Physical therapist, director of rehabilitation vs registered physical therapist

The differences between physical therapist, directors of rehabilitation and registered physical therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a physical therapist, director of rehabilitation has an average salary of $105,997, which is higher than the $72,910 average annual salary of a registered physical therapist.

The top three skills for a physical therapist, director of rehabilitation include therapy services, occupational therapy and direct patient care. The most important skills for a registered physical therapist are patients, respiratory care, and healthcare.

Physical therapist, director of rehabilitation vs registered physical therapist overview

	Physical Therapist, Director Of Rehabilitation	Registered Physical Therapist
Yearly salary	$105,997	$72,910
Hourly rate	$50.96	$35.05
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	68,485	85,771
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	-	-

What does a physical therapist, director of rehabilitation do?

A Physical Therapist, Director Of Rehabilitation leads a team of professionals who work in a facility's rehabilitation department. They supervise the departmental staff operations, business planning, budget development, and the treatment of patients.

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.

Physical therapist, director of rehabilitation vs registered physical therapist salary

Physical therapist, directors of rehabilitation and registered physical therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Physical Therapist, Director Of Rehabilitation	Registered Physical Therapist
Average salary	$105,997	$72,910
Salary range	Between $61,000 And $182,000	Between $49,000 And $107,000
Highest paying City	Scituate, MA	Richmond, CA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	California
Best paying company	Prime Healthcare	Functional Pathways
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between physical therapist, director of rehabilitation and registered physical therapist education

There are a few differences between a physical therapist, director of rehabilitation and a registered physical therapist in terms of educational background:

	Physical Therapist, Director Of Rehabilitation	Registered Physical Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Physical Therapy	Physical Therapy
Most common college	Northwestern University	Duke University

Physical therapist, director of rehabilitation vs registered physical therapist demographics

Here are the differences between physical therapist, directors of rehabilitation' and registered physical therapists' demographics:

	Physical Therapist, Director Of Rehabilitation	Registered Physical Therapist
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 32.4% Female, 67.6%	Male, 33.8% Female, 66.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 11.3% White, 72.9% 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 physical therapist, director of rehabilitation and registered physical therapist duties and responsibilities

Physical therapist, director of rehabilitation example responsibilities.

Manage PPS details efficiently to ensure high quality clinical care while maximizing reimbursement for the facility.
Complete all MDS & PPS documentation.
Initiate walk to dine program for both subacute and LTC residents.
Participate in weekly Medicare and rehabilitation team meetings including patient care planning.
Serve as supervising therapist and director of rehabilitation and identify, distribute and balance workload among all disciplines and employees.
Assist therapist with ROM exercises, PNF techniques, joint mobilization, and modalities.

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.

Physical therapist, director of rehabilitation vs registered physical therapist skills

Common physical therapist, director of rehabilitation skills

Therapy Services, 14%
Occupational Therapy, 14%
Direct Patient Care, 14%
Rehabilitation, 13%
Home Health, 11%
Acute Care, 9%

Common registered physical therapist skills

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

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Physical Therapist, Director Of Rehabilitation
Physical Therapist, Director Of Rehabilitation vs Registered Physical Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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