Home care physical therapist vs registered physical therapist

The differences between home care physical therapists and registered physical therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a registered physical therapist has an average salary of $72,910, which is higher than the $71,303 average annual salary of a home care physical therapist.

The top three skills for a home care physical therapist include patients, home health and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a registered physical therapist are patients, respiratory care, and healthcare.

Home care physical therapist vs registered physical therapist overview

	Home Care Physical Therapist	Registered Physical Therapist
Yearly salary	$71,303	$72,910
Hourly rate	$34.28	$35.05
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	180,359	85,771
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	-	-

What does a home care physical therapist do?

A Home Care Physical Therapist provides therapy services defined in treatment plans in residential settings. They work with physicians, case managers, and adjustors. Their patients include accident victims and individuals with disabilities such as heart disease or fractures.

What does a registered physical therapist do?

A registered physical therapist restores a patient's function, alleviates pain, and prevents disabilities by planning and administering medically prescribed physical therapy. Their main job is to diagnose and treat patients who have health conditions that limit their ability to move and perform everyday activities. Their responsibilities include consulting with patients to learn and understand their physical conditions and administering massages to help in the healing process.

Home care physical therapist vs registered physical therapist salary

Home care physical therapists and registered physical therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Home Care Physical Therapist	Registered Physical Therapist
Average salary	$71,303	$72,910
Salary range	Between $47,000 And $107,000	Between $49,000 And $107,000
Highest paying City	Bridgeport, CT	Richmond, CA
Highest paying state	Washington	California
Best paying company	Kaiser Permanente	Functional Pathways
Best paying industry	Professional	Health Care

Differences between home care physical therapist and registered physical therapist education

There are a few differences between a home care physical therapist and a registered physical therapist in terms of educational background:

	Home Care Physical Therapist	Registered Physical Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Physical Therapy	Physical Therapy
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Home care physical therapist vs registered physical therapist demographics

Here are the differences between home care physical therapists' and registered physical therapists' demographics:

	Home Care Physical Therapist	Registered Physical Therapist
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 36.6% Female, 63.4%	Male, 33.8% Female, 66.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 7.4% Asian, 14.8% White, 70.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 7.3% Asian, 15.0% White, 69.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between home care physical therapist and registered physical therapist duties and responsibilities

Home care physical therapist example responsibilities.

Demonstrate working knowledge of community mental health services identify in the Medicaid guidelines and attain contractual outcomes within designate time frames.
Complete documentation and billing for Medicare and Medicaid base on federal and state laws.
Deliver home-based physical therapy services to adult patients with general medical and orthopedic conditions.
Show true sympathy and compassion for optimal results.
Administer manual exercises, massage or traction to relieve pain, increase function and prevent deformity.
Practice specialties with certifications in vestibular rehabilitation and fall prevention.

Registered physical therapist example responsibilities.

Manage rehabilitation department and coordinate the rehabilitation program to the facility.
Excel in ability to customize/adapt conventional physical therapy techniques to meet the specific needs of patients.
Place orders for appropriate assistive devices, orthotics and prosthetics as per patient need.
Administer rehabilitation therapies, which improve patient's mobility and movement.
Operate and supervise oscillating traction for patients depending on insurance qualification.
Evaluate patients and work closely with other clinicians for determining need for and obtaining specialize equipment and/or orthotic devices.

Home care physical therapist vs registered physical therapist skills

Common home care physical therapist skills

Patients, 35%
Home Health, 24%
Rehabilitation, 13%
Restore Function, 5%
Medicare, 4%
Direct Patient Care, 3%

Common registered physical therapist skills

Patients, 47%
Respiratory Care, 12%
Healthcare, 8%
PTA, 7%
Rehabilitation, 6%
Home Health, 6%

Home Care Physical Therapist vs. similar jobs

Home Care Physical Therapist related careers

Home Care Physical Therapist related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Home Care Physical Therapist
Home Care Physical Therapist vs Registered Physical Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse healthcare practitioner and technical jobs