Before earning a degree and pursuing a career as a physical therapist, it is important to understand how much money you can make in the field. The average salary for a physical therapist in New Jersey is around $85,000 per year.
Physical therapists are the healthcare professionals who freeze injuries, fix your broken bones and keep you out of pain. Here’s a list of some starting salaries for physical therapists in NJ
Starting Salary For Physical Therapist In NJ Overview
Do you want to break into the field of physical therapy? If so, you’re probably wondering what your entry-level salary will be.
The average starting salary for a physical therapist in New Jersey is $57,000 per year. However, this number can vary depending on factors such as where you work and what position you hold. For example, some companies may offer higher salaries than others due to their location or size. The state of NJ also has a higher cost of living than other states which could affect your take-home pay as well.
As far as hourly pay goes, the average hourly rate for a physical therapist in New Jersey is $33 per hour. Again though, there are many factors that can affect this number so it’s best not to rely on this number alone when deciding whether or not it’s worth pursuing a career as a physical therapist in NJ!
hree Factors Affecting a Physical Therapist Starting Salary
1. Location, location, location
Real estate has taught us that location plays an important role in many decisions, not least of which is cost of living and expected wages. The average physical therapy salary varies widely across the country, from $45,120 to $108,550, as evident in the figure below.
With such a wide range in average wages, it’s safe to assume that a starting salary is similarly contingent on location. And we’re not just talking state-by-state; salaries fluctuate depending on whether you’re in a metropolitan area. Not only is the cost of living typically higher in metro areas, the starting salaries for physical therapists are often lower in metro areas because of the high saturation of PTs and a widespread desire to live in the city.
You may be able to rake in considerably more money if you’re willing to relocate. The states that pay therapists the most are Alaska, California, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Nevada. Each state pays an average wage well above the national mean of $90,000.
Before booking your moving truck to move out west, however, be sure to investigate why the wage is so much higher there. What’s the cost of living? A $100k salary won’t do as much good in Oakland, California, as it will in Dayton, Ohio. Be sure to calculate whether a starting salary is worth the move before accepting the job.
2. Job Type and Setting
Your starting salary will also vary based on the setting in which you practice. About one-third of all employed physical therapists practice in an outpatient clinic, while 26% work in hospitals and 6% in nursing and residential facilities. Compensation varies widely among these types of clinics, but the lowest-paid setting is a private outpatient clinic. You could easily make 18% more on your annual salary by working in a skilled nursing facility.
Believe it or not, providing physical therapy in the patient’s home results in the most lucrative of physical therapy starting salaries. Home health PTs make more money per hour than PTs in a clinic or hospital, and about 11% of all working physical therapists provide home healthcare through an agency. Working as a home health therapist might be a great option for you if you enjoy working independently and don’t mind driving. I have more tips for PTs who want to get started in home health in this post.
Of course, there’s more to consider than the salary alone when appraising a job. If you have your heart set on working in a particular setting, there are ways to negotiate a higher wage. (More on that later.)
3. Flexibility and Willingness to Travel
The factor you control the most in determining your annual starting salary is your flexibility. A willingness to work in a different setting, such as home health or a skilled nursing facility, will open up higher-paid opportunities.
As a new grad, you cannot control how many years of experience you offer, but you can seek out jobs that reward PTs regardless of their years of experience. For example, switching from an outpatient setting to a home health setting could bump your pay by $20-30k annually.
Another way to land a high-paying job as a new PT graduate is by becoming a travel PT. Through an agency like Med Travelers, you can work short-term contracts at clinics throughout the county and earn $50/hour or more. In order to do this, however, you need to have the utmost flexibility, willing to travel for job stints as long as 13 weeks.
Average Salary of New Jersey Physical Therapists
According to Indeed.com, a Physical Therapist in New Jersey saw a experience a large number of companies posting over 501 jobs. The types of jobs posted ranged from Full-time, Part-time, Contract, Temporary, and Commission while the most common level of experience required for a Physical Therapist in New Jersey job was Senior Level.
| New Jersey Physical Therapist | $96,000 | . | |
| In USD as of September 26, 2016 | 55k | 110k | 165k |
|---|
Average Physical Therapist salaries for job postings in New Jersey are 8% higher than average Physical Therapist salaries for job postings nationwide. The top 5 employers were Genesis Healthcare, Genesis Rehab Services, Dungarvin, TherapyTravelers, and InSearch Medical offering Full-time, Part-time, Contract, Temporary, and Commission with Senior Level, Entry Level, and Mid Level required.
Additional Salaries of Physical Therapists
In this section explore additional details on common types of physical therapy jobs:
- Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapist
- Geriatric Physical Therapist
- Neurological Physical Therapist
- Orthopedic Physical Therapist
- Outpatient Physical Therapist
- Pediatric Physical Therapist
- Physical Therapist
- Sports Physical Therapist
- Staff Physical Therapist
- Vestibular Physical Therapist
- Wound Care Physical Therapist
Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapist
| Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapist | $66,000 | . | |
| In USD as of September 20, 2016 | 55k | 110k | 165k |
|---|
Average Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapist salaries for job postings in New Jersey are 8% higher than average Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapist salaries for job postings nationwide. The top 5 employers were Genesis Rehab Services, Princeton HealthCare System, Cooper University Hospital, SAINT MICHAEL’S MEDICAL CENTER, and ST. MARY’S HOSPITAL offering Full-time, Temporary, and Part-time with Entry Level required.
