Physical therapist vs per diem physical therapist

The differences between physical therapists and per diem physical therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a per diem physical therapist has an average salary of $74,590, 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 per diem physical therapist are patients, rehabilitation, and per diem.

Physical therapist vs per diem physical therapist overview

	Physical Therapist	Per Diem Physical Therapist
Yearly salary	$73,070	$74,590
Hourly rate	$35.13	$35.86
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	86,697	87,365
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
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 per diem physical therapist do?

A per diem physical therapist is responsible for performing therapy treatments for patients when the institution is short-staffed for therapists. These therapists design recovery plans to help ease patients with their movements and daily activities after suffering from injury, illness, and other medical conditions. They diagnose patients to evaluate treatment methods, observe their progress every session, and modify plans until the final recovery. A per diem physical therapist operate various tools and equipment, schedule treatment appointments, and monitor the patients' medications.

Physical therapist vs per diem physical therapist salary

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

	Physical Therapist	Per Diem Physical Therapist
Average salary	$73,070	$74,590
Salary range	Between $56,000 And $94,000	Between $51,000 And $108,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Parkway	Alameda Health System
Best paying industry	Professional	Professional

Differences between physical therapist and per diem physical therapist education

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

	Physical Therapist	Per Diem Physical Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common major	Physical Therapy	Physical Therapy
Most common college	Duke University	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Physical therapist vs per diem physical therapist demographics

Here are the differences between physical therapists' and per diem physical therapists' demographics:

	Physical Therapist	Per Diem Physical Therapist
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 36.3% Female, 63.7%	Male, 30.2% Female, 69.8%
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, 4.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 11.3% White, 72.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between physical therapist and per diem 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

Per diem physical therapist example responsibilities.

Achieve high level of patients satisfaction due to sound clinical management, quality of care and compassion.
Help patients adapt to the use of braces, canes, crutches and prosthetic/orthotic devices as needed.
Assist patients to adapt to the use of wheelchairs, braces, canes, crutches and prosthetic/orthotic devises.
Provide patient care in a SNF setting with the primary emphasis on transitioning patients from hospital to home.
Provide assessments and documentation for adaptive equipment.
Supervise PTAs and physical therapy aides in direct patient-relate activities.

Physical therapist vs per diem physical therapist skills

Common physical therapist skills

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

Common per diem physical therapist skills

Patients, 26%
Rehabilitation, 16%
Per Diem, 14%
Home Health, 10%
Treatment Programs, 6%
Physical Therapy Assistants, 3%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Physical Therapist
Physical Therapist vs Per Diem Physical Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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