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Post-Professional Doctor of Physical Therapy: Career Outlook

Help your patients heal and excel in a vital healthcare role.

Earn your Doctor of Physical Therapy and take control of the entire physical therapy process—from consultation to diagnosis to developing a treatment plan that meets your patient’s needs.

Demand for experts in this field is increasing alongside the nation’s aging population, with 21 percent growth projected by 2030.1 As baby boomers stay active later in life, they need support from physical therapists for mobility-related injuries as well as the side effects of heart attacks, diabetes, and strokes.

In addition, advances in medical technology are helping trauma survivors and newborns with birth defects thrive while increasing the need for rehabilitative care. As a physical therapist, you’ll play a crucial role in helping people of all ages heal and live better lives.

As a doctor of physical therapy, you could earn up to $127,110 per year and qualify for 288,300 new job opportunities by 2030.1 Stay competitive in this bustling field and prepare for top-earning roles in specialized disciplines:

NEUROLOGICAL REHAB PHYSICAL THERAPIST

$91,358/year

A neurologic physical therapist specializes in the evaluation and treatment of individuals with movement problems due to disease or injury of the nervous system. Physical therapists can help improve or restore the mobility patients need to move forward with life.2

SENIOR PHYSICAL THERAPIST

$87,642/year

A senior physical therapist helps ill or injured individuals with physical movement and pain management. They design programs to increase function and allow patients to better complete daily activities. A senior physical therapist must work with patients to explain, carry out, and update the plan as necessary.3

Additional roles for doctors of physical therapy:

  • Lead Physical Therapist
  • Physical Therapist Director
  • Geriatric Physical Therapist
  • Acute Care Physical Therapist

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Sources:

  1. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022, April 18). Physical Therapists. Retrieved September 7, 2022, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physical-therapists.htm?view_full#tab-6
  2. Glassdoor (n.d.). Orthopaedic & Neurological Rehabilitation Physical Therapist Jobs in United States. Retrieved June 15, 2018, from https://www.glassdoor.com/Jobs/Orthopaedic-and-Neurological-Rehabilitation-Physical-Therapist-US-Jobs-EI_IE293455.0,43_KO44,62_IL.63,65_IN1.htm?irs=C2J_TAB_SALARIES
  3. PayScale (n.d.). Average Senior Physical Therapist Salary. Retrieved September 7, 2022, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Senior_Physical_Therapist/Salary