Rehabilitation specialist vs physical therapist

The differences between rehabilitation specialists and physical therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a physical therapist has an average salary of $73,070, which is higher than the $42,934 average annual salary of a rehabilitation specialist.

The top three skills for a rehabilitation specialist include rehabilitation, patients and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a physical therapist are patients, rehabilitation, and home health.

Rehabilitation specialist vs physical therapist overview

	Rehabilitation Specialist	Physical Therapist
Yearly salary	$42,934	$73,070
Hourly rate	$20.64	$35.13
Growth rate	11%	17%
Number of jobs	29,177	86,697
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	45	41
Years of experience	12	-

What does a rehabilitation specialist do?

Rehabilitation specialists are professionals who are responsible for helping individuals with physical and mental disabilities to reintegrate into society and live independently. These specialists must assist their clients in finding the type of work they could do with their disability and prepare them for their interview. They are required to provide a basic explanation about the medical or mental health condition to their clients. Rehabilitation specialists must also collaborate with other professionals to assist with rehabilitation exercises.

What does a physical therapist do?

Physical therapists are health care professionals who diagnose and treat patients with health conditions and limited ability to move and perform daily activities. They help in restoring physical function and mobility and teach how to properly use therapeutic exercise techniques. They also help promote overall wellness and encourage healthier and more active lifestyles. They design a recovery plan unique for every patient, provide treatment and therapy to help improve and manage their condition. They provide care to all kinds of individuals, from newborns to people at the end of their life.

Rehabilitation specialist vs physical therapist salary

Rehabilitation specialists and physical therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Rehabilitation Specialist	Physical Therapist
Average salary	$42,934	$73,070
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $62,000	Between $56,000 And $94,000
Highest paying City	Cleveland, OH	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Alaska	California
Best paying company	Prudential Bank	Parkway
Best paying industry	Professional	Professional

Differences between rehabilitation specialist and physical therapist education

There are a few differences between a rehabilitation specialist and a physical therapist in terms of educational background:

	Rehabilitation Specialist	Physical Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Psychology	Physical Therapy
Most common college	Columbia University in the City of New York	Duke University

Rehabilitation specialist vs physical therapist demographics

Here are the differences between rehabilitation specialists' and physical therapists' demographics:

	Rehabilitation Specialist	Physical Therapist
Average age	45	41
Gender ratio	Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0%	Male, 36.3% Female, 63.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 2.9% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%	Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	21%	12%

Differences between rehabilitation specialist and physical therapist duties and responsibilities

Rehabilitation specialist example responsibilities.

Ensure the facilities' mission are achieved by effectively supervising the mental health rehabilitative efforts of severely and chronically ill patients.
Assist in the development and implementation of ISP goals and objectives.
Utilize extensive administrative, CPR, first aid, and medical equipment training as needed.
Encourage and assist patients to perform specific activities of daily living (ADL's).
Prepare and participate in semi and annual meetings, ISP's and day hab plans.
Resolve issues with the clients that create a barrier to the successful completion of their IPE.

Physical therapist example responsibilities.

Conduct in-services and train colleagues in effective techniques for safely managing the CVA patient.
Achieve high level of patients satisfaction due to sound clinical management, quality of care and compassion.
Perform physical therapy evaluation and treatment of orthopedic patients and supervise PTAs.
Progress patients' functional mobility during treatment sessions by modifying task, intensity, and adaptive equipment utilize.
Motivate patients to participate in treatment sessions by educating them on the benefits of early mobility following cardiac and thoracic surgery.
Experience include IFSP and IEP writing and implementation

Rehabilitation specialist vs physical therapist skills

Common rehabilitation specialist skills

Rehabilitation, 24%
Patients, 14%
Crisis Intervention, 6%
Excellent Interpersonal, 4%
Patient Care, 4%
Social Work, 4%

Common physical therapist skills

Patients, 30%
Rehabilitation, 15%
Home Health, 13%
Quality Care, 5%
Physical Therapy, 3%
Treatment Programs, 3%

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Rehabilitation Specialist
Rehabilitation Specialist vs Physical Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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