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.
- TOP 10% OF PHYSICAL THERAPISTS EARN $127,110 ANNUALLY1
- 21% JOB GROWTH PROJECTED, 2020–20301
- DPT NOW THE ENTRY-LEVEL DEGREE FOR LICENSED PRACTICE
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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Key Skills Employers Need
- Demonstrate the ability to locate and critically analyze literature to develop hypotheses to guide clinical decisions for patient/clients
- Use technology to address clinical questions and understand the efficacy of practice
- Integrate cultural competence into professional behavior and clinical encounters with all clients
- Appraise levels of sensitivity and specificity of evidence to make clinical judgments
- Integrate research evidence, patient values and preferences, ethics, and clinical experience to examine patients or clients across their lifespan
- Display adherence to physical therapy core values and professional standards
Beyond the Degree
We have the tools to help you make your next career move:
One-on-One Mentors
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Career Counseling
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Register for events, create a visual profile for employers, and apply for jobs and internships through our online portal.
Sources:
- 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
- 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
- PayScale (n.d.). Average Senior Physical Therapist Salary. Retrieved September 7, 2022, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Senior_Physical_Therapist/Salary