Physical therapist vs outpatient physical therapist

The differences between physical therapists and outpatient 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 $66,359 average annual salary of an outpatient physical therapist.

The top three skills for a physical therapist include patients, rehabilitation and home health. The most important skills for an outpatient physical therapist are patients, physical therapy, and rehabilitation.

Physical therapist vs outpatient physical therapist overview

	Physical Therapist	Outpatient Physical Therapist
Yearly salary	$73,070	$66,359
Hourly rate	$35.13	$31.90
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	86,697	119,973
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Master's Degree, 49%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	-	-

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 outpatient physical therapist do?

An outpatient physical therapist specializes in diagnosing and treating a patient's movement dysfunction often caused by an illness or injury. Their responsibilities revolve around studying a patient's medical history, performing initial assessments, crafting a specific care and treatment plan, and discussing the extent of treatments with patients and their families. An outpatient physical therapist may also provide advice to families or guardians on how to assist and care for patients at home, prescribe medication, and perform follow-up consultations.

Physical therapist vs outpatient physical therapist salary

Physical therapists and outpatient physical therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Physical Therapist	Outpatient Physical Therapist
Average salary	$73,070	$66,359
Salary range	Between $56,000 And $94,000	Between $40,000 And $108,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Parkway	Accountable Healthcare Holdings Corp.
Best paying industry	Professional	Non Profits

Differences between physical therapist and outpatient physical therapist education

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

	Physical Therapist	Outpatient Physical Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Master's Degree, 49%
Most common major	Physical Therapy	Social Work
Most common college	Duke University	Boston University

Physical therapist vs outpatient physical therapist demographics

Here are the differences between physical therapists' and outpatient physical therapists' demographics:

	Physical Therapist	Outpatient Physical Therapist
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 36.3% Female, 63.7%	Male, 24.4% Female, 75.6%
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, 3.9% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 11.3% White, 72.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between physical therapist and outpatient physical therapist 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

Outpatient physical therapist example responsibilities.

Facilitate development of coping techniques to manage psychiatric symptoms effectively; educate patients on importance of medication management and compliance.
Demonstrate working knowledge of community mental health services identify in the Medicaid guidelines and attain contractual outcomes within designate time frames.
Perform assessments with clients to determine diagnosis and need of services.
Complete intake assessment and formulate diagnosis.
Assist veterans with transportation to interviews.
Provide active case management service for veterans in residential treatment.

Physical therapist vs outpatient physical therapist skills

Common physical therapist skills

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

Common outpatient physical therapist skills

Patients, 23%
Physical Therapy, 17%
Rehabilitation, 11%
Patient Care, 10%
Therapy Services, 5%
Social Work, 5%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Physical Therapist
Physical Therapist vs Outpatient Physical Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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