Athletic Trainers vs Physical Therapists
Median pay is about $40k higher for Physical Therapists. The usual entry education is bachelor's for Athletic Trainers and doctoral (DPT) for Physical Therapists.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Athletic Trainers | Physical Therapists |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $62,520 | $102,760, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $55,130 | $86,160, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $74,630 | $121,160, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +13% Growing fast, higher | +12% Growing fast |
| Openings a year | 2,400 | 13,400 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Bachelor's | Doctoral (DPT) |
| Difficulty modeled | 3.6 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Low | Low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 22nd pct | 39th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Athletic Trainers
- Active Learning
Only Physical Therapists
- Writing
Both lean on active listening, speaking, critical thinking, monitoring, reading comprehension.
More comparisons
Compare Athletic Trainers with
Compare Physical Therapists with
Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.