Making 100k as a pt

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

PTlife2015

Full Member
7+ Year Member
Joined
May 24, 2015
Messages
37
Reaction score
6
Hey guys! I don't want this to sound like all I care about is money but I was wondering if it is possible to make 100k as a pt. what I plan on doing is working in an outpatient clinic and then pick up some per diem hours in acute care or home health. I know that most outpatient jobs start around 70k but I'm just not sure how much extra money I would get from per diem job. I just want to do this for a few years to get my loans payed off then probably just work outpatient. Thanks for the help!
 
Hey guys! I don't want this to sound like all I care about is money but I was wondering if it is possible to make 100k as a pt. what I plan on doing is working in an outpatient clinic and then pick up some per diem hours in acute care or home health. I know that most outpatient jobs start around 70k but I'm just not sure how much extra money I would get from per diem job. I just want to do this for a few years to get my loans payed off then probably just work outpatient. Thanks for the help!

Yeah ik a couple of PTs making 100k+. They pick up a PRN gig on the side.

OTs can pretty much get PRN all the time where I am at in SNF. Probably similar for PTs.

PTs owning their own home care or private practice make good money too.
 
Hey guys! I don't want this to sound like all I care about is money but I was wondering if it is possible to make 100k as a pt. what I plan on doing is working in an outpatient clinic and then pick up some per diem hours in acute care or home health. I know that most outpatient jobs start around 70k but I'm just not sure how much extra money I would get from per diem job. I just want to do this for a few years to get my loans payed off then probably just work outpatient. Thanks for the help!
If you make $70,000 a year then you need to make up $30,000 in PRN work. If you make let's say $45 an hour that is an extra 666 hours per year. 666 hours per year / 26 pay periods is 25 hours per pay period, every pay period. So on top of your 40 hour a week job you would need to pick up 25 hours per pay period, all year. So the answer to your question is no, you probably can't make $100,000 this way.
 
Last edited:
Some home health agencies offer up to $120k gross if you commit 1-2 years. You will not live in the best place, but it's a good way to make money soon. Also, I'm making >$100k gross as a traveler, and I have less than 1 year of experience. You need to be flexible. That's the key.
 
Some home health agencies offer up to $120k gross if you commit 1-2 years. You will not live in the best place, but it's a good way to make money soon. Also, I'm making >$100k gross as a traveler, and I have less than 1 year of experience. You need to be flexible. That's the key.
How far do you have to travel? Is it like all over one state or like all over the us? Sorry I have never been exposed to travel PT and don't know much about it.
 
How far do you have to travel? Is it like all over one state or like all over the us? Sorry I have never been exposed to travel PT and don't know much about it.
Travelers usually have to work a minimum of 50 miles from their home to qualify for many of the perks involved (housing stipend, travel stipend, food stipend, etc, which can add up to tens of thousands of dollars if you travel full time). Assignments are usually 13 week blocks, but some are longer or shorter depending on what your company has available. Usually you'll be working in understaffed inpatient environments, which are often understaffed for a reason, if it's anything like traveling as a RT.
 
Travelers usually have to work a minimum of 50 miles from their home to qualify for many of the perks involved (housing stipend, travel stipend, food stipend, etc, which can add up to tens of thousands of dollars if you travel full time). Assignments are usually 13 week blocks, but some are longer or shorter depending on what your company has available. Usually you'll be working in understaffed inpatient environments, which are often understaffed for a reason, if it's anything like traveling as a RT.

I don't know why they're 13 weeks, but you can negotiate shorter or longer contracts. You're better off accepting a 13-week contract and then extending so you can sign a six-month lease on an apartment. Most of the jobs aren't inpatient. You can work in any setting, except neuro and sports. Most of the jobs aren't in the most desired cities, but many jobs are 1-2 hours from those cities.
 
yes you can but you shouldn't expect it right out of school.
 
Some home health agencies offer up to $120k gross if you commit 1-2 years. You will not live in the best place, but it's a good way to make money soon. Also, I'm making >$100k gross as a traveler, and I have less than 1 year of experience. You need to be flexible. That's the key.
Besides being flexible, how did you land that gig and what is required of you? Is it worth it?
 
Making 100k gross as a PT is not difficult

If that's what you want do traveling jobs or PRN at multiple locations, not permanent

I work as an acute PT in 2 hospitals, one pays 43/hr, another one same but 55 on weekends. Let's say I work 60 hrs/wk, 30/wk between the two (the most you can do is 30/wk each job as a PRN), and let's also say I work every weekend day at the 55/hr rate, and I do 6 10's/wk all year minus 1 month. 60hrs/wk x 4/mo x 11/yr x ((55+55+43+43+43+43)/6) = 124k. If you did 50hrs/wk, that'd be ~ 100k/yr gross. That's with 1 mo off/yr and doesn't include holiday work/pay (time and a half). I can say with certainty that I could easily get 6 10's/wk between my two jobs if I wanted. < 1 wk ago a travel agency I worked for in the past offered me 2100/wk NET for a job ~ 115 miles 1 way from where I live, let's say I did that plus the 55/hr weekend days at my other job. It's really not that difficult. The catch is you have to want to work that many hours and your employer has to like you. You could pull in ~ 150k/yr if you really wanted.
 
Besides being flexible, how did you land that gig and what is required of you? Is it worth it?

I landed it through a travel/staffing agency. All I needed was a license. Most of these jobs have little competition. Is it worth it? It's hard to say. It has pros and cons: more money for less stability and you have to live a less attractive area.
 
Making 100k gross as a PT is not difficult

If that's what you want do traveling jobs or PRN at multiple locations, not permanent

Having been to several different locations I can tell you that PRN pay looks nice on paper but the amount of work they actually give you a year is not very significant at all in my opinion. I have seen several prn therapists practically begging for work.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app
 
Why is this?

Sent from my iPad using SDN mobile

Maybe I'm wrong, but I have never been offered a position in a neuro or sports clinic. Neuro clinics aren't common and they only want PT's who have experience or have done an internship. Sports clinics are popular among PT's and don't need travelers. Remember, travelers take positions that are hard to fill. Rehab hospitals are sports clinics aren't hard to fill. Rural home health and SNF's are.
 
Maybe I'm wrong, but I have never been offered a position in a neuro or sports clinic. Neuro clinics aren't common and they only want PT's who have experience or have done an internship. Sports clinics are popular among PT's and don't need travelers. Remember, travelers take positions that are hard to fill. Rehab hospitals are sports clinics aren't hard to fill. Rural home health and SNF's are.

Gotcha, wasn't sure if you meant there were some kind of weird regulations that prevented travel positions in those settings.
 
Having been to several different locations I can tell you that PRN pay looks nice on paper but the amount of work they actually give you a year is not very significant at all in my opinion. I have seen several prn therapists practically begging for work.

Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

Not around these parts...you can easily get 40+ hours/wk working PRN. Even in outpatient ortho.
 
Which one
 
Last edited:
Top