How to hire a rehabilitation technician

How to hire a rehabilitation technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step rehabilitation technician hiring guide:

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

What does a rehabilitation technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The rehabilitation technician hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a rehabilitation technician to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a rehabilitation technician that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of rehabilitation technicians and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Rehabilitation Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Rehabilitation Technician		$11-17
   Exercise Physiologist	An exercise physiologist is a health professional who analyzes the fitness of patients to help them improve their health or maintain good health. Exercise physiologists are required to help patients with heart diseases and other chronic conditions such as diabetes or pulmonary disease to regain their health... Show more	$13-39
   Physical Therapist	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... Show more	$26-45

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Rehabilitation
   • Physical Therapy
   • CPR
   • Customer Service
   • Occupational Therapy
   • Rehabilitation Services
   • Direct Supervision
   • Patient Treatment
   • ADL
   • Direct Patient Care
   • Vital Signs
   • Speech Therapy
   • Therapy Equipment

   Check all skills

   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.

   More rehabilitation technician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your rehabilitation technician job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A rehabilitation technician salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, rehabilitation technicians' average salary in georgia is 39% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level rehabilitation technicians earn 38% less than senior-level rehabilitation technicians.
   • Certifications. A rehabilitation technician with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a rehabilitation technician's salary.

   Average rehabilitation technician salary

   $14.20hourly

   $29,533 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level rehabilitation technician salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average rehabilitation technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$38,144	$18
   2	Idaho	$35,456	$17
   3	Colorado	$34,668	$17
   4	California	$31,848	$15
   5	Indiana	$31,659	$15
   6	Maine	$31,516	$15
   7	Montana	$31,483	$15
   8	Nevada	$31,418	$15
   9	Wisconsin	$31,241	$15
   10	Minnesota	$30,427	$15
   11	Connecticut	$29,922	$14
   12	Massachusetts	$29,870	$14
   13	Iowa	$29,286	$14
   14	Maryland	$28,982	$14
   15	Illinois	$28,960	$14
   16	Ohio	$28,898	$14
   17	Michigan	$26,531	$13
   18	South Carolina	$26,079	$13
   19	Oklahoma	$24,863	$12
   20	Texas	$24,812	$12

   Average rehabilitation technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Lawrence General Hospital	$52,343	$25.16	11
   2	Washington State University	$41,634	$20.02
   3	Minnesota State Fair	$37,596	$18.07	3
   4	NCH Healthcare System	$34,313	$16.50	26
   5	Mayo Clinic	$34,017	$16.35	13
   6	Mercy Corps	$33,900	$16.30	1
   7	Rehab Hospital of IN	$33,840	$16.27	1
   8	Hackensack Meridian Health	$32,581	$15.66	15
   9	Tenet Healthcare	$32,096	$15.43	115
   10	Excela Health	$32,091	$15.43
   11	Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation Inc.	$32,073	$15.42	3
   12	Self Regional Healthcare	$31,060	$14.93
   13	Beaumont Health	$30,920	$14.87
   14	North Oaks Health System	$30,846	$14.83	1
   15	Yale New Haven Health	$30,825	$14.82	14
   16	St. Peter's Health Partners	$30,746	$14.78	2
   17	Park Nicollet Medical Center Inc	$30,738	$14.78
   18	Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan	$30,731	$14.77
   19	Encompass Care, Inc.	$30,569	$14.70
   20	ProgressiveHealth	$30,437	$14.63	5

4. Writing a rehabilitation technician job description

   A rehabilitation technician job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a rehabilitation technician job description:

   Rehabilitation technician job description example

   Excellent opportunity for a FULL TIME REHAB TECH to join our wonderful Inova Fairfax Team! You will learn from the best while helping out patients and our team meet their goals.
   
   Our acute care rehabilitation team is comprised of Occupational and Physical Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, and Rehabilitation and Orthopedic Technicians. We care for patients in all settings within the campus from the ED and PACU to ICU and medical units.
   
   As a Rehabilitation Technician, you will adhere to facility policy in the maintenance of treatment areas, equipment and supplies. To help achieve our mission, you will assist with the provision of treatment under the guidance/direction of a Therapist while demonstrating essential skill competencies in the use of treatment modalities. Communicating effectively via written and verbal communication with patients, families, medical staff, healthcare team members, students, supervisors and outside contacts is of vital importance. Your ability to complete all administrative and other responsibilities in support of the operating unit is required.
   Job Responsibilities
   
   * Maintains a clean, safe and orderly treatment area.
   * Maintains equipment upkeep and inventory.
   * Maintains supplies at the appropriate par levels and in established timeframes at the direction of the supervisor.
   * Assists with the provision of treatment under the guidance/direction of a Therapist.
   * Effectively prepares and arranges supplies for the treatment of patients.
   * Applies knowledge within the defined competencies while assisting Therapists with treating patients.
   * Adheres to the established guidelines for patient care by the treating Therapist.
   * Utilizes precautions for safety during the provision of services.
   * Contacts Therapists if there are any changes in patients' conditions or changes in responses to treatments.
   * Communicates appropriate information to patients and families regarding patients' status while deferring to Therapists when appropriate.
   * Provides appropriate education methods/materials to patients at their level of understanding and motivation.
   
   Requirements:
   
   Education: High School Diploma or GED
   
   Certification: Active Basic Life Support (BLS) from the American Heart Association
   
   Experience as a Rehab Tech preferred but not mandatory

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find rehabilitation technicians for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any rehabilitation technicians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level rehabilitation technicians with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your rehabilitation technician job on Zippia to find and recruit rehabilitation technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit rehabilitation technicians, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   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 rehabilitation technician

   Once you've decided on a perfect rehabilitation technician 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 rehabilitation technician. 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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How much does it cost to hire a rehabilitation technician?