Demand for physical therapists is strong and growing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 14.2% employment growth for physical therapists from 2023 to 2033, adding roughly 36,800 new jobs. That’s more than triple the 4% growth rate projected for all occupations combined. Beyond new positions, the profession already faces a significant workforce shortage, meaning job seekers enter a field where openings consistently outnumber qualified candidates.
How Fast the Field Is Growing
Physical therapy ranks among the 15 fastest-growing occupations in the United States through 2033. The 14.2% projected growth rate reflects rising healthcare needs across nearly every patient population: older adults managing chronic conditions, younger patients recovering from surgeries, and people of all ages dealing with musculoskeletal pain. Total U.S. employment is expected to grow by just 6.7 million jobs over the same period, so physical therapy is capturing a disproportionate share of that expansion.
This isn’t a short-term spike. The forces driving demand are structural. An aging population needs more orthopedic and neurological rehabilitation. Chronic conditions like diabetes and obesity increase the need for movement-based interventions. And as healthcare systems increasingly favor rehabilitation over surgical approaches for certain conditions, physical therapists absorb work that previously went to other specialties.
The Workforce Shortage Is Already Here
The profession isn’t just growing. It’s already short-staffed. In 2022, the United States had a national shortfall of about 12,070 full-time physical therapist positions, roughly 5.2% fewer therapists than needed to meet patient demand. That gap is expected to widen before it narrows, peaking at 8.2% in 2027 before partially recovering to a 3.3% shortfall (around 9,160 positions) by 2037.
Practicing therapists feel this daily. The APTA’s 2024 workforce survey found that 57% of respondents reported a shortage in their capacity to meet local demand, while another 24% said they were operating at the absolute limit of their capacity. Only about one in five physical therapists reported having adequate staffing to handle their patient volume comfortably. For job seekers, this translates to strong negotiating power on salary, schedule flexibility, and location preferences.
Where Demand Is Highest
The shortage is not evenly distributed. The South faces the most severe gap, lacking an estimated 16,620 full-time positions relative to demand in 2022. The West is short by about 10,400 positions. Meanwhile, the Northeast has roughly 11,980 more therapists than needed for its population, and the Midwest has a modest surplus of about 2,970.
At the state level, the most dramatic shortfalls show up in Hawaii, where supply meets only 55% of estimated demand, and Alabama at 57%. Nevada (61%), Arizona (67%), Oklahoma (71%), West Virginia (71%), New Mexico (72%), and South Carolina (72%) all fall well below what their populations need. The three largest states by population all face significant deficits: California is short by 5,370 full-time positions, Florida by 4,230, and Texas by 1,240.
Looking ahead to 2037, several states are projected to see their shortages deepen. Oklahoma is expected to drop to just 64% of needed supply, and Hawaii to 63%. Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and North Carolina all show worsening gaps. On the positive side, Virginia is projected to flip from a deficit of 710 positions in 2022 to a surplus of 1,250 by 2037. Michigan, however, moves in the opposite direction, going from a surplus of 750 to a shortfall of 1,830.
Rural Areas Face the Steepest Challenges
Rural communities are hit hardest. When surveyed, 57% of physical therapists said there were insufficient providers in rural areas, while only 9% believed rural supply was adequate. The remaining third were unsure. This shortage in non-metropolitan areas creates both a challenge for patients who must travel long distances for care and an opportunity for therapists willing to practice outside major cities, where employers often offer signing bonuses, loan repayment assistance, and higher compensation to attract talent.
How Telehealth Is Expanding Access
Virtual physical therapy is growing rapidly, partly in response to these geographic gaps. The U.S. telerehabilitation market is projected to reach $263 million by 2026 and grow at about 13.1% annually through 2034. Patients with mobility limitations or those in underserved areas increasingly use video-based sessions for exercise guidance, movement assessments, and post-surgical follow-ups. Government initiatives promoting telehealth adoption in rural areas are accelerating this shift further.
For physical therapists, telehealth doesn’t replace hands-on care but does expand the number of patients a single therapist can reach. It also creates new career paths in digital health companies, remote patient monitoring, and hybrid care models that blend in-person visits with virtual check-ins. Therapists comfortable with technology and remote patient engagement are finding growing demand for these skills alongside traditional clinical roles.
What This Means for Career Prospects
The combination of fast job growth, an existing workforce shortage, and persistent geographic imbalances makes physical therapy one of the more secure career paths in healthcare. New graduates entering the field face a market where roughly 80% of existing practices report being at or beyond capacity. Salaries reflect this pressure, particularly in underserved regions competing for a limited pool of licensed professionals.
The shortage also means experienced therapists have leverage to move into specialized roles, transition to travel therapy positions that typically pay premium rates, or negotiate part-time schedules without sacrificing employability. With the national shortfall not expected to fully close even by 2037, the supply-demand imbalance is likely to define the profession for at least the next decade.