Physical therapist technician vs director of physical therapy

The differences between physical therapist technicians and directors of physical therapy can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a director of physical therapy has an average salary of $107,759, which is higher than the $70,364 average annual salary of a physical therapist technician.

The top three skills for a physical therapist technician include patients, rehabilitation and patient care. The most important skills for a director of physical therapy are patients, rehabilitation, and physical therapy.

Physical therapist technician vs director of physical therapy overview

	Physical Therapist Technician	Director Of Physical Therapy
Yearly salary	$70,364	$107,759
Hourly rate	$33.83	$51.81
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	74,733	65,423
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	-	-

Physical therapist technician vs director of physical therapy salary

Physical therapist technicians and directors of physical therapy have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Physical Therapist Technician	Director Of Physical Therapy
Average salary	$70,364	$107,759
Salary range	Between $47,000 And $103,000	Between $63,000 And $183,000
Highest paying City	-	Walnut Creek, CA
Highest paying state	-	Massachusetts
Best paying company	-	Prime Healthcare
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between physical therapist technician and director of physical therapy education

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

	Physical Therapist Technician	Director Of Physical Therapy
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Kinesiology	Physical Therapy
Most common college	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	Duke University

Physical therapist technician vs director of physical therapy demographics

Here are the differences between physical therapist technicians' and directors of physical therapy' demographics:

	Physical Therapist Technician	Director Of Physical Therapy
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 38.7% Female, 61.3%	Male, 43.5% Female, 56.5%
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, 7.9% Asian, 11.3% White, 72.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between physical therapist technician and director of physical therapy 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.

Director of physical therapy example responsibilities.

Develop department budgets and manage QA adherence.
Manage PPS details efficiently to ensure high quality clinical care while maximizing reimbursement for the facility.
Attend all daily meetings including stand up, IDT, PPS, and direct and lead weekly rehab meetings.
Develop and improve the documentation system with the use of early EMR documentation software.
Direct the provision of patient care, clinical duties, and development of COTA.
Provide OT treatment for high volume caseloads in rehab, outpatient, SNF, and acute settings.

Physical therapist technician vs director of physical therapy skills

Common physical therapist technician skills

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

Common director of physical therapy skills

Patients, 39%
Rehabilitation, 17%
Physical Therapy, 6%
Treatment Programs, 5%
Occupational Therapy, 5%
Outpatient Clinic, 4%

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Physical Therapist Technician
Physical Therapist Technician vs Director Of Physical Therapy

Updated January 8, 2025

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