Perhaps you are contemplating a career as a physical therapist. Maybe you've just finished your training or perhaps you are an experienced professional and thinking about a change.
Well there's good news!
Right now and for the foreseeable future, the demand for physical therapy is on the rise which is driving higher than average salaries for therapists making this industry a desirable and smart choice for a career.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2010-11 Edition, demand for physical therapists will see a projected growth rate of about 30% through 2018. This high rate of growth exceeds most other professions and is due to a number of factors including:
- An increase in the number of elderly patients as the baby boomer generation ages;
- An increase in the number and type of injuries and illnesses that were previously untreatable;
- Changes to the rules regarding third-party payers, giving PT access to more patients; and
- An increase in demand for physical therapists in schools.
The highest rate of growth is in acute care and nursing homes where the elderly will see treatment. If you don't mind living out in the country look for great opportunities in rural areas which are typically undeserved by physical therapy companies that tend to focus on large urban areas.
So, how much can I earn?
But you searched for and found this article looking for info on salaries for physical therapists. Well, here you are
(As I noted above, the data was taken from the Department of Labor):
| |
Annual
|
Hourly
|
% of jobs
|
| Lowest |
$53,620 |
$25.78 |
10% |
| Average |
$76,310 |
$36.69 |
50% |
| Highest |
$107,920 |
$51.89 |
10% |
(note: the salaries are an average of the range meaning the top 10% of physical therapy jobs earn an average salary of $107,920. In other words, some top earners earn more than that.)
That looks pretty good.
The highest salaries are found in the home health care services which average around $86,590 a year. Home health care is growing and although most jobs are still found in hospitals and private facilities, home health and nursing care facilities are experiencing significant growth.
Where should I work?
If salary is your main criteria, the highest paying physical therapy jobs are found in Texas and Alaska. Central Texas and the areas along the Gulf of Mexico have a whopping average salary of over $95,000 a year.
Alaska, if you don't mind the weather, is looking at an average of over $92,000 with Fairbanks clocking in at an amazing average of over $100K!
Madera, California, according to the Department of Labor, is at the top of the scale with an average salary of over $108K per year but the statistics show that only about 30 jobs were available.
- States with the most jobs.
California seems to have the highest number of physical therapy jobs with 14,860 while the state of New York is second with about 13,7500 jobs followed by Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania.
- Cities with the most jobs.
Metropolitan areas appear to have higher salaries because the cost of living tends to be higher in those urban areas.
Of the top 5 cities, New York City is top with over 7,000 (average salary about $84k) jobs. Chicago is second with over 5,500 ($80k avg.). Third is Los Angeles at 4,430 ($84.5K) followed by Boston (3290, $73.5k) and Nassau-Suffolk, NY (2880, $79.5k)
Overall, it's a good time for professionals in the physical therapy industry. You can look forward to growth exceeding the national average and you can expect good salaries all over the country.
For more detailed information on the statistics
click here to see the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. An updated report is expected in March 2012.
-Susan C.-