Rehab technician vs physical therapy attendant

The differences between rehab technicians and physical therapy attendants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a physical therapy attendant has an average salary of $39,324, which is higher than the $28,505 average annual salary of a rehab technician.

The top three skills for a rehab technician include patients, physical therapy and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a physical therapy attendant are therapeutic exercises, therapy equipment, and rehabilitation.

Rehab technician vs physical therapy attendant overview

	Rehab Technician	Physical Therapy Attendant
Yearly salary	$28,505	$39,324
Hourly rate	$13.70	$18.91
Growth rate	24%	24%
Number of jobs	27,969	104,492
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 47%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	-	-

Rehab technician vs physical therapy attendant salary

Rehab technicians and physical therapy attendants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Rehab Technician	Physical Therapy Attendant
Average salary	$28,505	$39,324
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $36,000	Between $25,000 And $60,000
Highest paying City	Santa Rosa, CA	-
Highest paying state	Colorado	-
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	-
Best paying industry	Health Care	-

Differences between rehab technician and physical therapy attendant education

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

	Rehab Technician	Physical Therapy Attendant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 47%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Kinesiology	Physical Therapy
Most common college	University of Virginia	Duke University

Rehab technician vs physical therapy attendant demographics

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

	Rehab Technician	Physical Therapy Attendant
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 33.7% Female, 66.3%	Male, 36.8% Female, 63.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.3% Asian, 7.5% White, 66.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 10.4% White, 68.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between rehab technician and physical therapy attendant duties and responsibilities

Rehab technician example responsibilities.

Make rounds for walkers and wheelchairs for patients.
Assist therapist with transfers, monitoring of splints, hot packs, and modalities.
Prepare patients for therapy sessions and assist patients to put on devices such as braces and splints.
Maintain and clean medical equipment, interact with staff and patients, and occasionally cover the reception desk.Skills UsedCNA and CPR
Provide nursing and orthopedic patient care for stroke patients, assisting with rehabilitation, medication and recovery knowledge.
Assist physical therapists in the rehabilitation of patients by providing exercise programs and proper treatment for healthy injury recovery.

Physical therapy attendant example responsibilities.

Manage flexible schedule at various company facilities categorize as ILF, ALF, and SNF.
Followed/Implement physical and occupational rehabilitation plans.
Followed/Implement physical and occupational rehabilitation plans.

Rehab technician vs physical therapy attendant skills

Common rehab technician skills

Patients, 24%
Physical Therapy, 10%
Rehabilitation, 10%
Customer Service, 6%
CPR, 4%
Cleanliness, 4%

Common physical therapy attendant skills

Therapeutic Exercises, 33%
Therapy Equipment, 26%
Rehabilitation, 22%
Direct Patient Care, 11%
Patient Treatment, 8%

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Healthcare Support Industry
Rehab Technician
Rehab Technician vs Physical Therapy Attendant

Updated January 8, 2025

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