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HealthcareTop JobColorado Talent Pipeline Report-aligned occupation with strong annual openings, growth, and wage signals.

Physical Therapist

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.

Annual openings

366

Median wage

$102,030

Typical education

Doctoral degree

Growth 2026–2032

+11%

Median wage source: Colorado BLS OEWS (2025).

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Career requirements

What does this career require?

Explore education, required qualifications, voluntary credentials and employer preferences for this role. Check the details to see which apply.

Typical education

Doctoral degree

Credential requirement

A certification is required for this job.

Credential detail

To practice, you will need to be certified by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) by passing the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) for Physical Therapists.

Work experience

No previous work experience is required.

Experience detail

However, it is common for a person to work as an Occupational Therapy Assistant or Physical Therapy Assistant before they become a Physical Therapist.

Training

To practice, you will need to complete an approved Physical Therapist degree.

Employer competency information

Feedback from employers identifies the following critical competencies and how they apply for this job

  • Communication and Interpersonal Skills — Working very closely with other team members and patients is critical. It will be very important to understand, connect with, communicate to, and provide instructions to patients, regardless of their background or circumstances.
  • Customer Focus — Providing excellent customer service is critical, reimbursements are based on patient feedback and outcomes.
  • Critical & Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving & Decision Making — An important skill in developing and implementing patient care plans.
  • Psychology — Understanding patients is important in order to be able to motivate them to make positive changes.

Is this work a fit?

What the work actually feels like

How people in this career tend to spend their time, the interests it draws on, and a look at a typical day.

Work style

The type of work can vary by job and employer.

  • With childrenMay vary
  • On a computerMay vary
  • OutdoorsNo
  • With your handsYes

Interests it draws on

  • Healthcare
  • Doctoral (Advanced Degree)

Automation exposure

Low exposure

Tasks here lean on judgement and people skills that are hard to automate.

A typical day

  1. 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.
  2. Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention.
  3. Confer with the patient, medical practitioners, or appropriate others to plan, implement, or assess the intervention program.
  4. Administer manual exercises, massage, or traction to help relieve pain, increase patient strength, or decrease or prevent deformity or crippling.
  5. Obtain patients' informed consent to proposed interventions.
  6. Test and measure patient's strength, motor development and function, sensory perception, functional capacity, or respiratory or circulatory efficiency and record data.
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