Is a Career as a Physical Therapists Right for You?
Physical Therapists at a Glance
- O*NET-SOC Code
- 29-1123.00
- Holland Code
- SIR
- Typical Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
What Does a Physical Therapists Do?
Assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury.
- Plan, prepare, or carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve, or restore physical functioning, alleviate pain, or prevent physical dysfunction in patients.
- Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention.
- Confer with the patient, medical practitioners, or appropriate others to plan, implement, or assess the intervention program.
- Administer manual exercises, massage, or traction to help relieve pain, increase patient strength, or decrease or prevent deformity or crippling.
- Obtain patients' informed consent to proposed interventions.
Salary and Job Outlook
Verified salary and job-growth data for this occupation aren't published on this page yet, we only show figures we can cite to a real source (PRD methodology: O*NET/BLS).
Is Your Personality a Fit?
People who thrive as a Physical Therapists tend to score high in Social, Investigative, Realistic interests. Take the free career test to see how your own results compare.
Take the free career test to see if you matchHow to Become a Physical Therapists
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Related Careers
FAQ
What does a Physical Therapists do day-to-day?
Assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury.
What education do I need to become a Physical Therapists?
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Is a Physical Therapists a good personality fit for me?
It depends on your interests: Physical Therapistss tend to score high in Social, Investigative, Realistic. Take the free career test to see your own match.
Occupation data from the O*NET O*NET 30.3 Database (retrieved 2026-07-21), U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.