Mid-Level

Kinesiotherapist

You teach physical education at the K-12 level. As a K-12 Physical Education Teacher, you're adapting activities for different ages, promoting fitness, and helping students develop lifelong movement habits.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
S
I
R
C
E
A
Socialhelping, teaching
Investigativeanalytical, curious
Based on Holland Code framework
Job markets for Kinesiotherapists
Employment concentration · ~400 areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
What it's like

What it's like to be a Kinesiotherapist

Kinesiotherapists provide exercise-based rehabilitation—using therapeutic exercise, functional movement training, and physical conditioning to help patients recover from injury, disease, or disability. The profession is distinct from physical therapy with a specific focus on therapeutic exercise as the primary modality.

The distinction from physical therapy matters professionally. Kinesiotherapy tends to be practiced more in Veterans Affairs healthcare settings, cardiac rehabilitation, and some government health programs. Understanding where kinesiotherapy is practiced and recognized—and how it complements or differs from PT practice—is important career context.

People who tend to thrive are physically oriented and genuinely interested in exercise science and human movement as therapeutic tools. If you find the application of exercise physiology to clinical populations engaging, and want a rehabilitation career that stays close to the mechanics of physical conditioning, kinesiotherapy tends to offer a meaningful clinical path, particularly within VA and government health settings where the profession has strongest recognition.

RelationshipsHigh
AchievementAbove avg
IndependenceAbove avg
RecognitionAbove avg
Working ConditionsAbove avg
SupportModerate
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns
Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Kinesiotherapists (SOC 29-1123.00, 29-1128.00), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Exploring the Kinesiotherapist career path? Truest helps you figure out if it's the right fit — and plan your path forward.
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✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$41K–$133K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
257K
U.S. Employment
+10.2%
10yr Growth
15K
Annual Openings

How this category is changing

$74K$71K$68K$65K$62K201920202021202220232024$62K$74K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

Active ListeningSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationCritical ThinkingSpeakingActive ListeningInstructingSpeakingReading ComprehensionCritical Thinking
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
29-1123.0029-1128.00

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.