Student physical therapist vs clinical therapist

The differences between student physical therapists and clinical therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a student physical therapist has an average salary of $73,003, which is higher than the $57,864 average annual salary of a clinical therapist.

The top three skills for a student physical therapist include patients, occupational therapy and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a clinical therapist are social work, patients, and crisis intervention.

Student physical therapist vs clinical therapist overview

	Student Physical Therapist	Clinical Therapist
Yearly salary	$73,003	$57,864
Hourly rate	$35.10	$27.82
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	92,101	136,898
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 76%	Master's Degree, 51%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	-	-

What does a student physical therapist do?

A student physical therapist assists physicians in handling patients in a medical facility or a similar setting. As students, they typically follow directives and work under the supervision of a physical therapist. Besides assisting in treating patients, a student may also perform various clerical tasks such as filing paperwork, producing reports, running errands, managing schedules, responding to inquiries, and answering calls and correspondence. They may also coordinate with other hospital personnel and attend meetings, all while adhering to the medical facility's policies and standards.

What does a clinical therapist do?

A Clinical Therapist works with patients to help identify, examine, and treat mental health and emotional issues or disorders. They counsel individuals or groups regarding psychological or emotional problems, as well as observe clients to detect indications of abnormal physical or mental behavior.

Student physical therapist vs clinical therapist salary

Student physical therapists and clinical therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Student Physical Therapist	Clinical Therapist
Average salary	$73,003	$57,864
Salary range	Between $54,000 And $97,000	Between $42,000 And $77,000
Highest paying City	-	Los Angeles, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	CVS Health
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between student physical therapist and clinical therapist education

There are a few differences between a student physical therapist and a clinical therapist in terms of educational background:

	Student Physical Therapist	Clinical Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 76%	Master's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Kinesiology	Social Work
Most common college	Duke University	California State University - Long Beach

Student physical therapist vs clinical therapist demographics

Here are the differences between student physical therapists' and clinical therapists' demographics:

	Student Physical Therapist	Clinical Therapist
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 37.4% Female, 62.6%	Male, 23.4% Female, 76.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 72.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 11.2% White, 72.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between student physical therapist and clinical therapist duties and responsibilities

Student physical therapist example 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.

Clinical therapist example responsibilities.

Provide clinical consultation to consumers and clients regarding manage care services and other benefits available to them through their EAP programs.
Provide direct treatment services such as individual/group therapy and intervene in crisis situations when patients exhibit acute psychiatric symptoms.
Direct patients to designate residential or supportive living options, community base placement/ treatment or other resources as necessary.
Provide training for federal and public organizations regarding the psychological aspects of veterans having experience combat or military sexual trauma.
Work closely with a license orthotist/prosthetist to obtain orthotics for children who require them.

Student physical therapist vs clinical therapist skills

Common student physical therapist skills

Patients, 31%
Occupational Therapy, 13%
Rehabilitation, 8%
Patient Care, 6%
Physical Therapy Assistants, 6%
Adaptive, 4%

Common clinical therapist skills

Social Work, 26%
Patients, 12%
Crisis Intervention, 8%
Mental Health, 4%
Discharge Planning, 4%
Community Resources, 3%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Student Physical Therapist
Student Physical Therapist vs Clinical Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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