What are the future career prospects for a career in physical therapy?

Understanding the trends in the field of physical therapy enables you to make clearer expectations, goals and decisions for your physical therapy career. 

The recent pandemic and its implications caused a decline in the physical therapy industry, but now the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) expects a 17% growth in jobs in physical therapy up to 2031, a rapid increase compared to other jobs. 

Physical therapy is becoming a necessity as a healthcare service especially among two demographics: the aging U.S. population who are also living longer than ever, and the health, sports and fitness enthusiasts who may want to improve their physical performance or recover from injuries. 

Nowadays, physical therapist employment are found in various healthcare settings such as: 

• Home healthcare settings
• Sports clinics
• Skilled care facilities, like nursing facilities 
• Rehabilitation centers
• Outpatient orthopedic clinics
• Acute care clinics  

With these various employment opportunities for PTs, the best paid physical therapists earn an average of   $127,110, while the median salary is at $92,920. 

Also, professionals in the field of physical therapy including Physical Therapist Assistants and Physical Therapist Aides have an average annual salary of $60,740 and $30,370, respectively, according to the BLS. 

The number of jobs in these healthcare settings and the salary for PTs and other professionals in the field are expected to grow in the years to come as factors like advanced technology in PT and health needs of the population continue to shift towards wellness, and rehabilitation. 

Technology will be a key factor in physical therapy careers. 

Instead of admin related tasks eating up one’s time, facilities offering physical therapy will be investing in tools that will streamline admin tasks, making processes more efficient. More time can be spent on patient care and treatment. 

Under tech advancements is offering more telehealth services. While PT-client interactions and consultations had to be shifted online during the recent pandemic, conducting one-on-one consultations with your physical therapist is now a widely accepted idea.

Because more scientific studies are being done to prove how effective video evaluations by a PT are, it is predicted that the number of clients preferring online communication tools to talk to their physical therapists will continue to grow.  

PT outpatient services and acute care will continue to grow. 

In 2022, despite the world just recovering from the effects of Covid-19, outpatient PT services have been experiencing gradual but steady growth. In fact, about half of PT consultations in the U.S. happened in outpatient clinics. 

Along with the rise of the number of people who prefer to receive healthcare services in the comfort of their homes, physical therapy services in home healthcare settings is expected to grow. 

More and more patients realize that home healthcare is more cost-effective, more comfortable and more practical than getting the services from facilities.  

More demand for PT services will lead to more physical therapy professionals.

Compared to 2022 which recorded about 232,000 licensed physical therapists, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) noted about 6,000 new PT licenses in 2023. This number is expected to grow as more schools are offering PT programs and certifications in the U.S. 

This steady rise in both the demand and supply of PTs show the resilience of the PT industry. If you are a physical therapist, you can look for exciting job opportunities in various online medical job boards and find career path options. 

You can find top healthcare and medical jobs nationwide on this site. Check out our healthcare job board now!