Physical therapists (referred to by other health professionals as PTs) are practitioners responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of people of all ages for injuries and illnesses such as arthritis, back and neck injuries, strokes, back and neck injuries, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and various other injuries caused by accidents in the workplace or while playing a sport. Their primary functions are to restore their patients’ ability to move with a full range of motion, reduce the amount of pain they are feeling and prevent injured areas from experiencing further damage. To do this, they develop a treatment plan based on the patient’s diagnosis, medical history and the results of several tests of physical ability. They test the patient’s motor function, balance, strength, posture, coordination, breathing capacity, and several other factors. Treatment plans can include a variety of therapeutic procedures such as: pool therapy, heat therapy, stretching, massages and low weight/low strain exercises. They also teach people how to use any equipment they will require to aide their mobility and/or recovery such as: wheelchairs, prostheses, crutches and special therapeutic devices. Here is a complete job description.
Physical therapist at work
Employment Outlook
The job outlook for the career is excellent as the BLS expects the employment of physical therapists to grow by around 39% from 2010 to 2020. This evens out to around 4% per year, or 7200 jobs. This growth is primarily attributed to the increasing population of elderly individuals who often require physical therapy services because they are more vulnerable to injuries that reduce their mobility and chronic conditions like those mentioned above. The baby boomer generation is entering the age bracket when strokes and heart attacks are most likely which means more people will need physical and cardiac rehabilitation. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act will also increase demand for physical therapists as the government now requires that students have access to rehabilitation and therapeutic services.
Salary Guide
The average PT salary based on the 2011 report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics was just under $80,000. This corresponds to mean hourly wage of $38.38. The lowest 10% made $54,710 or less, while the highest 10% made $110,670 or more. Around 185,000 physical therapists are currently employed in the United States.
The Offices of Other Health Practitioners industry employs the most therapists and California (15,420), New York (13,490), Florida (12,020), Texas (11,880) and Pennsylvania (9,370) are the states with the highest levels of employment. The top paying states for this job on average are Nevada ($97,810), Alaska ($91,990), Texas ($90,500) and District of Columbia ($89,300).
The top three highest paying areas of work are the following according to the BLS:
- Management, Scientific or Technical Consulting Services – $91,220 per year (employs 80)
- Home Health Care Services – $86,590 per year (employs 20,140)
- Employment Services – $83,710 per year (employs 2,250)
And these are the job markets that employ the highest number of physical therapists:
- Offices of Other Health Practitioners – $76,860 per year (employs 62,810)
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals – $76,880 per year (employs 47,560)
- Home Health Care Services – $86,590 per year (employs 20,140)
Salary by Years Experience (United States)
According to payscale.com, an average physical therapist’s salary ranges from $51,197 to $89,717 (including profit sharing and bonuses). These statistics were gathered from 7,080 physical therapy professionals, the majority of whom had 1-4 years of experience. The average physical therapist salary is around $73,000.
While a career in physical therapy can be quite challenging at times, it is one of the most satisfying jobs a caring individual can get. Job opportunities will be very good for licensed physical therapists for the foreseeable future. Even so, make sure you spend a considerable amount of time crafting your resume.