Physical therapist vs pediatric physical therapist

The differences between physical therapists and pediatric physical therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a pediatric physical therapist has an average salary of $75,699, which is higher than the $73,070 average annual salary of a physical therapist.

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

Physical therapist vs pediatric physical therapist overview

	Physical Therapist	Pediatric Physical Therapist
Yearly salary	$73,070	$75,699
Hourly rate	$35.13	$36.39
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	86,697	98,862
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
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 a pediatric physical therapist do?

Pediatric physical therapists are specialized in improving the lives as well as the everyday tasks of children who suffer from a vast range of injuries and congenital disorders. Their primary duty is to aid the child and their family to help each child to reach their optimum potential to work independently and to encourage active engagement at home, in school, as well as in the community. Other responsibilities include assessing and providing treatment for impediments in motor skills as well as evaluating the child's strength, posture, flexibility, pace, coordination, balance, and sensory processing. Additionally, they are trained to examine the motor progress using specification testing for age equivalents.

Physical therapist vs pediatric physical therapist salary

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

	Physical Therapist	Pediatric Physical Therapist
Average salary	$73,070	$75,699
Salary range	Between $56,000 And $94,000	Between $55,000 And $103,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Lynnwood, WA
Highest paying state	California	Washington
Best paying company	Parkway	Tenet Healthcare
Best paying industry	Professional	Professional

Differences between physical therapist and pediatric physical therapist education

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

	Physical Therapist	Pediatric Physical Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common major	Physical Therapy	Physical Therapy
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Physical therapist vs pediatric physical therapist demographics

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

	Physical Therapist	Pediatric Physical Therapist
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 36.3% Female, 63.7%	Male, 14.4% Female, 85.6%
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, 3.7% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian, 11.4% White, 73.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between physical therapist and pediatric 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

Pediatric physical therapist example responsibilities.

Achieve high level of patients satisfaction due to sound clinical management, quality of care and compassion.
Experience in administering modalities including: NMES, IFC, iontophoresis, ultrasound, and cervical traction.
Evaluate and write letters of necessity to obtain adaptive equipment including: mobility devices, adaptive seating device and positioning devices.
Start OT career at Eisenhower as regular staff OTR; continue to work often as long-term/temporary OTR.
Evaluate patients in medical and surgical ICU and provide ROM and ambulation exercises and prepare them for the discharge.
Educate patients on performing daily living activities and the use of supportive equipment such as crutches, wheelchairs and canes.

Physical therapist vs pediatric physical therapist skills

Common physical therapist skills

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

Common pediatric physical therapist skills

Patients, 25%
Patient Care, 12%
Rehabilitation, 9%
Autism, 6%
Home Health, 6%
Physical Therapy, 4%

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Physical Therapist
Physical Therapist vs Pediatric Physical Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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