Registered physical therapist vs outpatient physical therapist

The differences between registered physical therapists and outpatient physical therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a registered physical therapist has an average salary of $72,910, which is higher than the $66,359 average annual salary of an outpatient physical therapist.

The top three skills for a registered physical therapist include patients, respiratory care and healthcare. The most important skills for an outpatient physical therapist are patients, physical therapy, and rehabilitation.

Registered physical therapist vs outpatient physical therapist overview

	Registered Physical Therapist	Outpatient Physical Therapist
Yearly salary	$72,910	$66,359
Hourly rate	$35.05	$31.90
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	85,771	119,973
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Master's Degree, 49%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	-	-

What does a registered physical therapist do?

A registered physical therapist restores a patient's function, alleviates pain, and prevents disabilities by planning and administering medically prescribed physical therapy. Their main job is to diagnose and treat patients who have health conditions that limit their ability to move and perform everyday activities. Their responsibilities include consulting with patients to learn and understand their physical conditions and administering massages to help in the healing process.

What does an outpatient physical therapist do?

An outpatient physical therapist specializes in diagnosing and treating a patient's movement dysfunction often caused by an illness or injury. Their responsibilities revolve around studying a patient's medical history, performing initial assessments, crafting a specific care and treatment plan, and discussing the extent of treatments with patients and their families. An outpatient physical therapist may also provide advice to families or guardians on how to assist and care for patients at home, prescribe medication, and perform follow-up consultations.

Registered physical therapist vs outpatient physical therapist salary

Registered physical therapists and outpatient physical therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Registered Physical Therapist	Outpatient Physical Therapist
Average salary	$72,910	$66,359
Salary range	Between $49,000 And $107,000	Between $40,000 And $108,000
Highest paying City	Richmond, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Functional Pathways	Accountable Healthcare Holdings Corp.
Best paying industry	Health Care	Non Profits

Differences between registered physical therapist and outpatient physical therapist education

There are a few differences between a registered physical therapist and an outpatient physical therapist in terms of educational background:

	Registered Physical Therapist	Outpatient Physical Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Master's Degree, 49%
Most common major	Physical Therapy	Social Work
Most common college	Duke University	Boston University

Registered physical therapist vs outpatient physical therapist demographics

Here are the differences between registered physical therapists' and outpatient physical therapists' demographics:

	Registered Physical Therapist	Outpatient Physical Therapist
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 33.8% Female, 66.2%	Male, 24.4% Female, 75.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 7.3% Asian, 15.0% White, 69.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 11.3% White, 72.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between registered physical therapist and outpatient physical therapist duties and responsibilities

Registered physical therapist example responsibilities.

Manage rehabilitation department and coordinate the rehabilitation program to the facility.
Excel in ability to customize/adapt conventional physical therapy techniques to meet the specific needs of patients.
Place orders for appropriate assistive devices, orthotics and prosthetics as per patient need.
Administer rehabilitation therapies, which improve patient's mobility and movement.
Operate and supervise oscillating traction for patients depending on insurance qualification.
Evaluate patients and work closely with other clinicians for determining need for and obtaining specialize equipment and/or orthotic devices.

Outpatient physical therapist example responsibilities.

Facilitate development of coping techniques to manage psychiatric symptoms effectively; educate patients on importance of medication management and compliance.
Demonstrate working knowledge of community mental health services identify in the Medicaid guidelines and attain contractual outcomes within designate time frames.
Perform assessments with clients to determine diagnosis and need of services.
Complete intake assessment and formulate diagnosis.
Assist veterans with transportation to interviews.
Provide active case management service for veterans in residential treatment.

Registered physical therapist vs outpatient physical therapist skills

Common registered physical therapist skills

Patients, 47%
Respiratory Care, 12%
Healthcare, 8%
PTA, 7%
Rehabilitation, 6%
Home Health, 6%

Common outpatient physical therapist skills

Patients, 23%
Physical Therapy, 17%
Rehabilitation, 11%
Patient Care, 10%
Therapy Services, 5%
Social Work, 5%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Registered Physical Therapist
Registered Physical Therapist vs Outpatient Physical Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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