Physiotherapist
Physiotherapists help people move better, manage pain and recover from injury, illness, surgery or disability, using exercise, hands-on treatment and advice.
What can you do with a physiotherapy degree?
Also called: Physical therapy · Physio · Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
Updated How we use data
Quick answer
A physiotherapy degree trains you to help people move, recover and manage pain after injury, illness or surgery, using exercise, hands-on treatment and advice. It combines anatomy, physiology and movement science with supervised clinical placements. Most graduates become registered physiotherapists in hospitals, clinics, sport or the community, and the degree also links to careers in rehabilitation, coaching and health promotion.
Careers with a physiotherapy degree
Most physiotherapy graduates work as registered physiotherapists. They treat patients in hospitals, private clinics, rehabilitation centres, care homes and people's own homes, and some work with sports teams or in workplaces. With experience, physiotherapists can specialise in areas such as sports injuries, children's health, neurology or the care of older people. Some graduates move into related fields, for example retraining as occupational therapists or working as sports coaches and strength and conditioning coaches. Others go into teaching, research or health management.
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Occupational therapist
Occupational therapists help people of all ages manage the everyday activities that matter to them, such as washing, dressing, working, studying or playing, after illness, injury or disability or with a mental health condition.
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Sports coach
Sports coaches help people improve their performance and enjoyment in a sport, from beginners and school teams to professional athletes.
Other roles graduates go into: Strength and conditioning coach · Rehabilitation specialist · Ergonomics consultant · Exercise physiologist · Clinical research associate
What you study and the skills you gain
Typical topics
- Anatomy and physiology
- Movement science and biomechanics
- Musculoskeletal physiotherapy
- Neurological rehabilitation
- Cardiorespiratory physiotherapy
- Exercise prescription and rehabilitation
- Professional practice, ethics and research methods
- Clinical placements in hospitals and the community
Skills you gain
- Assessing how people move and finding the cause of problems
- Planning and adapting treatment programmes
- Hands-on treatment techniques
- Motivating people to keep going with exercise
- Clear communication with patients of all ages
- Using research evidence to guide treatment
How the degree differs around the world
In the UK, Australia and many European countries, physiotherapy is a bachelor's degree of three to four years that leads to registration. In parts of Latin America, such as Brazil, it is usually a five-year first degree. In the United States, physical therapists need a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), usually a three-year graduate programme after a bachelor's degree, and must pass a national exam before getting a state licence. In Canada, you qualify through a master's degree after a first degree. In the UK and Australia, graduates of related subjects can often qualify through a two-year master's. All programmes include many hours of supervised clinical practice.
How do physiotherapy graduates do?
Earnings and employment by country
The OECD compares graduates by field of study. This subject falls under “Nursing and associate health fields”. The first column compares the median earnings of tertiary-educated adults in this field with all tertiary-educated adults (100 = average).
| Country | Earnings index (all graduates = 100) | Employment rate, this field | Employment rate, all graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 122 (2023) | 89.2% (2024) | 86.4% |
| Germany | 117 (2020) | 86.8% (2024) | 88.7% |
| Costa Rica | 113 (2023) | 76.3% (2024) | 79.2% |
| Slovenia | 112 (2020) | 93.3% (2024) | 90.8% |
| Romania | 107 (2023) | 94.1% (2024) | 91.5% |
| Latvia | 102 (2023) | 80.8% (2024) | 87.7% |
| Australia | 94 (2020) | 87.7% (2024) | 88.4% |
| Chile | 93 (2023) | 89.3% (2022) | 85.7% |
| Luxembourg | 93 (2023) | 82.3% (2024) | 85.7% |
| Estonia | 91 (2023) | 93.3% (2024) | 89.2% |
| Portugal | 90 (2020) | 93.3% (2024) | 90.7% |
| Mexico | 90 (2023) | 79.1% (2024) | 81.5% |
| South Korea | 89 (2023) | — | — |
| Canada | 88 (2020) | 81.5% (2021) | 80.4% |
| United Kingdom | 86 (2020) | 81.9% (2021) | 84.6% |
| Sweden | 85 (2023) | 92.6% (2024) | 89.6% |
| United States | 85 (2023) | 85.4% (2017) | 84.3% |
| Denmark | 84 (2023) | 88.9% (2021) | 87.8% |
| Norway | 82 (2023) | 91.0% (2024) | 89.3% |
| Switzerland | 80 (2023) | 90.2% (2024) | 89.5% |
| Finland | 78 (2022) | 92.0% (2024) | 88.8% |
| Croatia | — | 96.0% (2024) | 89.7% |
| Iceland | — | 95.4% (2016) | 93.6% |
| Poland | — | 94.0% (2024) | 91.6% |
| Slovakia | — | 93.3% (2024) | 90.5% |
| Lithuania | — | 92.9% (2024) | 90.4% |
| Netherlands | — | 90.7% (2024) | 90.6% |
| Belgium | — | 89.9% (2024) | 88.5% |
| Italy | — | 89.0% (2024) | 84.7% |
| Ireland | — | 88.8% (2021) | 86.9% |
| France | — | 88.1% (2024) | 87.3% |
| Spain | — | 85.5% (2024) | 83.9% |
| Czechia | — | 84.9% (2024) | 88.4% |
| Hungary | — | 83.6% (2024) | 76.2% |
| Greece | — | 79.4% (2024) | 82.3% |
| Türkiye | — | 78.3% (2016) | 72.9% |
| Peru | — | 76.9% (2024) | 81.7% |
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance. Adults aged 25–64 with tertiary education; latest year available, full-time earners where published. Values are for the whole field of study, not this subject alone. Where a country publishes only broad fields, we use “Health and welfare”.
