Physical therapist vs student physical therapist

The differences between physical therapists and student 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 $73,003 average annual salary of a student physical therapist.

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

Physical therapist vs student physical therapist overview

	Physical Therapist	Student Physical Therapist
Yearly salary	$73,070	$73,003
Hourly rate	$35.13	$35.10
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	86,697	92,101
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 76%
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 student physical therapist do?

A student physical therapist assists physicians in handling patients in a medical facility or a similar setting. As students, they typically follow directives and work under the supervision of a physical therapist. Besides assisting in treating patients, a student may also perform various clerical tasks such as filing paperwork, producing reports, running errands, managing schedules, responding to inquiries, and answering calls and correspondence. They may also coordinate with other hospital personnel and attend meetings, all while adhering to the medical facility's policies and standards.

Physical therapist vs student physical therapist salary

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

	Physical Therapist	Student Physical Therapist
Average salary	$73,070	$73,003
Salary range	Between $56,000 And $94,000	Between $54,000 And $97,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	-
Highest paying state	California	-
Best paying company	Parkway	-
Best paying industry	Professional	-

Differences between physical therapist and student physical therapist education

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

	Physical Therapist	Student Physical Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common major	Physical Therapy	Kinesiology
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Physical therapist vs student physical therapist demographics

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

	Physical Therapist	Student Physical Therapist
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 36.3% Female, 63.7%	Male, 37.4% Female, 62.6%
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, 12.0% White, 72.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between physical therapist and student 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

Student physical therapist example responsibilities.

Achieve high level of patients satisfaction due to sound clinical management, quality of care and compassion.
Evaluate and treat patients with total hip/total knee surgeries, status post CVA and spinal cord injuries.
Evaluate and treat patients with orthopedic conditions such as low back pain, cervical pain, post operative conditions.
Perform evaluations, provide patient treatment, supervise COTA
Develop ability to perform ICU mobility treatments with acutely ill patients.
Evaluate and treat patients in ICU implicating early mobilization to prevent further decline in cardiopulmonary compromise patients.

Physical therapist vs student physical therapist skills

Common physical therapist skills

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

Common student physical therapist skills

Patients, 31%
Occupational Therapy, 13%
Rehabilitation, 8%
Patient Care, 6%
Physical Therapy Assistants, 6%
Adaptive, 4%

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Physical Therapist
Physical Therapist vs Student Physical Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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