Physical Therapist Salary in Skilled Nursing Facility

[nikolavuc]

Hi i'm a new grad & had recently passed the NPTE and is now applying for a Full Time PT job, I have been interviewed on a Skilled nursing facility which offered me $32/hour, i don't really know how much should an entry level PT should be paid on a SNF, so your opinions are welcome is it a fair offer? or is it to low?

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[NewTestament]

Not even close. $32/hour? Outpatient clinics pay better than that. Look elsewhere. If you're going to work in a SNF as a new grad, you should make at least $75k/year. Travelers at SNFs make $45-55/hr.

 

[nikolavuc]

Not even close. $32/hour? Outpatient clinics pay better than that. Look elsewhere. If you're going to work in a SNF as a new grad, you should make at least $75k/year. Travelers at SNFs make $45-55/hr.

Even if I only have a bachelor's degree & on a rural area?

 

[1FutureDPT]

My first job that I took right out of school in a SNF while working on a TL paid $36/hr in the South.

 

[nikolavuc]

My first job that I took right out of school in a SNF while working on a TL paid $36/hr in the South.

Thank you for the reply! what's a TL btw

 

[callmecrazy]

Not even close. $32/hour? Outpatient clinics pay better than that. Look elsewhere. If you're going to work in a SNF as a new grad, you should make at least $75k/year. Travelers at SNFs make $45-55/hr.

Not everywhere. The last I looked, the largest outpatient employer around here was starting barely over $25/hr. The saturated markets aren't putting up the money.

 

[NewTestament]

My first job that I took right out of school in a SNF while working on a TL paid $36/hr in the South.

Southern states in general pay the worst. Go west, my friend.

Callmecrazy: where do you live? $25/hr? I could make more waiting tables at a nice restaurant.

 

[CherokeeWahine]

Geez... $25/hr is less than what PTAs make where I am in California.

Going rate for new grads in my neck of the woods in CA for PTs is $40 (outpatient ortho).

 

[nikolavuc]

well it depends on the cost of living my current offer is $35/hr and the area has a very low cost of living (spring field, illinois)

 

[aroszko]

Hi i'm a new grad & had recently passed the NPTE and is now applying for a Full Time PT job, I have been interviewed on a Skilled nursing facility which offered me $32/hour, i don't really know how much should an entry level PT should be paid on a SNF, so your opinions are welcome is it a fair offer? or is it to low?

Even if I only have a bachelor's degree & on a rural area?

...Sorry I'm a bit confused, how did you just pass the NPTE but only have a bachelors?

 

[nikolavuc]

...Sorry I'm a bit confused, how did you just pass the NPTE but only have a bachelors?

...Sorry I'm a bit confused, how did you just pass the NPTE but only have a bachelors?

 

[nikolavuc]

I graduated from a foreign country with just a bachelors degree then after credentialing fsbpt allowed me to take npte

 

[callmecrazy]

Southern states in general pay the worst. Go west, my friend.

Callmecrazy: where do you live? $25/hr? I could make more waiting tables at a nice restaurant.

A mid-major mid-Atlantic city. In general, the healthcare system is just a mess here, and it carries over into every facet, including pay. The issue is compounded by a saturation of PT programs, with new grads coming out multiple times per year. Add to that the fact that people just tend to live here forever, or come back if they ever did leave. The supply is here, they largely don't want to leave, and the largest employer is left with no motivation to increase pay. It looks like they've stopped publishing their pay scale with job postings, but I can say with some certainty that their current PRN rate is $40/hr (inpatient and OP, as they own both) and that's not even the lowest in the area. It's the reality here.

ETA: I still love my city and don't intend to leave... maybe ever, hah. Priorities.

 

[engmedpt]

Hi i'm a new grad & had recently passed the NPTE and is now applying for a Full Time PT job, I have been interviewed on a Skilled nursing facility which offered me $32/hour, i don't really know how much should an entry level PT should be paid on a SNF, so your opinions are welcome is it a fair offer? or is it to low?

wut

Travelers at SNFs make $45-55/hr.

