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Physical Therapists

Typical education: Master's degreeHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury.

Kinds of work

  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $102,760 Median per year · $49.40/hr Most earn $77,140–$135,140

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Test and measure patient's strength, motor development and function, sensory perception, functional capacity, or respiratory or circulatory efficiency and record data.
  • Identify and document goals, anticipated progress, and plans for reevaluation.
  • Administer manual exercises, massage, or traction to help relieve pain, increase patient strength, or decrease or prevent deformity or crippling.
  • Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit.
  • Discharge patient from physical therapy when goals or projected outcomes have been attained and provide for appropriate follow-up care or referrals.
  • Refer clients to community resources or services.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
12% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 13,400 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists36.1%
  • General medical and surgical hospitals21.9%
  • Home healthcare services11.0%
  • Offices of physicians6.2%
  • Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities)4.8%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

On-siteExperience before this job: 3 to 6 months

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Master's degreeExperience before this job: 3 to 6 monthsEntry-level

Physical therapy is not an entry-level job. Most people need a bachelor's degree plus a graduate physical therapy program, so the usual path takes about 6 to 7 years after high school, followed by a state licensing exam. Your results are a starting point for exploring, not a final answer, and pay details are on the career page.

  1. Bachelor's degree in a science or health-related major

    4 years

    Take courses like biology, anatomy, chemistry, and physics, and try to get volunteer or observation time in a clinic or rehab setting. Strong grades and prerequisite science courses are needed to apply to graduate programs.

  2. Graduate program in physical therapy

    2-3 years

    You study how the body moves, injuries, and treatment methods, and complete supervised clinical rotations. Finishing the program and passing the national licensing exam are what qualify you to practice.

  3. Physical Therapist

    Ongoing career

    You evaluate patients, build treatment plans, and help people regain movement, strength, and independence. With experience you can specialize or take on leadership roles.

Where it can lead

  1. Physical Therapy Clinic Manager

    3-5 years of experience first

    You move from treating patients to running a clinic, which means staff scheduling, budgets, and working with other providers. Strong clinical experience and good communication skills help you get there.

  2. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physician

    Several years, including medical school and residency of experience first

    This is a major change: you would need to complete medical school and a rehabilitation medicine residency to lead care as a physician. Many physical therapists find that their hands-on experience gives them a strong head start in understanding rehab.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology, anatomy, and physics if your school offers themThese classes build the science foundation you will need for a bachelor's degree and graduate study in physical therapy.
  • Volunteer at a hospital, nursing home, or rehab centerHelping with patients, even in simple ways, shows you what healthcare settings feel like and looks good on applications.
  • Join a sports team or fitness clubLearning about training, injuries, and recovery gives you a practical view of how the body moves and heals.
  • Get a starter job that involves helping peopleJobs like a camp counselor, lifeguard, or fitness assistant build communication skills and reliability.

In college

  • Major in kinesiology, biology, or another scienceThese majors cover the anatomy, movement, and health courses that graduate physical therapy programs expect to see.
  • Shadow or volunteer in a physical therapy clinicHands-on observation helps you confirm your interest and gives you experience to describe in graduate applications.
  • Work as an aide or assistant in a rehab or fitness settingA campus job at a recreation center or a part-time role as an aide gives you experience working with patients and clients.
  • Join a pre-health or kinesiology student clubThese groups often host speakers, workshops, and networking opportunities with people already in healthcare.
  • Keep your grades strong in science and math coursesGraduate programs look closely at your GPA, especially in prerequisite science classes.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a physical therapist if you can shadow them or observe a session. Seeing the job up close is the best way to find out if it fits you.
  • Work on your science grades early, since graduate programs look closely at prerequisite courses and GPA.
  • Start building people skills now, like encouraging teammates or helping younger students. Physical therapy involves a lot of patient encouragement and clear explanations.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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