Birch Tree Therapies logo
Birch Tree Therapies
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Physical Therapist (School Based)

Physical TherapistIncludes callFull-Time

Listed compensation

from $60/hr

The week · per this posting3-day week

Ask the employer about weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 2mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

Benefits

  • Health insurance
  • Paid time off
  • 401(k) matching
  • Dental insurance
  • Flexible schedule
  • Opportunity for advancement
  • Parental leave
  • Signing bonus

Vision Insurance

Looking for a school-based PT position that actually fits your life?

Birch Tree Therapies is hiring a PT for the upcoming school year, with the flexibility to work anywhere from 1–5 days per week. Whether you're looking for one consistent day, a 2–3 day schedule, or a full-time position, we can work with you to build a schedule that fits.

We're a therapist-owned and led company built by school-based clinicians who wanted something different: a workplace where therapists are trusted as professionals, have meaningful clinical support, and can provide thoughtful, neuro-affirming care.

You’ll have the autonomy to practice in a way that feels authentic to you - without feeling like you're practicing on an island.

Why You'll Love Working With Birch Tree

Build a schedule that works for you.

We have opportunities ranging from 1–5 days per week, allowing us to create anything from a small part-time caseload to a full-time school-based position. Tell us what you're looking for, and we'll see if we can build the right fit.

Work for a company run by therapists.

Birch Tree isn't a national staffing agency. Our company is owned and led by practicing school-based OT, PT, and SLP professionals who understand what your day actually looks like. We believe therapists do their best work when they're trusted, supported, and given the space to use their clinical judgment.

Our approach emphasizes strengths, autonomy, access, self-advocacy, meaningful participation, and respect for each student's individual body and way of moving through the world.

Have support when you need it.

School-based therapy can be incredibly independent - but independent shouldn't mean unsupported. You'll be part of a collaborative team of therapists who are available to problem-solve cases, talk through evaluations, navigate school-based practice, and share resources.

We value mentorship and collaboration while still respecting your independence as a clinician.

What You'll Do

As a school-based Physical Therapist, you'll work collaboratively with students, families, educators, and related service providers to support students' access, participation, mobility, and independence within their educational environment.

Depending on Your Caseload, Responsibilities May Include

  • Providing individualized and small-group physical therapy services within the school environment
  • Completing school-based PT evaluations and contributing to multidisciplinary evaluations
  • Developing functional, participation-focused IEP goals
  • Supporting mobility and safe, meaningful access throughout the school environment
  • Addressing positioning, transfers, gross motor participation, adaptive equipment, and environmental access as appropriate
  • Collaborating with teachers, OTs, SLPs, special educators, families, and other members of the educational team
  • Recommending accommodations, adaptive equipment, and environmental modifications when appropriate
  • Participating in IEP meetings and clearly communicating evaluation findings and recommendations
  • Monitoring student progress and completing required documentation

Providing consultation and education to school teams to support student participation throughout the school day

Using a strengths-based, neuroaffirming approach across evaluation, intervention, consultation, and collaboration

Who We're Looking For

We're looking for a PT who is thoughtful, collaborative, and excited about helping students participate more fully in their school communities.

You May Be a Great Fit If You

  • Hold a current Physical Therapy license in Pennsylvania
  • Enjoy working with children and collaborating with educators and families
  • Value neuroffirming and strengths-based care
  • Believe therapy should focus on meaningful participation rather than compliance
  • Value clinical autonomy while also wanting access to a supportive therapy team
  • Communicate thoughtfully and professionally with families and school staff
  • Are organized and comfortable managing a school-based caseload
  • Are interested in learning and growing as a school-based clinician

New to schools? That's okay.

Previous school-based experience is wonderful, but it isn't required. If you're a strong clinician coming from outpatient pediatrics, early intervention, inpatient rehabilitation, or another PT setting and are interested in transitioning into schools, we'll help you learn the educational model and navigate school-based practice.

What Makes Birch Tree Different

We created Birch Tree Therapies because we believe therapists deserve more than simply being placed in a school and left to figure things out.

We want our clinicians to have both autonomy and community.

That means trusting your professional judgment. Supporting you when a case is complicated. Having experienced clinicians you can call when you need another perspective. Encouraging collaboration across disciplines. And creating a culture where thoughtful, student-centered therapy matters more than productivity numbers.

Most importantly, we want you to have a job that works with your life—not the other way around.

Whether you're looking for one school day per week, a consistent 2–3 day position, or a full-time school-based role, we'd love to talk about what you're looking for and whether Birch Tree could be the right fit.

Come practice with a team that trusts you, supports you, and believes school-based therapy should help students participate authentically in their own lives.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Benefits

  • Pay ranging from $60-68/hr
  • 401(k)
  • 401(k) matching
  • Continuing education credits
  • Dental insurance
  • Flexible schedule
  • Health insurance
  • License reimbursement
  • Life insurance
  • Opportunities for advancement
  • Paid time off
  • Travel reimbursement
  • Vision insurance
  • Work Location: In person

Key Responsibilities

The Physical Therapist will provide individualized and small-group therapy services within school environments to support student mobility and participation. Responsibilities include conducting evaluations, developing IEP goals, and collaborating with educators and families to implement accommodations.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a current Physical Therapy license in Pennsylvania. While previous school-based experience is preferred, the company is open to training strong clinicians from other pediatric or rehabilitation settings.

Key Skills

Pediatric physical therapyIEP developmentClinical evaluationGross motor assessmentMultidisciplinary collaborationStudent advocacyCase management

Physical Therapist Career Context

Of the 50 active Physical Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 40% have no call, 68% require no weekends.

In Pennsylvania, the Physical Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$91k (428 salary observations; 2,178 listings), vs ~$94k nationally (14,786 salary observations; 56,355 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-10-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

The cost-of-living index for Pennsylvania is 97.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$133k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $136k in an average-cost state. 61.7% of Pennsylvania clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Birch Tree Therapies holds silver-tier status on WeekdayDoc's Top Employers work-life index, composite score 72/100, 3 active listings.

Top Physical Therapist Jobs

32 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution32 jobs · 23 employers

8
<$100k
10
$100k-110k
10
$110k-120k
0
$120k-130k
4
$130k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks31 jobs · 23 employers

401k / retirement match
90% this job
CME allowance
74% this job
Sign-on bonus
61% this job
Loan repayment
26%
Relocation assistance
6%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

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

Home Care Providers Group · Yuba City, California

$150k-$160k
#2

Physical Therapist - Studio City

Myo · Los Angeles, California

$90k-$140k
#3

Physical Therapist - West Hollywood

$90k-$140k
#4

Physical Therapist (PT)

$100k-$130k
+ 30 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

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

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 22,005 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site
  • Includes call

Living in Philadelphia

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$204k
Typical market rent
$1,768/mo
Residents’ average commute
32 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
102.6
State income tax
Up to 3.1%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Birch Tree Therapies logo

About Birch Tree Therapies

Benefits & Perks

Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Matching
Paid Time Off
Flexible Schedule
Signing Bonus
Continuing Education Credits