Career comparison
Physical Therapist vs. Recreation and Fitness Professor
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Physical therapists earn more at the median ($102,760 vs. $77,270), while physical therapists usually get to work faster (7 years after high school of training). Physical therapists help people recover movement and manage pain after injury or illness. Recreation and fitness professors teach exercise science, physical education and recreation at the college level.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Physical Therapist | Recreation and Fitness Professor | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $102,760 ($49.40/hr) | $77,270 |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $77,140 – $135,140 | $44,900 – $134,890 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +11.9% (much faster than average) | +2.2% (slower than average) |
| Openings per year | 13,400 | 1,000 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 7 years after high school | 6–8 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | NPTE | Ph.D. in kinesiology |
| Work setting | PTs work in outpatient clinics, hospitals, nursing facilities, homes, schools and sports settings.. | Faculty work in classrooms, gyms, labs and field sites.. |
What each job does
Physical Therapist
- Examine and evaluate patients
- Diagnose movement problems
- Design treatment plans
- Guide therapeutic exercise
- Provide manual therapy
Recreation and Fitness Professor
- Teach kinesiology and recreation courses
- Run human performance labs
- Prepare PE teachers and trainers
- Conduct exercise research
- Mentor students
How they’re similar
Both careers involve helping others, hands-on work, working with people, and physical work. They sit in different fields, healthcare and education & childcare, but share transferable skills such as motivation skills and energy.
Which should you choose?
Choose physical therapist if…
- I love anatomy and exercise
- I enjoy motivating people
- I like hands-on work
Choose recreation and fitness professor if…
- I love exercise science
- I like teaching
- I enjoy lab work
Still torn? Take the Physical Therapist fit quiz and the Recreation and Fitness Professor fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, physical therapist or recreation and fitness professor?
Physical Therapists earn more at the median: $102,760 versus $77,270 for recreation and fitness professors, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Physical Therapists typically train faster (7 years after high school) than recreation and fitness professors (6–8 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects physical therapists to grow +11.9% from 2025–35, compared with +2.2% for recreation and fitness professors.