Physical Therapist Salary With Doctorate Degree
A physical therapist’s salary with a doctorate degree can be quite high. The average physical therapist salary with a doctorate degree is $91,000 per year. Most people who have this level of education make an average salary of between $60,000 and $85,000 per year. However, there are some people who make more than $100,000 per year as well.
The reason for this is because the field of physical therapy is growing rapidly and there are not enough doctors to meet demand. This means that those who do have doctorates will be able to command higher salaries than those who do not have a doctorate degree.
Physical therapists are the experts when it comes to helping people with medical issues recover and get back on their feet. They are able to help patients recover from injuries, as well as assist people with chronic conditions live more comfortably.
The physical therapist salary with a doctorate degree can vary greatly depending on the type of work you do and the location where you work. In general, however, the average annual salary is approximately $92K.
Physical Therapist Salary With Doctorate Degree
Doctor of Physical Therapy Salary
Physical therapy offers significant pay, especially for PTs with a doctoral degree who work in certain environments. The median 2020 pay for therapists was $91,010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in a range that spans from $63,530 at the low end to more than $126,780 at the high end. Most PTs with a PhD working full time can expect to earn in the top quarter of salaries, which is over $100,000.
The best states for physical therapists include California and Nevada, where salaries top $116,000 and $113,000 respectively, according to U.S. News. Opening your own practice can produce even higher profit potential.
Job Opportunities
A doctoral degree opens numerous employment doors for physical therapists. You can work in virtually any medical practice or facility, open your own practice, teach at a college or university or get involved in research. According to Noodle, earning a PhD in physical therapy can open doors to specialized roles in acute care, adult neurological care, oncology and cardio units, as well as specialized sports roles working with elite athletes for professional teams.
Some PTs work in practice during the day and teach classes in the evenings or on the weekends. If you don’t like one work setting, you can easily flex to another given your qualifications.
Stability and Outlook
Physical therapy is among the fastest-growing vocational opportunities in the early 21st century. Baby boomers have entered retirement, making for a sizable aging population that needs PT as part of an overall health care plan. The BLS indicates a projected growth of 21 percent for PTs between 2020 to 2030. This is well above the average growth projected for all professions. Those that have a doctoral degree are primed to taken advantage of any of the career opportunities that become available.
Performance
Physical therapy is a critical area of health maintenance and improvement. People suffering from chronic health conditions rely on expert therapists to help them achieve a better quality of life. By the time you earn a PhD in physical therapy, you have acquired a high level of technical competence in physical therapy treatment and exercises. This makes you well-rounded enough to help a lot of patients, but knowledgeable enough to give expert care to each one. PTs also partner with other medical doctors in care plans and provision. Since medical doctors have PhDs, a doctoral degree puts a PT on an even professional level.
