Physical therapist vs exercise specialist

The differences between physical therapists and exercise specialists 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 $41,669 average annual salary of an exercise specialist.

The top three skills for a physical therapist include patients, rehabilitation and home health. The most important skills for an exercise specialist are patients, rehabilitation, and patient care.

Physical therapist vs exercise specialist overview

	Physical Therapist	Exercise Specialist
Yearly salary	$73,070	$41,669
Hourly rate	$35.13	$20.03
Growth rate	17%	9%
Number of jobs	86,697	38,198
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Average age	41	38
Years of experience	-	2

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.

What does an exercise specialist do?

An Exercise Specialist creates exercise plans designed to improve health for clients, such as those at high risk for heart, metabolic, or lung disease. They work at health clubs, hotels, gyms, and hospitals.

Physical therapist vs exercise specialist salary

Physical therapists and exercise specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Physical Therapist	Exercise Specialist
Average salary	$73,070	$41,669
Salary range	Between $56,000 And $94,000	Between $28,000 And $61,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Kaneohe, HI
Highest paying state	California	Alaska
Best paying company	Parkway	Hancock Wellness
Best paying industry	Professional	Health Care

Differences between physical therapist and exercise specialist education

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

	Physical Therapist	Exercise Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Most common major	Physical Therapy	Kinesiology
Most common college	Duke University	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Physical therapist vs exercise specialist demographics

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

	Physical Therapist	Exercise Specialist
Average age	41	38
Gender ratio	Male, 36.3% Female, 63.7%	Male, 43.8% Female, 56.2%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 5.2% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	13%

Differences between physical therapist and exercise specialist duties and responsibilities

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

Exercise specialist example responsibilities.

Case manage cardiac rehabilitation participants providing educational support and counseling, smoking cessation, stress management, and exercise safety.
Conduct fitness assessments base on ACSM guidelines and educate clients on results.
Develop and plan individualized exercise programs for fitness members, personal training clients, senior citizens and post-rehab physical therapy patients.
Educate patients on therapeutic exercises prescribe by physical therapists, maintain orderliness of clinic and aid in administrative tasks and documentation.
Conduct new member orientations and fitness test using ACSM guidelines.
Instruct group exercise classes such as: yoga, cycling, and weight training.

Physical therapist vs exercise specialist skills

Common physical therapist skills

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

Common exercise specialist skills

Patients, 21%
Rehabilitation, 10%
Patient Care, 9%
Customer Service, 7%
Physical Therapy, 6%
Blood Pressure, 4%

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Physical Therapist
Physical Therapist vs Exercise Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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