Ya. I see job alerts 40-45 FT as well.

The last I looked, the largest outpatient employer around here was starting barely over $25/hr.

This is depressing.

 

[starrsgirl]

This thread is depressing. I make $20 now as a part time research assistant while in PT school and I did make average $30/hour with back to back personal training clients.

 

[Azimuthal]

As a new grad, I can attest that it's really not that bad. I mean, I make less than my previous career but I actually like going into work.

 

[starrsgirl]

^^I'm going to hang onto this. I definitely didn't do this for the money....before the personal training I mentioned above, I also made more in another career than I will ever make as a PT. Which was great, except I was miserable.

 

[Azimuthal]

^^I'm going to hang onto this. I definitely didn't do this for the money....before the personal training I mentioned above, I also made more in another career than I will ever make as a PT. Which was great, except I was miserable.

You'll make a lot more than $30/hr though, lol.

 

[engmedpt]

This thread is depressing. I make $20 now as a part time research assistant while in PT school and I did make average $30/hour with back to back personal training clients.

Alright real talk, someone just got an offer 70k OP ortho with a signing bonus. This has to be location dependent. I was also reading up on some ACA stuff and APTA with CMS....demand should still be increasing throughout the years although I'm not sure about reimbursement which may mean higher volume patient load.

As a new grad, I can attest that it's really not that bad. I mean, I make less than my previous career but I actually like going into work.

You'll make a lot more than $30/hr though, lol.

Azimuthal, was anyone in your class, school, or state remotely involved in advocating for reimbursements and longterm fixes/prevention/quality of care? I've been reading journals about stuff.

.....I do feel like the small salaries above are employer low balls tho...rather than reimbursement

 

[Azimuthal]

Azimuthal, was anyone in your class, school, or state remotely involved in advocating for reimbursements and longterm fixes/prevention/quality of care? I've been reading journals about stuff.

.....I do feel like the small salaries above are employer low balls tho...rather than reimbursement

No one that I know of personally but the APTA's federal PAC is responsible for keeping an eye out for those things. Look at the CMS fee schedule. Location does play a role in the calculations. Also, they are working on the new fee schedule for OP PT that the APTA submitted to our AMA overlords to review and send their recommendation (approval) to CMS. You participated in that thread a while back. They are also working on eliminating the therapy cap.

Low balling a new graduate is common practice. 1) They don't usually negotiate. 2) Employers do not expect a new grad to stay around for long. 3) A new grad really doesn't know that much and has a lot to learn their first 1-2 years.

 

[nikolavuc]

^^I'm going to hang onto this. I definitely didn't do this for the money....before the personal training I mentioned above, I also made more in another career than I will ever make as a PT. Which was great, except I was miserable.

being a PT gives you alot of opportunities to earn though, you can have PRN +Home care, plus a full time on an OP or SNF, well it depends if you are a workaholic I am so i usually work more than 50hrs a week with combination of those 3

 

[Hopein2010]

$35-40/ hr FT , and $48-60/ hr for prn in middle/east TN for SNF.....its plenty to live on, even with loan repayment, and I love going to work

 

[redrose424]

$35-40/ hr FT , and $48-60/ hr for prn in middle/east TN for SNF.....its plenty to live on, even with loan repayment, and I love going to work

Curious, do you do PRN or full time for SNF? I have heard poor things about SNF from therapists (they typically say things along the lines of SNF pays so well because they make you sign a contract and no one wants to stay there longer than a year..) but after observing in an LTAC I have become more interested in SNF and similar settings. What are some of the pros and cons? How often do therapists typically work if they are exclusively PRN? Thanks!

