How to hire a rehab director

How to hire a rehab director, step by step

Here's a step-by-step rehab director hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a rehab director job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new rehab director
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a rehab director do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a rehab director, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A rehab director's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, rehab directors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of rehab director salaries for various roles:

   Type of Rehab Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Rehab Director	Medical and health services managers, also called healthcare executives or healthcare administrators, plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health services. They might manage an entire facility, a specific clinical area or department, or a medical practice for a group of physicians... Show more	$27-57
   Nurse Manager	The primary role of nurse managers is to supervise the nursing staff in a clinical or hospital setting. They are the ones who are in charge of patient care, setting work schedules, and making budgetary and management decisions... Show more	$28-55
   Director Of Professional Services	A director of professional services is responsible for evaluating and improving the professional services offered by the firm. Directors of professional services assess the operational processes and systems to ensure high-quality outputs and deliverables... Show more	$45-99

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Rehabilitation
   • Occupational Therapy
   • Program Development
   • Customer Service
   • Speech Therapy
   • SNF
   • MDS
   • Home Health
   • Long-Term Care
   • Direct Patient Care
   • SLP
   • Discharge Planning
   • COTA

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage PPS, MDS input, Medicare caseload, setting planner, managing minutes, and managing insurance approvals authorizations.
   • Manage budget and labor costs of rehab department in LTC skil nursing facility.
   • Experience in education and training of other DOR's at sister facility to accomplish clinical and financial goals.
   • Manage PPS/schedules and ensure sufficient coverage for a mix caseload of MCR, HMO and private pay residents.
   • Organize, supply, set up, and manage therapy services in a new state of the art SNF.
   • Lead team of interdisciplinary therapists through the preparation process to successfully obtain CARF accreditation.

   More rehab director duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your rehab director job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A rehab director can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, rehab directors' average salary in nebraska is 37% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level rehab directors 52% less than senior-level rehab directors.
   • Certifications. A rehab director with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a rehab director's salary.

   Average rehab director salary

   $83,711yearly

   $40.25 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level rehab director salary

   $58,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average rehab director salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$101,405	$49
   2	New York	$98,368	$47
   3	Maryland	$95,270	$46
   4	New Hampshire	$92,998	$45
   5	Illinois	$90,218	$43
   6	Massachusetts	$89,257	$43
   7	Washington	$87,996	$42
   8	Virginia	$84,329	$41
   9	Oregon	$81,313	$39
   10	Texas	$80,340	$39
   11	Michigan	$79,991	$38
   12	Colorado	$73,303	$35
   13	Arkansas	$72,861	$35
   14	Florida	$68,957	$33

   Average rehab director salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Accurate Home Care	$93,984	$45.18
   2	Akron Children's Hospital	$90,995	$43.75	1
   3	HCR ManorCare	$86,087	$41.39
   4	Life Care Centers of America	$85,526	$41.12	45
   5	ViaQuest	$85,134	$40.93	2
   6	PruittHealth	$83,939	$40.36	63
   7	Greystone Health Network	$83,251	$40.02
   8	Renewal Rehab	$80,933	$38.91
   9	ProMedica Toledo Hospital	$80,854	$38.87
   10	Consonus Healthcare	$80,484	$38.69
   11	Therapy Resources Management	$79,351	$38.15	2
   12	Infinity Rehab	$79,183	$38.07	5
   13	Advanced Home Health Care	$79,172	$38.06
   14	Aegis Therapies	$79,140	$38.05	24
   15	Centrex Rehab	$78,990	$37.98
   16	MAS Medical Staffing	$78,715	$37.84	12
   17	Functional Pathways	$78,565	$37.77	9
   18	Paramount Health Care	$78,382	$37.68
   19	Ability Works Rehab	$77,990	$37.50
   20	Legacy Healthcare	$77,536	$37.28	41

4. Writing a rehab director job description

   A job description for a rehab director role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a rehab director job description:

   Rehab director job description example

   MJ Care was founded over 40 years with a commitment to providing high quality, ethical services to improve the lives of individuals in rehab, skilled nursing facilities and home health. We need a skilled and compassionate Rehab Director (PTA, PT, or OT) to join our growing team.
   
   We will rely on you to provide *leadership* to our experienced team of exceptional therapists. You will be key in managing daily operations, ensuring efficient operations, and qualify care. You will also carry out a comprehensive, individualized program of physical therapy including assessment, treatment, planning, implementation, education, and communication to maximize a patient's progress toward achieving functional goals. Services are an important part of preventive care, rehabilitation, and treatment of patients with chronic conditions, illness, or injuries.
   *Total Rewards*
   MJ Care offers competitive compensation and exceptional benefits including: medical, dental and vision insurance, life insurance, voluntary disability insurance, paid time off (PTO), 401(k), a great company culture, and more!
   *Education*
   * Graduated of an accredited Physical Therapist Assistant program
   *Licensure/Certification*
   
   * Requires a minimum of 3 years clinical experience as a PTA, PT, or OT, including a minimum of 1 year of experience as a supervisor.
   * Possesses effective interpersonal communication skills.
   * Possesses effective organizational skills at the managerial level.
   * Experience in business management preferred.
   * Current state license and/or certification to provide physical therapist assistant services in good standing
   * Valid National Provider Identifier (NPI)
   * Valid driver's license in good standing and access to insured car
   * Successful completion of a caregiver background check and pre-employment screen
   *Company Culture*MJ Care stands for an exceptionally positive experience. Today, MJ Care is leading the way in values-driven rehabilitation, school billing services and staffing solutions. Our vision is one of excellence, leadership and growth.We embrace and encourage diversity in our workforce.Affirmative Action Employer & Equal Opportunity.Men, Women, Minorities, and Veterans are encouraged to apply.We maintain a drug-free workplace, and are tobacco free. La Crosse, WI 54601
   
   Job Type: Full-time
   
   Ability to commute/relocate:
   * La Crosse, WI 54601: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)
   
   License/Certification:
   * CPR Certification (Preferred)
   * Licensed Physical Therapy Assistant (Preferred)
   
   Work Location: One location

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right rehab director for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with rehab directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit rehab directors who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your rehab director job on Zippia to find and recruit rehab director candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with rehab director candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new rehab director

   Once you've decided on a perfect rehab director candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new rehab director. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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