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Avera Health
South Dakota

Physical Therapist

Physical TherapistIncludes callNo nightsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$39.5-$59.25/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 5mo ago

Job Description

  • Location: Avera DeSmet Memorial Hospital Worker Type: Regular
  • Work Shift: Day Shift (United States of America)
  • Pay Range: The pay range for this position is listed below

Actual pay rate dependent upon experience. $39.50 - $59.25 Position Highlights You Belong at Avera Be part of a multidisciplinary team built with compassion and the goal of Moving Health Forward for you and our patients. Work where you matter.

A Brief Overview Responsible for the daily coordination and delivery of physical therapy services implementing specific treatment program for individual patients and patient groups according to the principles and practices of physical therapy and established objectives of the department.

What you will do Evaluates assigned patients, gathering data from a variety of sources such as patient records, interviews, observation and team members. Develops and implements individualized treatment programs for the patients needing services. Reviews plan of care with patient.

Instructs patient, family, caregivers in home program or exercise as appropriate. Uses selected activities and/or tasks to promote and maintain health, and to achieve treatment goals, establish and modify intervention and strategies for patients’ treatment program based on ongoing evaluation.

Provides direct therapy services to patients using various functional settings and strategies, plans therapy within the patient’s individual physical, emotional and intellectual capabilities as indicated and coordinated with the rehabilitation, medical, and nursing care plans.

Prepares documentation as required by the profession and the department, such as evaluation results, individualized treatment plans, progress notes, and other such reports.

Communicates effectively with the patient, family, physician, and other disciplinary team members regarding the patient’s status, progress and needs. Attends care conferences when applicable.

Establishes rapport and work cooperatively with interdisciplinary team members (including family/physician) throughout the patient’s intervention program.

Enhances professional growth and development through participation in educational programs, current literature, in-service meetings, workshops, etc. Oversees physical therapy assistants, techs, and students in an efficient and effective manner that ensures safe patient care and smooth departmental operation. Maintains knowledge of proper use of equipment for patient care. Essential

Qualifications

The individual must be able to work the hours specified.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job function satisfactorily including having visual acuity adequate to perform position duties and the ability to communicate effectively with others, hear, understand and distinguish speech and other sounds.

These requirements and those listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the essential job functions.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions, as long as the accommodations do not cause undue hardship to the employer.

Required Education, License/Certification, or Work Experience: Physical Therapist - Licensing Board An active license in the state of practice Upon Hire Preferred Education, License/Certification, or Work Experience: Licensed physical therapist Expectations and Standards Commitment to the daily application of Avera’s mission, vision, core values, and social principles to serve patients, their families, and our community.

Promote Avera’s values of compassion, hospitality, and stewardship. Uphold Avera’s standards of Communication, Attitude, Responsiveness, and Engagement (CARE) with enthusiasm and sincerity. Maintain confidentiality.

Work effectively in a team environment, coordinating work flow with other team members and ensuring a productive and efficient environment. Comply with safety principles, laws, regulations, and standards associated with, but not limited to, CMS, The Joint Commission, DHHS, and OSHA if applicable.

Benefits are designed to meet needs of today and into the future. PTO available day 1 for eligible hires.

Up to 5% employer matching contribution for retirement Career development guided by hands-on training and mentorship Avera is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, Veteran Status, or other categories protected by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation for help with your online application, please call 1-605-504-4444 or send an email to talent@avera.org. At Avera, the way you are treated as an employee translates into the compassionate care you deliver to patients and team members.

Because we consider health care a ministry, you can live out your faith, uphold the dignity and respect of all persons while not compromising high-quality services. Join us in making a positive impact on moving health forward.

Key Responsibilities

Responsible for coordinating and delivering physical therapy services by implementing individualized treatment programs for patients. This includes evaluating patient data, providing direct therapy, and documenting progress while collaborating with a multidisciplinary medical team.

Requirements

Requires an active Physical Therapist license in the state of practice. Candidates must possess the visual and auditory acuity necessary to perform clinical duties and communicate effectively with patients and staff.

Qualifications

Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Patient EvaluationTreatment PlanningPatient EducationInterdisciplinary CollaborationPatient Care CoordinationClinical Observation

Physical Therapist Career Context

Of the 40 active Physical Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 65% have no call, 50% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for South Dakota is 88.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$103k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $116k in an average-cost state. 58.2% of South Dakota clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

What does the Physical Therapy market look like in South Dakota?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Work-life score5.1 / 10 · above average in physical therapyranked against 21,942 Physical Therapy listingslisting-based score, 0–10
Listed pay$82k–$123kPhysical Therapy median $97k (middle half $72k–$111k)300 comparable listings, Oct 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$116k in purchasing powerSouth Dakota index 88.6 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Physical Therapy listings in South Dakota50 active22,039 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 65% no call · 50% no weekends40 benchmarked listings
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (21,942 Physical Therapy listings), BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Location & Logistics

South Dakota has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$103k midpoint, that is roughly $4k–$7k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.

Top Physical Therapist Jobs

23 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

23 jobs · 10 employers
10
<$105k
9
$105k-120k
0
$120k-135k
1
$140k
3
$150k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

23 jobs · 10 employers
401k / retirement match
96% this job
Sign-on bonus
61%
CME allowance
57%
Loan repayment
17%
Relocation assistance
9%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Physical Therapist

Home Care Providers Group · Yuba City, California

Salary Range: $165000.00
#2

Physical Therapist (PT) Home Health | $150,000 Annual Salary (Redding)

Home Care Providers Group · Yuba City, California

$150k-$160k
#3

Home Health Physical Therapist - Hayward

$150k
#4

Physical Therapist - Studio City

$90k-$140k
+ 21 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 4.8this job 5.1
Better work-life than 50% of Physical Therapy listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 21,942 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No nights
  • Includes call
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About Avera Health

Non-profit Organizations
South Dakota

Benefits & Perks

PTO available day 1
Up to 5% employer matching contribution for retirement
Career development guided by hands-on training and mentorship