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Sanford Health
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Physical Therapist - Acute | PRN

Physical TherapistIncludes weekendsNo nightsPer Diem

Listed compensation

$35.5-$52/hr

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations and time off.

Posted 49m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland.

Work Shift

Day (United States of America)

Scheduled Weekly Hours

0

Compensation

Salary Range: $35.50 - $52.00

Union Position

No

Department Details

This position is PRN as needed and you will be asked to work anywhere from 8:00AM-4:30PM. Hours would vary based on our needs to cover heavy workload. PRN PT's provide weekend coverage as well.

Summary

Plans, organizes and delivers physical therapy programs that help clients/patients/residents recover and improve their mobility, relieve pain, increase strength and prevent deformities. Conducts examinations, evaluations, and interventions clients/patients/residents who are affected by injury or disease.

Job Description

Utilizes tools and techniques to administer physical therapy interventions following safeguards. Documents client's/patient's/resident's information for evaluation; establishes therapeutic plans and modifies them if necessary.

Educates clients/patients/residents and their family members about treatment plans/schedules and self-exercises to be continued at home. Knowledge of and utilizes appropriate age-related treatments and evaluations relating to the needs of clients/patients/residents.

Demonstrate and incorporate knowledge of current research into daily treatment of clients/patients/residents. May treat individuals of all ages with varying diagnosis and disorders. Will demonstrate documentation in accordance with departmental guidelines and meet all regulatory requirements.

Demonstrates level of treatment associated with their specialty provided to their clients/patients/residents. Follows and adheres to accepted clinical practice guidelines of professional organization. Exhibits flexibility with acceptance of variable work schedules/assignments.

Participates in activities to promote the department, Good Samaritan Society and Sanford Health.

Will be interacting with individuals outside of the department including but not limited to: providers, case managers, third party payers, public organizations, companies/contractual partners, etc. May be asked to supervise assistants, aides, and students as they provide client/patient/resident care, treatment, or other services.

Will be expected to provide ongoing education and training to peers in the area(s) of expertise as determined by the department leadership. Performs other related duties as requested by manager.

Based on facility needs and assigned locations, may focus on those receiving intervention in the post-acute, long term care and home health care environments.

Qualifications

Appropriate education level required in accordance with state licensure.

Must be licensed in the state(s) of practice as a Physical Therapist. When applicable, may require valid driver's license. Obtains and subsequently maintains required department specific competencies and certifications. Basic Life Support (BLS) for health care providers required or within the first 60 days of employment.

Sanford is an EEO/AA Employer M/F/Disability/Vet.

If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation for help with your online application, please call 1-877-949-5678 or send an email to talent@sanfordhealth.org.

Key Responsibilities

The physical therapist will plan, organize, and deliver therapy programs to help patients recover mobility, relieve pain, and improve strength. They are also responsible for conducting evaluations, documenting patient progress, and educating families on treatment plans.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Patient evaluationTherapeutic planningMobility improvementPain reliefStrength trainingInjury rehabilitationPatient educationSupervisionInterdisciplinary collaboration

Physical Therapist Career Context

The cost-of-living index for South Dakota is 88.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$91k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $103k in an average-cost state. 58.2% of South Dakota clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 40 active Physical Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 48% have no call, 38% require no weekends.

What does the Physical Therapy market look like in South Dakota?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Work-life score6.2 / 10 · above average in physical therapyranked against 21,256 Physical Therapy listingslisting-based score, 0–10
Listed pay$74k–$108kPhysical Therapy median $135k (middle half $109k–$151k)120 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$103k in purchasing powerSouth Dakota index 88.6 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Physical Therapy listings in South Dakota51 active21,755 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 48% no call · 38% no weekends40 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedUS Physical Therapist listings: 22% state a sign-on bonus (median $10k) · 18% offer loan repayment1,000 active listings, Nov 2026
New Physical Therapy listings7,752 in the last 30 days4,473 the 30 days before (+73%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Physical Therapy pay trend+1.6% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (21,256 Physical Therapy listings), BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Physical Therapist - Acute | PRN at Sanford Health a 6.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the Above average in Physical Therapy — ranked against 21,256 active Physical Therapy listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no night shifts.

Location & Logistics

South Dakota has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$91k midpoint, that is roughly $4k–$6k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.

Top contract/1099 Physical Therapist Jobs

39 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

30 jobs · 22 employers
8
<$110k
8
$110k-115k
8
$115k-140k
6
$140k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

31 jobs · 22 employers
401k / retirement match
81%
CME allowance
35%
Sign-on bonus
23%
Loan repayment
13%
Relocation assistance
3%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Home Health Physical Therapist-NEW GRADS WELCOMEPer Diem

Transition Care Telemetry · San Diego, California

$80-$120/hr
#2

Home Health Physical Therapist - Per DiemPer Diem

Transition Care Telemetry · San Diego, California

$80-$110/hr
#3

Home Health Physical Therapist

$75-$80/hr
#4

Home Health Physical Therapist

$75-$80/hr
+ 37 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 4.8this job 6.2
Better work-life than 70% of Physical Therapy listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 21,256 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No nights
  • Includes weekends

Living in Sioux Falls

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$302k
Typical market rent
$1,279/mo
Residents’ average commute
17 min
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

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

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