Graduate earnings in the UK
The UK government links tax records to university records to measure what graduates earn. These figures are for “Physiotherapy” first-degree graduates who were employed in the 2023–24 tax year.
| Time since graduating | Median | Lower quartile | Upper quartile | In work or study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| After 1 year | £29,300 | £28,200 | £31,500 | 93.9% |
| After 3 years | £35,100 | £31,100 | £37,700 | 93.4% |
| After 5 years | £36,600 | £31,500 | £41,000 | 93.2% |
| After 10 years | £38,400 | £25,800 | £45,800 | 91.5% |
Source: UK Department for Education, Graduate labour market outcomes (LEO), tax year 2023–24. Earnings are annual and include only graduates in sustained employment. More UK detail on CourseToJob.co.uk
Is a physiotherapy degree right for you?
It may suit you if
- You are interested in the human body, movement, and sport or exercise.
- You enjoy practical, active work and helping people over weeks or months.
- You are good at encouraging people and building trust.
Think twice if
- You are uncomfortable with close physical contact, which is a normal part of treatment.
- You mainly want to work with elite athletes, as sports roles are few and competitive.
- You find it hard to stay patient when progress is slow.
Further study
After qualifying, physiotherapists often take short courses and postgraduate certificates to specialise, for example in sports, musculoskeletal or neurological physiotherapy. A master's degree can lead to advanced or consultant roles, and in some countries experienced physiotherapists can train to prescribe certain medicines. A PhD is needed for research and senior university posts. Most regulators also require ongoing professional development to stay registered.
Questions about studying physiotherapy
What jobs can you get with a physiotherapy degree?
Most graduates work as physiotherapists in hospitals, private clinics, sports clubs, schools, care homes or community services. With experience, you can specialise or move into advanced practice, management, teaching or research. Some graduates work in related roles such as sports coach, strength and conditioning coach or rehabilitation specialist, or retrain as occupational therapists.
What is the difference between physiotherapy and physical therapy?
They are the same profession. Physiotherapy is the usual name in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and many other countries, while physical therapy is used in the United States and some other places. The training route differs, however: in the United States you need a graduate doctorate, while in many countries a bachelor's degree is enough to register.
Can I become a physiotherapist if I have a different degree?
Often, yes. In the United States and Canada, physiotherapy is only studied after a first degree. In the UK, Australia and some other countries, you can take an accelerated master's degree, usually lasting two years, if your first degree is in a related subject such as sports science or biology. Entry is competitive, and programmes usually ask for relevant work or volunteering experience.
Is physiotherapy a good career?
Physiotherapy is a regulated profession with work in many settings and chances to specialise. Demand is supported by ageing populations and more people living with long-term conditions. However, pay and working conditions differ a lot between countries and between public and private work, and the job can be physically tiring. Work experience and talking to physiotherapists are good ways to decide.
Related subjects
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Sports science
A sports science degree studies how the body performs and responds to exercise, and how psychology, nutrition and coaching affect performance and health.
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Nursing
A nursing degree prepares you to care for patients and families in hospitals, clinics, homes and communities, combining health science with supervised practice on clinical placements.
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Biomedical science
A biomedical science degree teaches the biology of human health and disease, and how laboratory tests help doctors diagnose and treat patients.
Sources
- OECD — Education at a Glance, labour-market outcomes — Earnings and employment by field of study, adults 25–64
- UK Department for Education — Graduate labour market outcomes (LEO) — CAH CAH02-06-05 — Physiotherapy
- UNESCO — ISCED-F 2013 — ISCED-F 0915
How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). What can you do with a physiotherapy degree? Jobs and salaries. https://coursetojob.com/subjects/physiotherapy/ (accessed September 26, 2026)