Rehabilitation technician vs patient care technician

The differences between rehabilitation technicians and patient care technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a patient care technician has an average salary of $32,806, which is higher than the $29,533 average annual salary of a rehabilitation technician.

The top three skills for a rehabilitation technician include patients, rehabilitation and physical therapy. The most important skills for a patient care technician are patients, vital signs, and phlebotomy.

Rehabilitation technician vs patient care technician overview

	Rehabilitation Technician	Patient Care Technician
Yearly salary	$29,533	$32,806
Hourly rate	$14.20	$15.77
Growth rate	24%	9%
Number of jobs	31,196	167,520
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 27%
Average age	43	34
Years of experience	-	-

What does a rehabilitation technician do?

A rehabilitation technician is responsible for assisting therapists and other medical personnel on supporting the patients in their daily activities and physical therapy sessions. Rehabilitation technicians provide high-quality care services for the patients by administering medications, accompanying them on medical appointments, and ensuring the cleanliness and orderliness of all equipment and facilities to prevent hazards within the premises. They may also perform administrative and clerical duties such as updating patients' information on the database, writing reports, processing payments for medical procedures, and maintaining medical charts for reference.

What does a patient care technician do?

Patient care technicians are medical workers who work in clinics, hospitals, or other medical facilities under the supervision of doctors or other health professionals. They provide assistance to health professionals and patients. They help patients with mobility concerns get into hospital beds, bathrooms, wheelchairs, and more. They also help patients with their physical therapy sessions and other physical needs. They handle patient concerns and communicate these to attending physicians. They may be assigned to administer basic medical procedures such as checking vital signs and collecting samples from patients, among others.

Rehabilitation technician vs patient care technician salary

Rehabilitation technicians and patient care technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Rehabilitation Technician	Patient Care Technician
Average salary	$29,533	$32,806
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $37,000	Between $24,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	Seattle, WA	Rochester, NH
Highest paying state	Washington	Vermont
Best paying company	Lawrence General Hospital	Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between rehabilitation technician and patient care technician education

There are a few differences between a rehabilitation technician and a patient care technician in terms of educational background:

	Rehabilitation Technician	Patient Care Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 27%
Most common major	Kinesiology	Nursing
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	Emory University

Rehabilitation technician vs patient care technician demographics

Here are the differences between rehabilitation technicians' and patient care technicians' demographics:

	Rehabilitation Technician	Patient Care Technician
Average age	43	34
Gender ratio	Male, 31.0% Female, 69.0%	Male, 19.0% Female, 81.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 14.4% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.5% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 6.4% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	8%	15%

Differences between rehabilitation technician and patient care technician duties and responsibilities

Rehabilitation technician example 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.

Patient care technician example responsibilities.

Manage care and prepare medical records, transcription and supply orders.
Manage daily care of high acuity patients with neurological trauma/disorders and post-surgery.
Qualify to perform patient care responsibilities on catheter patients.
Transport patients using wheelchairs and stretchers and assist patients to ambulate safely.
Assist with transferring patients in and out of wheelchairs, recliners, and stretchers.
Apply protective restraints safely and appropriately, assist in the admission, discharge and transfer of patients as needed.

Rehabilitation technician vs patient care technician skills

Common rehabilitation technician skills

Patients, 23%
Rehabilitation, 18%
Physical Therapy, 12%
CPR, 9%
Customer Service, 5%
Occupational Therapy, 4%

Common patient care technician skills

Patients, 24%
Vital Signs, 9%
Phlebotomy, 7%
CPR, 6%
Direct Patient Care, 5%
Customer Service, 5%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Rehabilitation Technician
Rehabilitation Technician vs Patient Care Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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