Anonymous wrote:I know a few PTAs who went to a four year college and then couldn't get into PT school and got a PtA associates degree at NoVa instead.
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So then you are limiting your salary to about $60-70K max. Not very much for a 4 year degree plus another 2 year PTA associates degree, to work in a field that is physically demanding

Btw, I think ODU offers a DPT program. An in-state option might be lower cost, and Tidewater has a lower cost of living than metro DC.

Forgot to post:

https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/the-100-best-jobs

FWIW, PT is listed as the sixth best job in the US (based on factors such as pay, unemployment rate, future growth, work/life balance)

Starting salaries for PTs at Inova are almost at 80k. Which is great if you don't have 200k in debt.... although if you work at Inova or another nonprofit ten years your loans are forgiven.

I know a few PTAs who went to a four year college and then couldn't get into PT school and got a PtA associates degree at NoVa instead.
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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP from above--I went to PT school 20 years ago and it was the hardest two years of my life. College was nothing in comparison.

Yeah, must be tough to learn how to say, “Great, let’s try that again.”

Wow you are just a peach.

Neuroscience, anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics, all in the first six months of school. You wouldn't last two weeks.

Anonymous wrote:Do a direct entry PT program. Look into Duquesne!

Ithaca College also has a well-regarded DPT, direct entry program

A Nurse Practitioner usually will have a BS Nursing undergrad (4 years), then become a RN and work for ~2 years, then go back full time to get an MS Nursing with NP as the specialty (another 3-4 semesters). It does pay better.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I loved my PT career but branched off into another area of healthcare career after 10 years. Part of this was earnings.
Hospital pay is notoriously bad and very physical. I have some friends that specialize in different areas and they make a very good salary. You can certainly make a good, a light, perhaps not great salary, but not in any and all areas of physical therapy.

Is pediatric PT better or worse pay?

It's all about the same--generally under $100K for full time work. Unless you only take cash and can find clients who will pay some exorbitant hourly rate, your salary is limited by set insurance reimbursements.
It's not like law or other fields where you can charge $10/hour or $10,000/hour depending on your skill and name.

Anonymous wrote:I loved my PT career but branched off into another area of healthcare career after 10 years. Part of this was earnings.
Hospital pay is notoriously bad and very physical. I have some friends that specialize in different areas and they make a very good salary. You can certainly make a good, a light, perhaps not great salary, but not in any and all areas of physical therapy.

Is pediatric PT better or worse pay?

NOVA's 2-year Occupational Therapy Assistant program has some kind of special relationship with the OT program at Shenandoah University. You can start out as an assistant and then continue your education if you meet the requirements and have the inclination.

FWIW, my DH's nephew did the OTA program at NOVA and when he began it there was a lot of talk of in the family about how it was just a stepping stone to the "guaranteed acceptance at Shenandoah for OT" and many years later he's still just an OTA working in a nursing home for very little money. Sadly, he doesn't have the intellectual heft to do four-year college, let alone master's level work. YMMV.

Is it harder to get into school for PT or physicians assistant? What about nurse practitioner?

New PP but DD is also considering these pathways. Another option is speech therapist.

I loved my PT career but branched off into another area of healthcare career after 10 years. Part of this was earnings.
Hospital pay is notoriously bad and very physical. I have some friends that specialize in different areas and they make a very good salary. You can certainly make a good, a light, perhaps not great salary, but not in any and all areas of physical therapy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would note for those that are concerned about the relatively "low" salaries that these are growing industries...we don't know what the salaries will be like moving forward. And they are less likely to be replaced by AI than some others. I for one am thrilled that my (high stats) DD is interested in PT. The PTs that I know love their work--they get to really spend time with their patients--whereas many of the physicians that I know are discouraging their kids from becoming docs.

I've done books for therapy practices, you're incorrect.

For anyone billing insurance, payment per visit has been flat to declining for twenty years, the amount of haggling to get each $22 of potential payment has escalated.

On the upside, the for profit hospice industry is in wild west growth mode (read unchecked Medicare fraud), and it's now possible to add PT to that mix. Best of luck!