Physical therapy technician vs physical therapist

The differences between physical therapy technicians and 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 $35,161 average annual salary of a physical therapy technician.

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

Physical therapy technician vs physical therapist overview

	Physical Therapy Technician	Physical Therapist
Yearly salary	$35,161	$73,070
Hourly rate	$16.90	$35.13
Growth rate	24%	17%
Number of jobs	66,670	86,697
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	39	41
Years of experience	-	-

What does a physical therapy technician do?

A physical therapy technician supports both the physical therapists and their physical therapy assistants in planning and implementing patient care. You are expected to perform varied duties and responsibilities that include responding to patients' requests for assistance, assisting with patient preparation before treatment, and maintaining the equipment used by the physical therapist during treatment sessions. In addition, you will be responsible for maintaining patient satisfaction and patient confidentiality. A physical therapy technician will also perform some administrative tasks such as overseeing inventory and scheduling appointments and treatments.

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.

Physical therapy technician vs physical therapist salary

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

	Physical Therapy Technician	Physical Therapist
Average salary	$35,161	$73,070
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $59,000	Between $56,000 And $94,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New York	California
Best paying company	St. Tammany Health System	Parkway
Best paying industry	Health Care	Professional

Differences between physical therapy technician and physical therapist education

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

	Physical Therapy Technician	Physical Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Kinesiology	Physical Therapy
Most common college	University of Virginia	Duke University

Physical therapy technician vs physical therapist demographics

Here are the differences between physical therapy technicians' and physical therapists' demographics:

	Physical Therapy Technician	Physical Therapist
Average age	39	41
Gender ratio	Male, 37.8% Female, 62.2%	Male, 36.3% Female, 63.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 7.8% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	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%
LGBT Percentage	7%	12%

Differences between physical therapy technician and physical therapist duties and responsibilities

Physical therapy technician example responsibilities.

Manage flexible schedule at various company facilities categorize as ILF, ALF, and SNF.
Assist patients in performing ADL tasks and the use of prescribe adaptive equipment.
Help with ADL's for each patient to make sure they make it to the therapy gym.
Schedule rehab sessions, transport patients to sessions, maintain the cleanliness of treatment area and order supplies.
Administer therapeutic ultrasound and prepare patients for mechanical traction.
Assist patients in performing rehabilitation exercises on the equipment; ensure safety and equipment use guidelines are follow.

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

Physical therapy technician vs physical therapist skills

Common physical therapy technician skills

Patients, 43%
Patient Care, 13%
Rehabilitation, 7%
Customer Service, 6%
Occupational Therapy, 3%
Treatment Rooms, 2%

Common physical therapist skills

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

Physical Therapy Technician vs. similar jobs

Physical Therapy Technician related careers

Physical Therapy Technician related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Healthcare Support Industry
Physical Therapy Technician
Physical Therapy Technician vs Physical Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse healthcare support jobs