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How to hire a student physical therapist

Student physical therapist hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring student physical therapists in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a student physical therapist is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new student physical therapist to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a student physical therapist, step by step

To hire a student physical therapist, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a student physical therapist:

Here's a step-by-step student 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 student physical therapist job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new student 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 student physical therapist you need to hire. Certain student 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?

    Hiring the perfect student physical therapist also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    This list presents student physical therapist salaries for various positions.

    Type of Student Physical TherapistDescriptionHourly rate
    Student Physical TherapistPhysical 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.$25-46
    In Home TherapistAn 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
    TherapistA 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
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Patients
    • Occupational Therapy
    • Rehabilitation
    • Patient Care
    • Physical Therapy Assistants
    • Adaptive
    • Orthopedic Diagnoses
    • Acute Care
    • Gait Training
    • Traumatic Brain Injury
    • Prosthetics
    • CVA
    • Orthotics
    • Discharge Planning
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Achieve high level of patients satisfaction due to sound clinical management, quality of care and compassion.
    • Evaluate and treat patients with total hip/total knee surgeries, status post CVA and spinal cord injuries.
    • Evaluate and treat patients with orthopedic conditions such as low back pain, cervical pain, post operative conditions.
    • Perform evaluations, provide patient treatment, supervise COTA
    • Develop ability to perform ICU mobility treatments with acutely ill patients.
    • Evaluate and treat patients in ICU implicating early mobilization to prevent further decline in cardiopulmonary compromise patients.
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your student physical therapist job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A student physical therapist salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, student physical therapists' average salary in arkansas is 39% less than in california.
    • Seniority. Entry-level student physical therapists earn 44% less than senior-level student physical therapists.
    • Certifications. A student 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 student physical therapist's salary.

    Average student physical therapist salary

    $73,003yearly

    $35.10 hourly rate

    Entry-level student physical therapist salary
    $54,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 16, 2025
  4. Writing a student physical therapist job description

    A good student physical therapist job description should include a few things:

    • Summary of the role
    • List of responsibilities
    • Required skills and experience

    Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a student physical therapist job description:

    Student physical therapist job description example

    Job DescriptionPrivately owned. Nationally known. Earning the WebPT A+ National Outcome Ranking locally.

    With over 500 facilities nationwide, FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers is on the forefront of modern physical therapy intervention with advancements in technology, new treatment methods and a proactive approach to improving the health and wellness of our patients.

    Let us welcome you to our center in North Naples, FL!
    Surrounded by some of the top rated beaches in the country and in walking distances to some of the best shopping and restaurants in the area - take a look at FYZICAL North Naples (Pelican Bay).

    The staff at FYZICAL North Naples (Pelican Ba y) is seeking Physical Therapists to join their team. We are a team of PTs, PTAs, Client Care Specialists, Administrators and Fyzician Liaisons that work very well together and make every effort to provide the best care possible to our community and grow life long relationships with our patients and their families. We take pride in our Raving Fans!

    Though joining the FYZICAL brand 7 years ago, the practice has been serving the residents and physicians of Collier and Southern Lee County for over 22 years.

    We are looking for someone who knows how to be a team player, enjoys their profession, seeks a challenging career and willing to ‘up-serve’ their clients with a proactive approach to bettering their overall health and wellness. We are looking for someone who understands that our individual roles and successes are what makes the team successful and ultimately the success of the patients we serve, the growth of the practice, the growth of our individual careers and in full circle the financial stability we provide for our families. That’s who we are.

    Here is what some of our current team members have to say.

    ~ DPT Danielle states, “As a PT for 10 years, working here has been the most compliant and ethical clinic I have worked in to this date. Having the opportunity to spend 1-on-1 time with patients, staff that supports your clinical decision making and opportunity for growth within the company has made this a long term career opportunity. With the diverse patient population, complaint documentation and billing practices and great staff, I would recommend joining our FYZICAL team, especially if looking to relocate to FL, as they helped me make the transition from NJ very easy.”

    ~ DPT Emily states, “Working here has provided me a great opportunity to specialize in Balance & Vestibular Therapy by having access to FYZICAL College along with hands-on training and an open line of communication with FYZICAL’s National Director of Balance Training and Education. The knowledge I’ve gained has allowed me to improve the quality of life of my patients and without any cost to me.”

    ~ PTA Jen states, “ FYZICAL has a lot to offer. I was able to attend my first national FYZICAL Brand Triumph in Orlando with my team and it was amazing! Not only was it an eye opening experience into FYZICAL as a national brand, but to all the new technology and treatment options to further assist our patients. It was a beautiful opportunity to unite our ‘home’ families with our ‘work’ family on an epic work vacation. Next year it’s in Dallas!”

    ~ CCS Bri states, “It has been a pleasure coming into work knowing that there is a positive atmosphere amongst all team members. This positive atmosphere facilitates effective communication, creates a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect. It is a place where sharing knowledge and getting input is welcomed and not judged. I personally feel that this work environment positively impacts my ability to be more effective and upbeat at the front desk with not only my team members, but with patients as well.”

