Animal Physical Therapists

The U.S. Department of Labor does not provide an employment outlook for animal physical therapists, but since they typically have backgrounds as human physical therapists and veterinarians, it’s a good idea to look at the employment outlooks in these occupations. Job opportunities for physical therapists are projected to grow 15 percent from 2022 to 2032, and employment of veterinarians is projected to increase 20 percent during this same time span. For both occupations, this growth will be much faster than the average for all careers.

Employment for APTs should also be good, although it will not be as strong as it is for vets and physical therapists because far fewer people work in the field and not everyone embraces animal physical therapy. Despite this, demand is growing for animal physical therapists because scientific studies have demonstrated the benefit of such treatments. APTs who also work as physical therapists for humans and as veterinarians will have the best job prospects.