Physical Therapist Salary

Physical Therapist Salary- How much can you earn?

Physical therapist salary is rewarding because it is a high paying job in the health care industry. If you position yourself correctly even while you study, you will be able to earn as much as $100,000 annually. There are several factors that can help you maximize the earning potential of a physical therapist. Your education, work experience and the industry and location you choose to work for can dictate how much you will be earning.

When you begin your career in physical therapy, your salary will be relatively in the lower range. Since all you have in your credentials is your transcript of records and the reputation of the school you went to, it helps to choose the right institution to entrust your education to. The physical therapist salary is much higher for those who have degrees from a well known university than those who come from relatively unknown colleges.

An entry level therapist will earn between $50,000 and $60,000 annually. As you gain more experience, your rate will go higher: 4 years mean up to $64,000 yearly wages, less than 10 years will give you up to $72,000 while higher than that can make you earn as much as $78,000. If you pass the 20 year mark into this profession, you can receive almost $80,000. These figures are all referring to median salary ranges.

Another factor that can affect your physical therapist salary is the type of employer that you will seek to work for. Those who sought to get a private practice can earn as much as $83,000 annually. Physical therapists who work for the government can earn as much as $77,000 per year while the school districts can give $69,000 annual wages.

The industry where you choose to work in is also a contributor in your salary. Statistics show that the highest paying industries are home care services, consulting services and vocational training schools. They earn up to $83,000 annually. The health care industry still holds the highest demand for physical therapists. The offices of medical practitioners like nursing care facilities, chiropractors, and private clinics have increased the needs for these professionals. The physical therapist salary is known to be within the range of $73,000 to $76,000 per year if you decide to go with this industry.

In terms of location, the highest paying states are Illinois, New Jersey and California. The average salary is between $80,000 and $87,000. Cities like San Francisco, Anaheim, Redwood City, Naples and Laredo are among the highest paring metropolitan areas. Physical therapists in these areas can earn up to $107,000.

Apart from the high physical therapist salary, they are also entitled to various benefits that increase the value of their compensation package immensely. They get up to 2.5 weeks of paid vacations and the bonuses they receive can go up to almost $2,000. Some employers are generous enough to give a retirement plan, life insurance benefits, educational aids and other insurance policies to cover the therapist in the event of an emergency.

Physical therapist salary is not only the attractive part in this profession. Based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand of physical therapists will increase with the forecasted number of elderly people who will require their services. According to some report in 10 years time an estimate of 55,000 physical therapists will be needed by the country to treat people with disabilities.