    ~ Physical Therapist, Clinical Director and Owner Michael Willett states, “With growth comes the need for additional like minded clinicians who wish to be a part of something bigger than themselves. We welcome those who are looking to make a difference, seek a career path that grows ‘you’ and have fun doing it! I admire my staff, grateful to have them by my side and joining me with the thousands of like-minded FYZICAL therapists across the country to better the overall physical therapy experience."

    At FYZICAL, we want not only our patients to “Love Your Life”® , but our staff as well.

    If you have a passion to be better, be a team player, be accountable to your role, be rewarded for your successes and be surrounded by a caring, fun and energetic team of professionals, look no further than the culture that’s been created at FYZICAL North Naples (Pelican Bay) .

    Apply today! New Grads Welcomed!

    Benefits include:
    • $5,000 lump payment per year in Student Loan Paydown Assistance , up to $50,000! *
    • Monthly Productivity Bonus: up to 4-8% of monthly salary*
    • Monthly Retail Sales Bonus: 10% of individual monthly sales*
    • Monthly Wellness Sales Bonus: 10% of individual monthly sales*
    • (10) PTO days, progressing to (15) PTO days.*
    • (6) Paid Holidays*
    • Extra pay for Saturday coverage*
    • Excellent Florida Blue Medical & Dental Coverage: (low deductible and copays!)*
    • Retirement Plans*
    • Eligible for FYZICAL College Education Tracks in the areas of Orthopedics, Balance and Leadership to include various certification paths at no cost. *
    • Ability to apply for our national FYZICAL Orthopedic Residency Program.*
    • Eligible to attend FYZICAL’s National Brand Triumph convention at no cost.*
    • Total Compensation Packages range from $75,000 - $95,000/yr. + bonuses *
    Apply for details

    Location:
    FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers - N. Naples (Pelican Bay)
    9051 Tamiami Trail N., Suite 104
    Naples, FL 34108

    Responsibilities
    • Embrace the learning curve with EMR operations, Medicare compliance, billing & coding and documentation best practices by taking personal responsibility in mastering same.
    • Perform new-patient evaluations and fax plan of cares to referring physicians for signature that’s timely and compliant.
    • Determine functional limitations and the treatment diagnoses responsible.
    • Create a plan of care that sets functional and measurable expectations with anticipated completion dates.
    • Provide skilled therapeutic interventions, track progress and ensure medical necessity.
    • Multi-task utilizing personal computer carts and laptops to complete daily documentation at time of service.
    • Provide patient, caregiver and spouse/family education as needed.
    • Embrace the PT/PTA team and provide oversight and guidance to PTAs with delegation in accordance of skill level and appropriateness.
    • Ensure patients are treated promptly within the 1-on-1 40 min. scheduling platform.
    • Take personal responsibility in learning, understanding and implementing proper Medicare compliance, Medicare MIPS reporting and all insurance guidelines for proper payment for services.
    • Provide patient outcome questionnaires, track progress and embrace outcome excellence.
    • Be proactive in discharge planning that includes helping maintain PT gains and improve the overall health and wellness of our patients that may include additional service options available at FYZICAL.
    • Follow up and/or help coordinate patient requests for information on additional FYZICAL products and/or services.
    • Commit to furthering your education and training within our proprietary FYZICAL College within our Orthopedic, Balance and/or Leadership education tracks.
    • Provide inservices to staff and/or outside organizations as requested by administrators.
    • Commit to working as a team player to maintain a positive, compassionate, friendly and fun culture that has been established at FYZICAL North Naples (Pelican Bay)!
    • Be willing to perform other duties, tasks & responsibilities that may be assigned from time to time.
    • Love your Life ®

    Required Skills
    • NEW Grads Welcomed!!
    • Accredited PT program graduate
    • Up-to-date Florida PT license
    • Enjoy treating a diverse patient population of orthopedics, sports, spine and balance conditions within the active Naples geriatric population.
    • Able to create and implement outpatient balance and vestibular rehabilitation treatment plans and/or be willing to further your education to provide same.
    • Ability to work efficiently/effectively in an autonomous environment
    • Must be self-motivated with a willingness to learn from others
    • 1+ year(s) of outpatient neuro/ortho center or vestibular rehab experience a plus, but not required.

  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find student physical therapists for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    To find student physical therapist candidates, you can consider the following options:
    • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
    • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
    • Post your job on free job posting websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit student 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 student physical therapist

    Once you've decided on a perfect student physical therapist 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.

    It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new student physical therapist. 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 student physical therapist?

Before you start to hire student physical therapists, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire student physical therapists pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

You can expect to pay around $73,003 per year for a student physical therapist, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for student physical therapists in the US typically range between $25 and $46 an hour.

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