.
Resourcefulness. Physical therapists customize treatment plans for patients. They must be flexible and adapt plans of care to meet the needs of each patient.
Time-managementskills. Physical therapists typically treat several patients each day. They must provide appropriate care to patients along with completing administrative tasks, such as documenting patient progress.
Hampton Roads Physical Therapy Jobs
Physical therapy is a booming field, and the demand for physical therapists and sports performance specialists is on the rise across the country. We know its an exciting time to look for a job in health care, and whether youre a recent graduate looking to start your career or a seasoned professional looking for a new challenge, Bon Secours In Motion has the opportunities youre looking for.
Leading the market in Hampton Roads for more than five years, Bon Secours In Motion has been committed to helping the residents of Hampton Roads live their most active lives. Our patients have even voted us Best Physical Therapy in Hampton Roads. From our state-of-the-art physical therapy programs to our groundbreaking sports performance programs, our outstanding team of experts prides itself on being one of the areas most trusted names in physical therapy and sports performance coaching.
We are always interested in getting to know skilled people. Please submit your open application to be kept on file for future consideration. Please see below for a full listing of our open positions.
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Physical Therapy Aide Jobs
Physical therapy aides report to the supervising physical therapist as well as any collaborating physical therapy assistants. Of these physical therapy careers, physical therapy aides have the least amount of responsibility. Physical therapy aides typically perform tasks that are indirectly related to patient care, such as:
- Cleaning treatment areas and linens.
- Setting up therapy equipment.
Though a high school diploma or GED is preferred for physical therapy aides, no particular education or licensure is required. There is a physical therapy technician/aide certification available through the American Medical Certification Association, but this is not mandatory for most physical therapy aide positions.
How To Start Your Pt Career Today
If youre excited by the possibility of helping patients as a physical therapist, make sure to choose a grad school that offers a strong Doctor of Physical Therapy program that will challenge you to become a versatile, empathetic, and autonomous practitioner.
The largest PT school in the United States, the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences offers a hands-on Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. Practice with mock and real patients in our state-of-the-art simulation centers and learn anatomy with our high-tech tools. Prepare for clinical practice with a wide range of patients, as well as advanced roles in research, practice leadership, and policymaking. Residential and Flex pathways are available. Most programs take three years or more to complete and include classroom work
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