# Physical Therapists

> 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/physical-therapists
- SOC code: 29-1123.00
- Career family: Healthcare practitioners
- Median annual pay: $102,760 (10th percentile $77,140, 90th percentile $135,140)
- Projected growth: Much faster than average, +11.9%
- Openings a year: 13,400
- Typical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code SIR)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 56 |
| Investigative (I) | 65 |
| Artistic (A) | 19 |
| Social (S) | 82 |
| Enterprising (E) | 25 |
| Conventional (C) | 35 |

## What you'd do

- Assisting and Caring for Others (importance 93/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 92/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 88/100)
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 86/100)
- Getting Information (importance 85/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 82/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 81/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 78/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 77/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 75/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Speaking, Monitoring, Writing, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management

## Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service, Therapy and Counseling, Medicine and Dentistry, Psychology, Education and Training, English Language, Biology, Administration and Management, Physics, Sociology and Anthropology

## Also called

Acute Care PT (Acute Care Physical Therapist), Acute Physical Therapist (Acute PT), Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapist (Cardiopulmonary PT), Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Geriatric Physical Therapist (Geriatric PT), Home Care Physical Therapist (Home Care PT), Home Health Physical Therapist (Home Health PT), Inpatient Physical Therapist (Inpatient PT), Kinesiotherapist, LPT (Licensed Physical Therapist)

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5123) (CIP 5123, 591 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Ithaca College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ithaca-college-1313) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | not reported | $76,766 | $25,000 |
| [University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus-3019) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $43,925 | $75,950 | $23,307 |
| [Worcester State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/worcester-state-university-3304) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | not reported | $74,386 | $25,500 |
| [Saint Francis University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/saint-francis-university-2301) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | not reported | $72,821 | $27,000 |
| [University of New Hampshire-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-new-hampshire-main-campus-2980) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | not reported | $72,625 | $27,000 |
| [Boston University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/boston-university-286) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $44,945 | $72,566 | $17,110 |
| [Duquesne University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/duquesne-university-839) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | not reported | $72,059 | $26,000 |
| [Saint Louis University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/saint-louis-university-2312) | Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | not reported | $70,351 | $23,244 |

## Related careers

- [Physical Therapist Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/physical-therapist-assistants): $68,380 median pay
- [Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/physical-medicine-and-rehabilitation-physicians): $265,930 median pay
- [Occupational Therapists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-therapists): $100,330 median pay
- [Physical Therapist Aides](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/physical-therapist-aides): $35,240 median pay
- [Occupational Therapy Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-therapy-assistants): $72,300 median pay
- [Occupational Therapy Aides](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-therapy-aides): $39,160 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.