Montage Health logo
Montage Health
Monterey, California

Physical Therapist (Per Diem) - Acute care

Physical TherapistIncludes weekendsPer Diem

Listed compensation

$61.75-$82.59/hr

Listing transparency2 of 6 stated

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations and nights and shift pattern.

Employment & setting
Per Diem
Call expectations
Not specified
Weekends
Includes weekends
Posted 59m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Welcome to Montage Health’s application process!

Job Description

Position Summary

Under the leadership of the department director and/or assistant director the staff physical therapist is responsible for supporting the mission of the Hospital by providing quality physical therapy services to patients of all ages who have impairments, functional limitations, disabilities, or changes in physical function and health status resulting from injury, disease or other causes.

The physical therapist interacts and practices in collaboration with a variety of professionals involved in the care of the patient. The physical therapist educates, engages in critical inquiry, directs and supervises physical therapy services including support personnel.

Physical therapy services include examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, and interventions in order to reduce the patient’s disability. The physical therapist also provides prevention and wellness services.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy required. Masters or doctorate degree preferred.

Must pass orientation and initial competency assessment prior to independent assignment of patients requiring the applicable skill, and must complete and pass all annual competencies.

Licensure/Certifications

  • Physical Therapy Board of California license required.
  • American Heart Association Healthcare Provider BLS certification required.

Equal Opportunity Employer

#LI-AC1

Assigned Work Hours

10-hour workdays, primarily weekend coverage and weekdays PRN

Position Type

Per Diem

Pay Range (Based on Years of Applicable Experience)

  • $61.75 to
  • $82.59
  • The hours employees work determine when a shift differential is paid.
  • Hourly Evening Shift Differential: $3.87
  • Hourly Night Shift Differential: $5.81

Key Responsibilities

The physical therapist provides quality therapy services to patients of all ages to address impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities. They collaborate with healthcare professionals to perform examinations, evaluations, and interventions while supervising support personnel.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy and a valid Physical Therapy Board of California license. Additionally, an American Heart Association Healthcare Provider BLS certification is required for this position.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Patient EvaluationInterventionPatient EducationAcute CareRehabilitationFunctional Assessment

Physical Therapist Career Context

In California, the Physical Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$117k (898 salary observations; 3,256 listings), vs ~$93k nationally (9,351 salary observations; 50,511 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-09-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

Of the 50 active Physical Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 10% are remote, 30% have no call, 72% require no weekends.

Physical Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is down 3.6% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$150k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $136k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Physical Therapist Jobs

50 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution36 jobs

6
<$130k
13
$130k-150k
10
$150k-170k
7
$170k-190k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks34 jobs

401k / retirement match
65%
CME allowance
47%
Sign-on bonus
24%
Relocation assistance
12%
PSLF eligible
9%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Home Health Physical TherapistPer Diem

Transition Care Telemetry · Escondido, California

$80-$110/hr
#2

Physical Therapist Acute CarePer Diem

Sutter Health · San Francisco, California

$63.78-$89.28/hr
#3

Physical Therapist II, Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation, Per Diem

$63.78-$89.28/hr
#4

Physical Therapist, Per Diem, Evening

$52.62-$72.18/hr
+ 48 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

3.0/ 10
Listing-based score
  • Includes weekends

Living in Monterey

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$1.24M
Typical market rent
$2,714/mo
Residents’ average commute
19 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
109.0
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Salinas, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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