PT Salary Caps-out?

[PTAide2DPT]

I'm a PT Aide that plans on applying to PT schools this summer. A PT I work with is recommending that I apply for PA school instead because of the greater salary and the fact that the PT salary caps-out once you reach certain seniority in your career.

Is there any merit to this? I'd appreciate any education on these subjects. Thank you.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[ya1]

Mainly the statement"PT salary caps-out once you reach certain seniority in your career" is true. The question is how much money is enough for you? Are you willing to work more than 40h/week to make more? What kind of work do you want to do as a PT? (Do you want to work with patients, being a manager and doing paperwork, opening your own business?) Technically, you can end up being an owner of a chain of successful PT clinics and being a millionaire. Is it easy? - NO! and most people will never achieve that or do not want to achieve that.
It does not make sense to me when people compare PT and PA - these are completely different professions. And I am pretty sure PA's salary caps-out as well.? Maybe at a little bit higher pay rate.

 

[rcpointdujour]

PT salary does NOT cap out. I've been working 14 years and I now make more than twice my salary when I first started albeit a while ago. Your salary depends on where you live, for whom you work (including yourself), how hard you hustle, and how good your negotiating skills are. My current salary as a staff therapist is about $120k and I just see it going up from there.

 

[Mcfly2295]

PT salary does NOT cap out. I've been working 14 years and I now make more than twice my salary when I first started albeit a while ago. Your salary depends on where you live, for whom you work (including yourself), how hard you hustle, and how good your negotiating skills are. My current salary as a staff therapist is about $120k and I just see it going up from there.

What is your location & setting?

 

[astarblaze]

PAs typically make significantly more than PTs at all levels of experience. Is it possible to continue to increase your salary as a PT? Sure. But it's probably safe to say that the vast majority of PTs do not and will not ever make 6 figure salaries. PAs start at 6 figures. If salary is a priority, going the PA route may be a better bet. Certainly the income to debt ratio for schooling is better for PAs. But as previously mentioned, the careers are vastly different, so worth shadowing both and talking to lots of PTs and PAs to get a flavor for the kind of work you'd be doing and then decide what is the best fit.

 

[allantois]

PA salaries tend to start high and don't usually increase that much after that with some exceptions. You will be spending more face to face time with patients as a PT, you will need to learn and be interested in medicine overall, as PA school doesn't focus on any one specialty.

 

[chdom02]

I don't understand the popular comparison between PTs and PAs, we have vastly different scopes of practice, yes PAs are making more but they are not involved in the type of care that PTs are in.

 

[AP191]

I don't understand the popular comparison between PTs and PAs, we have vastly different scopes of practice, yes PAs are making more but they are not involved in the type of care that PTs are in.

I think it's because many students choose between PT and PA. PAs' have less schooling and somewhat less debt compared to PTs while making more even though being a PA is vastly different in scope and practice. Many on this forum don't like to admit it but income is a big deal especially with all the problems with compensation concerning physical therapy.

 

[truthseeker]

don't make life long career decisions based solely upon salary.

 

[Philt85]

Salary is important, but you have to look at it from a certain perspective. Average therapists earn average salary. Its all about how and where you find yourself providing value.

 

[DPTUninformed]

don't make life long career decisions based solely upon salary.

As someone who went into the field of finance and is now switching to Physical Therapy, I'm happy to endorse this statement. Money buys peace of mind and the freedom to act. It does not bring you happiness or satisfaction. Both the salaries of a PA and PT will bring you peace of mind. If you're struggling to make it by earning $60k-70k a year, then your job isn't the issue. It's your priorities.

 

[rcpointdujour]

What is your location & setting?

I'm in Los Angeles and working in outpatient neurology.

 

[Galain]

PAs typically make significantly more than PTs at all levels of experience. Is it possible to continue to increase your salary as a PT? Sure. But it's probably safe to say that the vast majority of PTs do not and will not ever make 6 figure salaries. PAs start at 6 figures. If salary is a priority, going the PA route may be a better bet. Certainly the income to debt ratio for schooling is better for PAs. But as previously mentioned, the careers are vastly different, so worth shadowing both and talking to lots of PTs and PAs to get a flavor for the kind of work you'd be doing and then decide what is the best fit.

This is incorrect and pay is largely dependent on setting/location. In acute care PA salaries start around $80,000. An ER PA will get closer to or slightly above $100,000 but work some pretty awful hours. Obviously this would change based on locale.

PT salary does NOT cap out. I've been working 14 years and I now make more than twice my salary when I first started albeit a while ago. Your salary depends on where you live, for whom you work (including yourself), how hard you hustle, and how good your negotiating skills are. My current salary as a staff therapist is about $120k and I just see it going up from there.

This is not true. Salary absolutely will cap out when your salary exceeds the amount you generate in revenue. No business can afford to pay someone more than they generate with the exception of acute care where most services are not reimbursable. For additional perspective on the above mentioned salary, according to Indeed the average salary of a PT in LA is $108,358.

If salary is what you are after go into Investment Banking or become an Entrepreneur. I assure you the grass is not greener right now for PA's. There is a significant amount of downward pressure on healthcare professions in general due to COVID and an ample supply of clinicians.