Physical Therapists
SOC Code: 29-1123 Job Zone 5: Extensive Preparation Needed
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.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Physical Therapists. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $107,432 | $125,133 | $142,813 | $160,514 |
| Merced, CA | $86,590 | $108,742 | $130,915 | $153,067 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $103,667 | $119,891 | $136,136 | $152,360 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $100,027 | $115,440 | $130,874 | $146,286 |
| Vallejo, CA | $92,248 | $109,616 | $126,963 | $144,331 |
| Napa, CA | $88,358 | $106,891 | $125,424 | $143,957 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $92,394 | $108,638 | $124,904 | $141,149 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $88,858 | $106,059 | $123,282 | $140,483 |
| Salinas, CA | $91,811 | $107,328 | $122,866 | $138,382 |
| Redding, CA | $77,979 | $97,843 | $117,707 | $137,571 |
H-1B Filing Data
Top H-1B Employers
| Employer | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Grandison Management, Inc. | 1,929 | $72,456 |
| Spear Physical Therapy, PLLC | 80 | $87,547 |
| Select Rehabilitation LLC | 78 | $89,691 |
| Grandison Management | 78 | $77,366 |
| ATI HOLDINGS, LLC | 76 | $2,362,401 |
| Management Health Systems, LLC | 57 | $75,276 |
| THERADYNAMICS REHAB MANAGEMENT LLC | 47 | $87,950 |
| Tender Touch Rehab Services LLC | 43 | $89,911 |
| AMEDISYS HOLDING LLC | 39 | $113,943 |
| Aegis Therapies, Inc. | 34 | $108,329 |
Filing Trend
| Year | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 397 | $82,503 |
| 2021 | 365 | $85,943 |
| 2022 | 386 | $82,149 |
| 2023 | 856 | $278,085 |
| 2024 | 1,473 | $336,845 |
| 2025 | 1,963 | $308,633 |
| 2026 | 313 | $88,060 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 | |
| Active Listening | 4.0 | |
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.0 | |
| Speaking | 4.0 | |
| Service Orientation | 4.0 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 | |
| Monitoring | 3.9 | |
| Writing | 3.9 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.8 | |
| Time Management | 3.6 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| Customer and Personal Service | 4.6 |
| Therapy and Counseling | 4.6 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 4.6 |
| Psychology | 4.1 |
| English Language | 4.0 |
| Education and Training | 4.0 |
| Biology | 3.7 |
| Administration and Management | 3.2 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| Post-first professional | 47.1% |
| Doctoral degree | 38.3% |
| Bachelor's degree | 8.3% |
| Associate's degree | 6.3% |
Typical Tasks
- 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.
- Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit.
- Administer manual exercises, massage, or traction to help relieve pain, increase patient strength, or decrease or prevent deformity or crippling.
- Instruct patient and family in treatment procedures to be continued at home.
- Confer with the patient, medical practitioners, or appropriate others to plan, implement, or assess the intervention program.
- Review physician's referral and patient's medical records to help determine diagnosis and physical therapy treatment required.
- Record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in patient's chart or enter information into computer.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
MEDITECH software Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft Word eClinicalWorks EHR software Advantage Software Physical Therapy Advantage Biometrics video game software Cedaron Dexter Evaluation & Impairment Rating Clinicient Insight Exercise routine creation software Hands On Technology TheraWriter.PT MediGraph Medical condition coding software Medical procedure coding software
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