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Physical Therapists

	Median Wage (USD, 2024)	Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)	Projected Growth (2023-2033)
National Statistics	$101,020	13600	14.2%
State Statistics	-	-	-
City Statistics	-	-	-

Statistics

National

State

City

State

City

$101,020

Median Wage (USD, 2023)

13600

Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)

14.2%

Projected Growth (2023-2033)

Assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: Doctoral Degree

Related Work Experience: N.A.

On-Site or In-Plant Training: N.A.

On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month

Detailed Work Activities

Communicate detailed medical information to patients or family members.
Refer patients to other healthcare practitioners or health resources.
Develop medical treatment plans.
Examine patients to assess general physical condition.
Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals.
Record patient medical histories.
Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments.
Evaluate patient outcomes to determine effectiveness of treatments.
Treat patients using physical therapy techniques.
Train patients, family members, or caregivers in techniques for managing disabilities or illnesses.
Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals.
Enter patient or treatment data into computers.
Record patient medical histories.
Process healthcare paperwork.
Refer patients to other healthcare practitioners or health resources.
Process healthcare paperwork.
Test patient heart or lung functioning.
Examine patients to assess general physical condition.
Record patient medical histories.
Establish treatment goals.
Record patient medical histories.
Explain medical procedures or test results to patients or family members.
Supervise medical support personnel.
Operate diagnostic or therapeutic medical instruments or equipment.
Treat patients using physical therapy techniques.
Train medical providers.
Adjust prostheses or other assistive devices.
Advise medical personnel regarding healthcare issues.
Communicate health and wellness information to the public.
Refer patients to other healthcare practitioners or health resources.
Conduct research to increase knowledge about medical issues.
Design public or employee health programs.
Advise others on matters of public policy.
Fabricate medical devices.
Direct healthcare delivery programs.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

Plan, prepare, or carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve, or restore physical functioning, alleviate pain, or prevent physical dysfunction in patients.
Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention.
Record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in patient's chart or enter information into computer.
Instruct patient and family in treatment procedures to be continued at home.
Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit.
Confer with the patient, medical practitioners, or appropriate others to plan, implement, or assess the intervention program.
Administer manual exercises, massage, or traction to help relieve pain, increase patient strength, or decrease or prevent deformity or crippling.
Obtain patients' informed consent to proposed interventions.
Test and measure patient's strength, motor development and function, sensory perception, functional capacity, or respiratory or circulatory efficiency and record data.
Direct, supervise, assess, and communicate with supportive personnel.
Review physician's referral and patient's medical records to help determine diagnosis and physical therapy treatment required.
Identify and document goals, anticipated progress, and plans for reevaluation.
Provide information to the patient about the proposed intervention, its material risks and expected benefits, and any reasonable alternatives.
Provide educational information about physical therapy or physical therapists, injury prevention, ergonomics, or ways to promote health.
Inform patients and refer to appropriate practitioners when diagnosis reveals findings outside physical therapy.
Discharge patient from physical therapy when goals or projected outcomes have been attained and provide for appropriate follow-up care or referrals.
Administer treatment involving application of physical agents, using equipment, moist packs, ultraviolet or infrared lamps, or ultrasound machines.
Refer clients to community resources or services.
Construct, maintain, or repair medical supportive devices.
Evaluate, fit, or adjust prosthetic or orthotic devices or recommend modification to orthotist.
Teach physical therapy students or those in other health professions.
Conduct or support research and apply research findings to practice.
Participate in community or community agency activities or help to formulate public policy.
Direct group rehabilitation activities.

Work Styles

Persistence

Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Achievement/Effort

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self-Control

Stress Tolerance

Adaptability/Flexibility

Dependability

Attention to Detail

Integrity

Independence

Innovation

Analytical Thinking

For more information on this career visit: https://explorehealthcareers.org/careers/physical-therapy/physical-therapist/

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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