The cost of a physical therapy degree is substantial, often leading to concerns about income versus debt. While many physical therapists find fulfillment in their careers, the path to financial freedom can seem long. But what if there was a way to significantly accelerate your earning potential right from the start? This is where travel physical therapy comes in, offering not just adventure but also a lucrative salary. This article explores how a career in travel PT can lead to impressive financial gains, even for new graduates, focusing on the realities of a Travel Pt Salary.
Many believe that a six-figure salary in physical therapy is a distant dream, or that paying off student debt is a decades-long struggle. However, the reality of a travel PT salary can be surprisingly different. One travel physical therapist not only achieved a six-figure income but did so within just six months of graduating. This is their story of strategic career choices and maximizing earning potential in the field of travel physical therapy.
Launching a Travel PT Career
Fresh out of physical therapy school in 2019, two new graduate PTs, including the author, secured six-month travel contracts at an outpatient orthopedic clinic in northern Virginia. This opportunity, facilitated by Travel Therapy Mentor, was a pivotal step towards understanding the earning potential of a travel PT salary. For those considering this path, resources like Travel Therapy Mentor and their recruiter recommendations can be invaluable.
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During those initial six months, the experience was transformative. Beyond professional growth and exploring a new region, the financial rewards of a travel PT salary became immediately apparent. Earning over $7,000 per month after taxes translated to roughly $43,000 in just half a year. This figure starkly contrasts with the often lower salaries of new graduate PTs in permanent positions, where earning this much might take a full year or more.
The onset of the pandemic presented unexpected challenges. As contracts were terminated and permanent positions faced uncertainty, maintaining a travel PT contract required dedication and adaptability. By demonstrating commitment to patient care, both in-person and via telehealth, and proactively managing schedules, the author not only retained their contract but earned an extension.
Seeking additional security in an uncertain job market, a PRN home health opportunity arose. Despite lacking prior home health experience, the willingness of a company to provide training opened a new avenue for diversifying income streams and further maximizing earning potential beyond a standard travel PT salary.
Expanding Income Streams Beyond a Standard Travel PT Salary
While maintaining a full-time travel PT position in the outpatient clinic, the author embraced the flexibility of a PRN home health role. The outpatient schedule, with shorter workdays, allowed for dedicating additional hours to home health visits.
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Home health PRN work provided the autonomy to accept or decline patient referrals based on personal schedule and income goals. Starting with a few patients a week, the caseload gradually increased to 15-20 patients, supplementing the income from the travel PT contract and significantly elevating the overall travel PT salary. This expansion required stepping outside of the outpatient comfort zone and mastering home health documentation, including OASIS. However, the financial rewards and the diversification of skills proved to be worthwhile.
Balancing Hustle and Well-being in a High-Earning Travel PT Career
Working extended hours across multiple roles necessitates a conscious effort to maintain work-life balance. Long days, sometimes stretching from 7 am to 7 pm or later, highlight the importance of weekends for personal time and preventing burnout, a well-known risk in healthcare professions. While the demanding schedule raised eyebrows among colleagues, the author found satisfaction in hard work and tangible results – both in patient outcomes and financial growth. This intrinsic motivation made the demanding schedule sustainable, at least for a period, to achieve specific financial goals related to maximizing travel PT salary potential.
The Six-Figure Result: Travel PT Salary and Strategic Income Diversification
Navigating the uncertainties of a pandemic job market, the author not only maintained full-time travel PT employment but strategically added supplementary income streams. In addition to the outpatient travel PT role and home health PRN work, establishing a cash-based home health LLC further diversified income and entrepreneurial experience.
Working an average of 60 hours per week across these three avenues for six months yielded remarkable financial results. From May to November 2020, the author earned over triple the income of permanent outpatient clinic colleagues.
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The after-tax income for this six-month period reached approximately $80,000. This is equivalent to a gross salary of around $120,000 in just half a year, combining the travel PT salary, part-time home health earnings, and the initial stages of a cash-based business. Compared to the average physical therapist salary of $50-55k per year after taxes, achieving this income in just four months during a pandemic underscores the significant earning potential available through strategic career choices in travel PT and related ventures. This success story illustrates the possibilities for physical therapists willing to maximize their travel PT salary and pursue additional income opportunities.
Is This High-Earning Travel PT Path For Everyone?
Achieving such rapid financial success requires significant dedication and sacrifice. The demanding schedule entails late dinners, reduced sleep, less leisure time, increased commuting, and more administrative work outside of patient care hours. This lifestyle may not be suitable for everyone, particularly those with different life circumstances or those who prioritize work-life balance differently.
For individuals accustomed to a standard 40-hour workweek, this intensive approach may be overwhelming. However, for those driven by financial goals and comfortable with a demanding workload, especially early in their career, maximizing travel PT salary through travel assignments and supplementary work can be a powerful strategy. The author acknowledges this pace is not sustainable long-term but views it as a means to accelerate financial independence and create future career flexibility. This approach aligns with the concept of financial independence, which is more attainable for travel therapists due to their higher earning potential.
Exploring travel therapy can be a strategic move to significantly increase your earning potential and achieve financial independence faster.
As highlighted in a Harvard Business Review article, demanding work schedules are increasingly common among high-earning professionals. While not advocating for unsustainable work habits, this example demonstrates the potential for physical therapists to significantly increase their income through strategic career choices and a willingness to work diligently, especially when leveraging the higher travel PT salary.
Recommendations for Maximizing Travel PT Salary Potential
For physical therapists seeking to boost their income and accelerate financial goals, exploring PRN home health positions alongside a travel PT contract is a highly recommended strategy. Home health offers greater flexibility and often higher pay rates compared to additional outpatient or acute care roles. The ability to control your schedule and patient load in home health PRN work makes it an ideal complement to a travel PT salary.
This approach is not presented as the only path to financial success, nor is money the sole measure of professional fulfillment. However, for those prioritizing financial freedom and debt reduction, especially early in their careers, strategically maximizing travel PT salary and related income streams can be a powerful tool to achieve those goals and create greater career options in the future. After a period of intense focus on financial goals, taking time off for personal pursuits and family becomes a well-deserved reward.
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ABOUT JEFF
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Jeff Camara, a travel physical therapist from Massachusetts, holds a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from American International College. An avid traveler and outdoor enthusiast, Jeff’s story provides valuable insights for PTs considering travel therapy to enhance their careers and financial well-being. He can be contacted via Facebook or email at [email protected].
This inspiring story from Jeff highlights the significant financial advantages of pursuing travel therapy. If you are interested in exploring travel PT and its potential for increasing your travel PT salary, contact Travel Therapy Mentor or complete their recruiter recommendations form to begin your journey.
~Whitney & Jared, Travel Therapy Mentor