 

[Hopein2010]

I work full time, but prn on the side . I've worked at several SNF's, and honestly, job satisfaction depends on many factors such as facility and equipment available, camaraderie among fellow therapy staff, facility and rehab relationship, caseload mix, salary, and most importantly, the company you work for. My current SNF is the cleanest, most well-kept in the area, with a large, bright loaded gym (we also do some OP) and therapy pool, wood floors, high ceilings. The rehab team is awesome, we all get along great, and nursing staff is cooperative and fun. We see very involved, total assist people, but also short term rehab, OP, and ALF pts. Our rehab company (contracted) leaves much to be desired though, with outrageous productivity standards and no raises for the last 3 years, but I can't beat the facility's atmosphere, and I love going to work everyday.

I did the prn-only thing for a while, and it can be quite a gamble . When its good, work is plentiful, and you can make bank. When its bad and caseloads are low across the board in your region, it really sucks. I almost got into financial trouble during a period when no one in the area needed help for like, 2 months. I personally wouldn't put myself into that situation again. Our company is in several SNF's in the area, and our prn will typically float to wherever they're needed, but there are times when they don't work at all.

 

[NewTestament]

1) They don't usually negotiate. 2) Employers do not expect a new grad to stay around for long. 3) A new grad really doesn't know that much and has a lot to learn their first 1-2 years.

You take what you can get as a new grad. Be thankful someone is willing to hire you. Prove your value, and then you can negotiate.

 

[Azimuthal]

You take what you can get as a new grad. Be thankful someone is willing to hire you. Prove your value, and then you can negotiate.

I disagree. You always negotiate, unless the facility has a tiered system where negotiation is not possible. If I was to start at an OP clinic and I was offered a wage that was below what I believe is expected of the caseload, staffing needs, and administrative responsibilities, or level of benefits for my respective area, I would respectfully offer a counter along with my reasoning. Not to mention that many employers offer a conservative figure in anticipation of a counter. What's the worse that could happen? A "no".

 

[engmedpt]

I disagree. You always negotiate, unless the facility has a tiered system where negotiation is not possible. If I was to start at an OP clinic and I was offered a wage that was below what I believe is expected of the caseload, staffing needs, and administrative responsibilities, or level of benefits for my respective area, I would respectfully offer a counter along with my reasoning. Not to mention that many employers offer a conservative figure in anticipation of a counter. What's the worse that could happen? A "no".

Many employers cant market to save their life or implement new systems and ideas into the clinic outside of the status quo they've been riding for years. I would negotiate that so hard.

 

[engmedpt]

Not to mention that many employers offer a conservative figure in anticipation of a counter. What's the worse that could happen? A "no".

Exactly.


As an aside the 40/hr and 48-60 prn is really really solid as new grad. Just don't do clinicals in Alaska in school because you want to "travel and experience things".....oh hai 6.8% fed interest rate on my unnecessary living expense loan. I am flabbergasted at how fiscally irresponsible professional school students are.

 

[bnwj89]

Hi i'm a new grad & had recently passed the NPTE and is now applying for a Full Time PT job, I have been interviewed on a Skilled nursing facility which offered me $32/hour, i don't really know how much should an entry level PT should be paid on a SNF, so your opinions are welcome is it a fair offer? or is it to low?

I'm in the Midwest, suburb of a major city. Just took a job at a SNF for $37/hr with sign on bonus of 5k. Had an offer from every place I interviewed. Although the money is important, interview many places to find a DOR, building, and team that you feel will be right for you. One of the big things that attracted me to my job is that they want me to get certified in lymphedema treatment, dry needling, and several others. Find a place that aligns with your personal goals of growth. Then when you get multiple offers, use them to negotiate pay.

 

[PTX2]

This thread confirms my concerns. I make $70,000 annually working part-time at a restaurant! Although, in the Bay Area that means I'm barely making it.

I just started a new personal trainer job as an independent contractor specializing in special populations--I make $65/hour (50% commission)!

I recently started playing with the idea of only working part-time as a PT after graduation then supplementing my income as a trainer under my own business. Then I could charge the full $100+/hr and help pay off the student loans.

I haven't really looked into this but is there any conflict of interest? I believe it should be fine so long as the services rendered remain within the scope of practice for which I'm charging.