Director of physical therapy vs child life therapist

The differences between directors of physical therapy and child life therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a director of physical therapy has an average salary of $107,759, which is higher than the $50,768 average annual salary of a child life therapist.

The top three skills for a director of physical therapy include patients, rehabilitation and physical therapy. The most important skills for a child life therapist are patients, direct care, and social work.

Director of physical therapy vs child life therapist overview

	Director Of Physical Therapy	Child Life Therapist
Yearly salary	$107,759	$50,768
Hourly rate	$51.81	$24.41
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	65,423	78,428
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	-	-

Director of physical therapy vs child life therapist salary

Directors of physical therapy and child life therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Director Of Physical Therapy	Child Life Therapist
Average salary	$107,759	$50,768
Salary range	Between $63,000 And $183,000	Between $37,000 And $69,000
Highest paying City	Walnut Creek, CA	-
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	-
Best paying company	Prime Healthcare	-
Best paying industry	Health Care	-

Differences between director of physical therapy and child life therapist education

There are a few differences between a director of physical therapy and a child life therapist in terms of educational background:

	Director Of Physical Therapy	Child Life Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Physical Therapy	Psychology
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Director of physical therapy vs child life therapist demographics

Here are the differences between directors of physical therapy' and child life therapists' demographics:

	Director Of Physical Therapy	Child Life Therapist
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 43.5% Female, 56.5%	Male, 35.0% Female, 65.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 11.3% White, 72.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 11.2% White, 72.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between director of physical therapy and child life therapist duties and responsibilities

Director of physical therapy example responsibilities.

Develop department budgets and manage QA adherence.
Manage PPS details efficiently to ensure high quality clinical care while maximizing reimbursement for the facility.
Attend all daily meetings including stand up, IDT, PPS, and direct and lead weekly rehab meetings.
Develop and improve the documentation system with the use of early EMR documentation software.
Direct the provision of patient care, clinical duties, and development of COTA.
Provide OT treatment for high volume caseloads in rehab, outpatient, SNF, and acute settings.

Child life therapist example responsibilities.

Train and experience at managing challenging classroom situations using CPI methods and positive behavior reinforcement practices.
Work with clinical staff to implement clients' rehabilitation plans.
Serve on interdisciplinary team responsible for the treatment of acute psychiatric and mentally-ill chemically-addict veterans on an acute unit.
Attend CFT and IEP meetings for clients; advocate for client's best interest.
Develop individual educational plans (IEP) design to promote educational, physical and social development.

Director of physical therapy vs child life therapist skills

Common director of physical therapy skills

Patients, 39%
Rehabilitation, 17%
Physical Therapy, 6%
Treatment Programs, 5%
Occupational Therapy, 5%
Outpatient Clinic, 4%

Common child life therapist skills

Patients, 25%
Direct Care, 19%
Social Work, 17%
Physical Therapy, 12%
Therapeutic Recreation, 6%
Emotional Support, 5%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Director Of Physical Therapy
Director Of Physical Therapy vs Child Life Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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