Physical therapy technician vs rehabilitation aide

The differences between physical therapy technicians and rehabilitation aides can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a physical therapy technician has an average salary of $35,161, which is higher than the $28,284 average annual salary of a rehabilitation aide.

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

Physical therapy technician vs rehabilitation aide overview

	Physical Therapy Technician	Rehabilitation Aide
Yearly salary	$35,161	$28,284
Hourly rate	$16.90	$13.60
Growth rate	24%	24%
Number of jobs	66,670	42,701
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age	39	39
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 rehabilitation aide do?

A rehabilitation aide is responsible for assisting patients with injuries, mental disorders, and illnesses in their treatment plans and medications. Rehabilitation aides monitor the patients' progress and update attending physicians regarding their conditions. They also prepare treatment rooms, including the materials and equipment for the medical procedures, and discuss the process with the patients. A rehabilitation aide must be highly organizational, especially in attending to different patients' needs and ensuring the safety and security of all facilities and assets.

Physical therapy technician vs rehabilitation aide salary

Physical therapy technicians and rehabilitation aides have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Physical Therapy Technician	Rehabilitation Aide
Average salary	$35,161	$28,284
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $59,000	Between $22,000 And $35,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	Loveland, CO
Highest paying state	New York	Colorado
Best paying company	St. Tammany Health System	Lifespan
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between physical therapy technician and rehabilitation aide education

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

	Physical Therapy Technician	Rehabilitation Aide
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Kinesiology	Kinesiology
Most common college	University of Virginia	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Physical therapy technician vs rehabilitation aide demographics

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

	Physical Therapy Technician	Rehabilitation Aide
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 37.8% Female, 62.2%	Male, 27.2% Female, 72.8%
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, 6.9% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 7.7% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between physical therapy technician and rehabilitation aide 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.

Rehabilitation aide example responsibilities.

Manage inventory of supplies and splints for the department.
Manage organization and cleanliness of therapy room and equipment.
Help patients who used wheelchairs and walkers.
Assist patients with ADL's, collect lab specimens, perform EKG's, occasionally perform duty as a patient sitter.
Assist physical therapists and occupational hand therapist in implementing rehabilitation programs for patients in an outpatient orthopedics and hand therapy clinic.
Assist OTR/L in patient education and DME distribution at SNF

Physical therapy technician vs rehabilitation aide skills

Common physical therapy technician skills

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

Common rehabilitation aide skills

Patients, 34%
Rehabilitation, 18%
CPR, 6%
Direct Supervision, 5%
Cleanliness, 5%
Data Entry, 4%

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Physical Therapy Technician
Physical Therapy Technician vs Rehabilitation Aide

Updated January 8, 2025

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