Geriatric Physical Therapist
| Geriatric Physical Therapist | $89,000 | . | |
| In USD as of September 20, 2016 | 55k | 110k | 165k |
|---|
Average Geriatric Physical Therapist salaries for job postings in New Jersey are 8% higher than average Geriatric Physical Therapist salaries for job postings nationwide. The top 5 employers were naviHealth, Five Star Senior Living, Coastal Home Rehabilitation, Sports Care INst, and Princeton HealthCare System offering Full-time, Part-time, Temporary, and Contract with Entry Level, Mid Level, and Senior Level required.
Neurological Physical Therapist
| Neurological Physical Therapist | $84,000 | . | |
| In USD as of September 20, 2016 | 55k | 110k | 165k |
|---|
Average Neurological Physical Therapist salaries for job postings in New Jersey are 8% higher than average Neurological Physical Therapist salaries for job postings nationwide. The top 5 employers were Rehabilitation Hospital of Toms River, TheraPhysical, LLC, Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, Advance Therapy Associates, Inc, and InSearch Medical offering Full-time, Part-time, and Temporary with Entry Level and Mid Level required.
Orthopedic Physical Therapist
| Orthopedic Physical Therapist | $87,000 | . | |
| In USD as of September 20, 2016 | 55k | 110k | 165k |
|---|
Average Orthopedic Physical Therapist salaries for job postings in New Jersey are 8% higher than average Orthopedic Physical Therapist salaries for job postings nationwide. The top 5 employers were Kessler Rehabiliation Center, Execu | Search, Sports Care INst, Select Medical, and Princeton HealthCare System offering Full-time, Part-time, Contract, and Temporary with Mid Level and Entry Level required.
Outpatient Physical Therapist
| Outpatient Physical Therapist | $96,000 | . | |
| In USD as of September 20, 2016 | 55k | 110k | 165k |
|---|
Average Outpatient Physical Therapist salaries for job postings in New Jersey are 8% higher than average Outpatient Physical Therapist salaries for job postings nationwide. The top 5 employers were Kessler Rehabiliation Center, IVYREHAB NETWORK, Execu | Search, Sports Care INst, and Select Medical offering Full-time, Part-time, Contract, and Temporary with Entry Level, Mid Level, and Senior Level required.
Pediatric Physical Therapist
| Pediatric Physical Therapist | $96,000 | . | |
| In USD as of September 20, 2016 | 55k | 110k | 165k |
|---|
Average Pediatric Physical Therapist salaries for job postings in New Jersey are 8% higher than average Pediatric Physical Therapist salaries for job postings nationwide. The top 5 employers were BATA INC., Sports Care INst, Kid Clan Services, Princeton HealthCare System, and Children’s Specialized Hospital offering Full-time, Part-time, Contract, and Temporary with Entry Level, Mid Level, and Senior Level required.
Physical Therapist
| Physical Therapist | $96,000 | . | |
| In USD as of September 20, 2016 | 55k | 110k | 165k |
|---|
Average Physical Therapist salaries for job postings in New Jersey are 8% higher than average Physical Therapist salaries for job postings nationwide. The top 5 employers were Genesis Healthcare, Genesis Rehab Services, Dungarvin, TherapyTravelers, and InSearch Medical offering Full-time, Part-time, Contract, Temporary, and Commission with Senior Level, Entry Level, and Mid Level required.
Sports Physical Therapist
| Sports Physical Therapist | $96,000 | . | |
| In USD as of September 20, 2016 | 55k | 110k | 165k |
|---|
Average Sports Physical Therapist salaries for job postings in New Jersey are 8% higher than average Sports Physical Therapist salaries for job postings nationwide. The top 5 employers were Kessler Rehabiliation Center, NovaCare Rehabilitation, Blue Royal, Select Medical, and Private Outpatient Ortho Clinic offering Full-time, Part-time, Contract, and Temporary with Mid Level and Entry Level required.
Staff Physical Therapist
| Staff Physical Therapist | $91,000 | . | |
| In USD as of September 20, 2016 | 55k | 110k | 165k |
|---|
Average Staff Physical Therapist salaries for job postings in New Jersey are 8% higher than average Staff Physical Therapist salaries for job postings nationwide. The top 5 employers were naviHealth, Five Star Senior Living, CareOne, Kessler Rehabilitation Center, and Dungarvin offering Full-time, Part-time, Contract, and Temporary with Mid Level, Entry Level, and Senior Level required.
Vestibular Physical Therapist
| Vestibular Physical Therapist | $83,000 | . | |
| In USD as of September 20, 2016 | 55k | 110k | 165k |
|---|
Average Vestibular Physical Therapist salaries for job postings in New Jersey are 8% higher than average Vestibular Physical Therapist salaries for job postings nationwide. The top 5 employers were Advance Therapy Associates, Inc, Meridian Health, Academy Spine & Physical Therapy, Fyzical Dizziness, Balance & Physical Therapy Centers, and Bella Physical Therapy offering Full-time and Part-time with Entry Level required.
Wound Care Physical Therapist
| Wound Care Physical Therapist | $90,000 | . | |
| In USD as of September 20, 2016 | 55k | 110k | 165k |
|---|
Average Wound Care Physical Therapist salaries for job postings in New Jersey are 8% higher than average Wound Care Physical Therapist salaries for job postings nationwide. The top 5 employers were Evergreen Rehabilitation, Encore Rehabilitation Services, St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network, Execu | Search, and Select Medical -smc offering Full-time, Part-time, Contract, and Temporary with Entry Level required.
