Average Physical Therapist Salary

A physical therapist is someone whom you approach for proper treatment when you have any kind of physical problems with your body. There is a belief among many people who physical therapists do the tasks which are usually performed by massage therapists. However, the fact is that they do much more than that. The average physical therapist salary has seen a rising trend over the years due to the growing demand for their skills. Before we know more about the average salary of physical therapist, let us first acquaint ourselves with the physical therapist job description.

Job Description of a Physical Therapist

Physical therapists are specialists in treating pain in muscles and muscle cramps. They help in rehabilitating patients after trauma or surgical procedures. This helps patients to recover fast from their physical ailments. Before treating a patient, physical therapists try to analyze the cause and type of injury. They also suggest useful exercises to their patients for fast and successful recovery from physical injuries. They use ice and heat compresses to relieve the patients of pain and swelling. Massage therapy, electrical stimulation and ultrasound therapy are the commonly used treatments by physical therapists. They also keep an up-to-date record of the health condition of the patients they are treating and observe the progress shown by the patients after receiving treatment.

Physical therapists have the option of working in hospital chains, health care clinics and their private clinics. Physical therapists can also work for sportsmen and are usually a part of the sport team on tours. In order to become a physical therapist, you need to have a degree in physical therapy from a reputed medical institute. After getting a license, you might have to work as an assistant to a senior physical therapist before you handle medical cases independently. Hard work, consistent efforts and devotion are the qualities essential to achieve your goals in this field. In the next paragraph, we shall know more about the average salary for physical therapist.

Physical Therapist Salary Details

The average salary of a physical therapist largely depends on their several years of experience, kind of employer, place of job, post and educational qualifications and skills. In this field, only those who can practically implement the concepts learned in books can succeed. Average physical therapist salary can be in the range of USD 50,000 to USD 60,000 per year. Physical therapists having around two years of experience can earn anything between USD 45,000 to USD 60,000 per year. With around five to seven years of experience, the salary for physical therapists can be in the range of USD 53,000 to USD 70,000 per year, while those with eight to ten years of experience can expect to earn between USD 60,000 to USD 75,000 per year. Physical therapists working for more than fifteen years would surely get more than USD 80,000 per year.

Many physical therapists are paid on an hourly basis while some others charge by number of treatment sessions. Physical therapists working for large hospitals in metropolitan cities earn more than those working in smaller cities. Though you can earn more as a self-employed physical therapist, initially your income might be lower than the employed ones as it takes time to settle your practice by winning the confidence of patients.

You can read more on:

• How to Become a Physical Therapist
• Physical Therapy Degree Requirements
• Duties of a Physical Therapist

So, this was all about the average physical therapist salary, educational requirements and job description. Finally, we conclude that this is an exciting career option for those interested in medical sciences and are willing to put in their best every time.