Physical therapy technician vs rehabilitation technician

The differences between physical therapy technicians and rehabilitation technicians 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 $29,533 average annual salary of a rehabilitation technician.

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

Physical therapy technician vs rehabilitation technician overview

	Physical Therapy Technician	Rehabilitation Technician
Yearly salary	$35,161	$29,533
Hourly rate	$16.90	$14.20
Growth rate	24%	24%
Number of jobs	66,670	31,196
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	39	43
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 technician do?

A rehabilitation technician is responsible for assisting therapists and other medical personnel on supporting the patients in their daily activities and physical therapy sessions. Rehabilitation technicians provide high-quality care services for the patients by administering medications, accompanying them on medical appointments, and ensuring the cleanliness and orderliness of all equipment and facilities to prevent hazards within the premises. They may also perform administrative and clerical duties such as updating patients' information on the database, writing reports, processing payments for medical procedures, and maintaining medical charts for reference.

Physical therapy technician vs rehabilitation technician salary

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

	Physical Therapy Technician	Rehabilitation Technician
Average salary	$35,161	$29,533
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $59,000	Between $23,000 And $37,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	New York	Washington
Best paying company	St. Tammany Health System	Lawrence General Hospital
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between physical therapy technician and rehabilitation technician education

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

	Physical Therapy Technician	Rehabilitation Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Kinesiology	Kinesiology
Most common college	University of Virginia	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Physical therapy technician vs rehabilitation technician demographics

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

	Physical Therapy Technician	Rehabilitation Technician
Average age	39	43
Gender ratio	Male, 37.8% Female, 62.2%	Male, 31.0% Female, 69.0%
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, 14.4% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.5% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	7%	8%

Differences between physical therapy technician and rehabilitation technician 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 technician example responsibilities.

Manage organization and cleanliness of therapy room and equipment.
Record vital signs and assist patients in performing their ADL's as directed by medical or nursing staff.
Assist patients with neurological conditions with different mobility training, ADL training, and strengthening exercises.
Assist with the modification of therapy plans, assist with manual stretching and traction of patients.
Prepare patients for electrical stimulation, mechanical traction, and ultrasounds.
Assist in operating a physical therapy facility by helping patients improve their movement, stamina, coordination, and intellectual capacity.

Physical therapy technician vs rehabilitation technician skills

Common physical therapy technician skills

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

Common rehabilitation technician skills

Patients, 23%
Rehabilitation, 18%
Physical Therapy, 12%
CPR, 9%
Customer Service, 5%
Occupational Therapy, 4%

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Physical Therapy Technician
Physical Therapy Technician vs Rehabilitation Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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