Physical therapist technician vs child life therapist

The differences between physical therapist technicians and child life therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a physical therapist technician has an average salary of $70,364, which is higher than the $50,768 average annual salary of a child life therapist.

The top three skills for a physical therapist technician include patients, rehabilitation and patient care. The most important skills for a child life therapist are patients, direct care, and social work.

Physical therapist technician vs child life therapist overview

	Physical Therapist Technician	Child Life Therapist
Yearly salary	$70,364	$50,768
Hourly rate	$33.83	$24.41
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	74,733	78,428
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	-	-

Physical therapist technician vs child life therapist salary

Physical therapist technicians and child life therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Physical Therapist Technician	Child Life Therapist
Average salary	$70,364	$50,768
Salary range	Between $47,000 And $103,000	Between $37,000 And $69,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between physical therapist technician and child life therapist education

There are a few differences between a physical therapist technician and a child life therapist in terms of educational background:

	Physical Therapist Technician	Child Life Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Kinesiology	Psychology
Most common college	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	Duke University

Physical therapist technician vs child life therapist demographics

Here are the differences between physical therapist technicians' and child life therapists' demographics:

	Physical Therapist Technician	Child Life Therapist
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 38.7% Female, 61.3%	Male, 35.0% Female, 65.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 11.4% White, 73.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 11.2% White, 72.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between physical therapist technician and child life therapist duties and responsibilities

Physical therapist technician example responsibilities.

Demonstrate working knowledge of community mental health services identify in the Medicaid guidelines and attain contractual outcomes within designate time frames.
Order supplies for patients needs such as braces, wheelchairs, and walkers.
Administer traction to relieve cervical and lumbar pain, using intermittent and static traction equipment.
Fit patients for orthopedic braces, prostheses, and supportive devices, such as crutches.
Provide a variety of modalities to therapy patients including: cryotherapy, thermotherapy, ultrasound, electrical stem.
Instruct patients as to proper exercise techniques and monitor during sessions to ensure safety and facilitate efficient rehabilitation.

Child life therapist example responsibilities.

Train and experience at managing challenging classroom situations using CPI methods and positive behavior reinforcement practices.
Work with clinical staff to implement clients' rehabilitation plans.
Serve on interdisciplinary team responsible for the treatment of acute psychiatric and mentally-ill chemically-addict veterans on an acute unit.
Attend CFT and IEP meetings for clients; advocate for client's best interest.
Develop individual educational plans (IEP) design to promote educational, physical and social development.

Physical therapist technician vs child life therapist skills

Common physical therapist technician skills

Patients, 52%
Rehabilitation, 10%
Patient Care, 5%
Electrical Stimulation, 3%
Traction, 3%
Physical Therapy Treatment, 3%

Common child life therapist skills

Patients, 25%
Direct Care, 19%
Social Work, 17%
Physical Therapy, 12%
Therapeutic Recreation, 6%
Emotional Support, 5%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Physical Therapist Technician
Physical Therapist Technician vs Child Life Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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