How to hire a sports physical therapist

How to hire a sports physical therapist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step sports physical therapist hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the sports physical therapist you need to hire. Certain sports physical therapist roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A sports physical therapist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, sports physical therapists 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of sports physical therapists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Sports Physical Therapist	Description	Hourly rate
   Sports Physical Therapist	Physical therapists, sometimes called PTs, help injured or ill people improve their movement and manage their pain. These therapists are often an important part of the rehabilitation, treatment, and prevention of patients with chronic conditions, illnesses, or injuries.	$19-51
   In Home Therapist	An in-home therapist provides case management, counseling, resource system development, support system development, and crisis intervention services for family members and children. They provide goal-oriented and structured therapy on referral issues for families that help recover from neglect, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, or physical abuse... Show more	$19-31
   Therapist	A therapist is responsible for improving the patients' health conditions by evaluating their needs and providing physical and mental support. Therapists are licensed, medical professionals who specialize in different areas to perform treatments and bring relief to patients... Show more	$18-38

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Physical Therapy
   • Patient Care
   • Rehabilitation
   • Injury Prevention
   • PTA
   • Primary Care
   • Treatment Sessions

   Responsibilities:

   • Demonstrate working knowledge of community mental health services identify in the Medicaid guidelines and attain contractual outcomes within designate time frames.
   • Administer therapeutic hot packs, cold packs and personally handle various electrical stimulation treatments; ultrasound, electrical stimulation.
   • Employ at an out-patient orthopedic clinic with primary goal for patient return to work, ADL, or sports/recreation activities.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, sports physical therapists' average salary in tennessee is 50% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level sports physical therapists earn 62% less than senior-level sports physical therapists.
   • Certifications. A sports physical therapist 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 sports physical therapist's salary.

   Average sports physical therapist salary

   $67,105yearly

   $32.26 hourly rate

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   Entry-level sports physical therapist salary

   $41,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

4. Writing a sports physical therapist job description

   A job description for a sports physical therapist 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 sports physical therapist job description:

   Sports physical therapist job description example

   This job plans, organizes and conducts physical therapy treatment programs based upon evaluation, assessment and medical referral; maintains patient care records, evaluates the patient's response to treatment and recommends treatment plan changes; participates in in-service and continuing education programs; participates in special departmental programs, clinical education, research, and writing of professional papers; and assists with program development/enhancement.
   
   To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.
   
   This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at the company's discretion.
   Education Required - Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy
   Work Experience Required - none
   Certifications Required - Current physical therapy license in the state of practice or eligibility for licensure by examination or reciprocity from another state
   Basic Life Support (BLS) from the American Heart Association Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs) Must have computer skills and dexterity required for data entry and retrieval of patient information. Must be proficient with Windows-style applications and keyboard. Effective verbal and written communication skills and the ability to present information clearly and professionally to varying levels of individuals throughout the patient care process. Excellent judgment and decision-making skills in order to deal with a variety of patients and diagnoses Strong interpersonal skills
   Job Duties Performs age and diagnosis appropriate evaluations and treatment Maintains patient records according to documentation standards, policies and procedures Exhibits flexibility in overall department needs and actively participates in staff and committee projects Attains established productivity levels set forth by administration and conducts professional development, required training, and credentialing Participates in the education and training of physical therapy students. Adapts behavior to the specific patient population, including but not limited to: respect for privacy, method of introduction to the patient, adapting explanation of services or procedures to be performed, requesting permissions and communication style Other related duties as required The above statements describe the general nature and level of work only. They are not an exhaustive list of all required responsibilities, duties, and skills. Other duties may be added, or this description amended at any time.
   Remains knowledgeable on current federal, state and local laws, accreditation standards or regulatory agency requirements that apply to the assigned area of responsibility and ensures compliance with all such laws, regulations and standards.
   This employer maintains and complies with its Compliance & Privacy Program and Standards of Conduct, including the immediate reporting of any known or suspected unethical or questionable behaviors or conduct; patient/employee safety, patient privacy, and/or other compliance-related concerns.
   
   The employer is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status.
   Physical and Environmental Demands
   The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   Very Heavy Work - Exerting in excess of 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or in excess of 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for Heavy Work. (Constantly: activity or condition exists 2/3 or more of the time) to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Sedentary Work. Even though the weight lifted may be only a negligible amount, a job should be rated Light Work: (1) when it requires walking or standing to a significant degree; or (2) when it requires sitting most of the time but entails pushing and/or pulling of arm or leg controls; and/or (3) when the job requires working at a production rate pace entailing the constant pushing and/or pulling of materials even though the weight of those materials is negligible. NOTE: The constant stress and strain of maintaining a production rate pace, especially in an industrial setting, can be and is physically demanding of a worker even though the amount of force exerted is negligible. Mechanical lifting devices (e.g. carts, dollies) or team lifts should be utilized.
   Must be able to stoop, bend, reach, squat, crawl and grab with arms and hands, manual dexterity.
   Must be able to travel throughout and between facilities.
   
   Duties performed routinely require exposure to blood, body fluid and tissue.
   
   The incumbent works in a patient care area; works in an area where patients enter; works directly with patients; and/or works with specimens that could contain diseases. There may be an occupational risk for exposure to all communicable diseases. Because the incumbent works within a healthcare setting, there may be occupational risk for exposure to hazardous medications or hazardous waste within the environment through receipt, transport, storage, preparation, dispensing, administration, cleaning and/or disposal of contaminated waste. The risk level of exposure may increase depending on the essential job duties of the role.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right sports physical therapist 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 sports physical therapists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit sports physical therapists 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 sports physical therapist job on Zippia to find and attract quality sports physical therapist candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit sports physical therapists, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up 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 sports physical therapist

   Once you've selected the best sports physical therapist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new sports physical therapist. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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