Clinical exercise physiologist vs physical therapist

The differences between clinical exercise physiologists and physical therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a physical therapist has an average salary of $73,070, which is higher than the $53,276 average annual salary of a clinical exercise physiologist.

The top three skills for a clinical exercise physiologist include patients, rehabilitation and cardiac rehabilitation. The most important skills for a physical therapist are patients, rehabilitation, and home health.

Clinical exercise physiologist vs physical therapist overview

	Clinical Exercise Physiologist	Physical Therapist
Yearly salary	$53,276	$73,070
Hourly rate	$25.61	$35.13
Growth rate	9%	17%
Number of jobs	108,099	86,697
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	38	41
Years of experience	2	-

What does a clinical exercise physiologist do?

Clinical exercise physiologists, or CEP, are health professionals who utilize scientific rationale for designing, enforcing, and supervising exercise programming. The physiologists set exercise programs for people with conditions, diseases, and/or physical issues. They analyze the fitness of their patients to improve or main their health. Their job includes the assessment of patients' needs and making sure that they are following the safe exercise practices set for them. In addition, CEP may work with patients who have been recovering from any medical emergency or those who need to regain their physical strength.

What does a physical therapist do?

Physical therapists are health care professionals who diagnose and treat patients with health conditions and limited ability to move and perform daily activities. They help in restoring physical function and mobility and teach how to properly use therapeutic exercise techniques. They also help promote overall wellness and encourage healthier and more active lifestyles. They design a recovery plan unique for every patient, provide treatment and therapy to help improve and manage their condition. They provide care to all kinds of individuals, from newborns to people at the end of their life.

Clinical exercise physiologist vs physical therapist salary

Clinical exercise physiologists and physical therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Clinical Exercise Physiologist	Physical Therapist
Average salary	$53,276	$73,070
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $95,000	Between $56,000 And $94,000
Highest paying City	Bakersfield, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	California
Best paying company	Boston Medical Center	Parkway
Best paying industry	Health Care	Professional

Differences between clinical exercise physiologist and physical therapist education

There are a few differences between a clinical exercise physiologist and a physical therapist in terms of educational background:

	Clinical Exercise Physiologist	Physical Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Kinesiology	Physical Therapy
Most common college	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	Duke University

Clinical exercise physiologist vs physical therapist demographics

Here are the differences between clinical exercise physiologists' and physical therapists' demographics:

	Clinical Exercise Physiologist	Physical Therapist
Average age	38	41
Gender ratio	Male, 48.3% Female, 51.7%	Male, 36.3% Female, 63.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 5.6% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	13%	12%

Differences between clinical exercise physiologist and physical therapist duties and responsibilities

Clinical exercise physiologist example responsibilities.

Interpret ECG test results and work with the cardiologist to diagnose specific cardiac conditions.
Perform pulmonary function testing, ECG's, and BP monitoring.
Assist physicians with ACLS/BLS procedures, chest tube insertions and catheter angiogramsite management.
Utilize the components of the nursing process and the applications of nursing diagnosis in the client setting.
Assess new-starts, monitor vitals, adjust workload intensities, and interpret EKG responses to varying exercise intensities.
Trouble shooting device issues and arrhythmia problems, aiding the physician in adjusting treatment plans tailor to patient specific needs.

Physical therapist example responsibilities.

Conduct in-services and train colleagues in effective techniques for safely managing the CVA patient.
Achieve high level of patients satisfaction due to sound clinical management, quality of care and compassion.
Perform physical therapy evaluation and treatment of orthopedic patients and supervise PTAs.
Progress patients' functional mobility during treatment sessions by modifying task, intensity, and adaptive equipment utilize.
Motivate patients to participate in treatment sessions by educating them on the benefits of early mobility following cardiac and thoracic surgery.
Experience include IFSP and IEP writing and implementation

Clinical exercise physiologist vs physical therapist skills

Common clinical exercise physiologist skills

Patients, 20%
Rehabilitation, 13%
Cardiac Rehabilitation, 8%
Acls, 6%
Patient Care, 5%
EKG, 5%

Common physical therapist skills

Patients, 30%
Rehabilitation, 15%
Home Health, 13%
Quality Care, 5%
Physical Therapy, 3%
Treatment Programs, 3%

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Clinical Exercise Physiologist
Clinical Exercise Physiologist vs Physical Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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