ProTherapy Staffing
What decides where you can work
The first limit on choice is where you may legally practice. In FSBPT's words: “Each licensing authority has its own eligibility criteria for licensure and for taking the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE).” (FSBPT, Exam Candidates)
A PT Compact privilege widens the map without a new license. In the PT Compact Commission's words: “A compact privilege is the authorization to practice in a compact member state other than your home state. It is the legal equivalent to a state-issued license.” And: “Additionally, for those who are eligible, the ability to obtain a compact privilege is much quicker than obtaining a license through the state licensing board.” (Commission help article) It does not cover your own state: “You cannot permanently practice in your home state (permanent residence) through a compact privilege.” (Commission help article) If you cannot use a privilege: “If you are not eligible for a compact privilege, you can still practice in another state by applying for licensure by endorsement/reciprocity through that state's licensing board.” (Commission help article)
As of September 30, 2026, 38 states (including DC) issue PT Compact privileges, according to the PT Compact Commission; the other 13 need a full license from the state board. The PT Compact guide covers member states and fees, PT license by endorsement covers the other states, and the License Lookup checks a home state against a destination.
Before you rely on a privilege, the Commission adds: “Compact privilege seekers should speak with employers to confirm requirements before relying on a compact privilege for paid services.”
How openings reach you
Which openings an agency shows you, how many at once, and whether you can turn one down without penalty are set by each agency's own process. Each facility decides whether to accept a given candidate for its opening; an agency submits you, it does not place you unilaterally.
So the practical answer to “do I get to choose?” is a question for each agency. Ask, in writing:
- How many openings it shows you at once.
- Whether you can decline an opening.
- Whether declining has any consequence.
- Whether it asks you before it submits you to a facility.
At ProTherapy Staffing
You choose which contracts to pursue; we never place you anywhere without your yes.
Choosing a setting
You can ask for a setting; what you are offered depends on the openings in that setting and on the facility accepting you. We found no public source that reports the share of travel PT contracts by setting, so this page gives none. Current openings are on the travel PT jobs list, and our settings comparison compares the settings themselves.
For context on the whole PT workforce, permanent and travel together, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports: “Physical therapists held about 283,700 jobs in 2025.” It lists some of the largest employers of physical therapists:
| Employer (BLS, 2025) | Share of PT jobs |
|---|---|
| Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists | 36% |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 26% |
| Home healthcare services | 11% |
| Nursing and residential care facilities | 6% |
| Self-employed workers | 4% |
These shares describe where physical therapists work overall; they are not the mix of travel contracts. (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook)
Location, pay and stipends
Pay differs by state and setting, so the place you want and the best-paying offer can differ. Federal per diem rates also differ by place. In GSA's words: “A standard rate applies to most of CONUS. Individual rates apply to about 300 non-standard areas.” (GSA per diem rates)
Pay by state is on our Pay Index and salary map; how stipends are treated for tax is in our travel therapy tax guide.
Staying somewhere you like
An extension keeps you in one place, but IRS Publication 463 sets a limit on what counts as temporary: “Generally, a temporary assignment in a single location is one that is realistically expected to last (and does in fact last) for 1 year or less.” (IRS Publication 463) An assignment in one place that is expected to last longer than that is not temporary under the publication; talk to a tax professional before you extend past it. Our guide to travel PT contracts covers length and extensions.
Working near home
A contract close to home is possible, but it is not a travel contract for tax purposes. In the words of IRS Publication 463: “Generally, your tax home is your regular place of business or post of duty, regardless of where you maintain your family home. It includes the entire city or general area in which your business or work is located.” Our comparison of local and travel contracts and the Tax Home Checker go further.
Frequently asked questions
Do travel PTs get to choose where they go?
Within limits. You can work only where you hold a license or a compact privilege; in FSBPT's words: “Each licensing authority has its own eligibility criteria for licensure and for taking the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE).” Beyond that, which openings an agency shows you, how many at once, and whether you can turn one down without penalty are set by each agency's own process. Each facility decides whether to accept a given candidate for its opening; an agency submits you, it does not place you unilaterally.
Do agencies just send you wherever they need someone?
Each facility decides whether to accept a given candidate for its opening; an agency submits you, it does not place you unilaterally. Which openings an agency shows you, how many at once, and whether you can turn one down without penalty are set by each agency's own process. Ask each agency, in writing, how many openings it shows you at once, whether you can decline an opening, whether declining has any consequence and whether it asks you before it submits you to a facility.
Can I choose outpatient travel jobs instead of SNF?
You can ask for a setting; what you are offered depends on the openings in that setting. Each facility decides whether to accept a given candidate for its opening; an agency submits you, it does not place you unilaterally. We found no public source that reports the share of travel PT contracts by setting.
Can I do a travel contract in my own city?
In the words of IRS Publication 463: “Generally, your tax home is your regular place of business or post of duty, regardless of where you maintain your family home. It includes the entire city or general area in which your business or work is located.” A contract in the area where you already live and work is not away from that tax home, and the IRS travel-expense rules apply to work away from it.
More: the Tax Home Checker.
Can I stay in one city for more than a year?
In the words of IRS Publication 463: “Generally, a temporary assignment in a single location is one that is realistically expected to last (and does in fact last) for 1 year or less.” An assignment in one place that is expected to last longer than that is not temporary under the publication; talk to a tax professional before you extend past it.
Does the location change my stipend?
Pay differs by state and setting, so the place you want and the best-paying offer can differ. Federal per diem rates also differ by place. In GSA's words: “A standard rate applies to most of CONUS. Individual rates apply to about 300 non-standard areas.”
Do I need a license for every state I choose?
Yes: a license or a compact privilege for each state where you treat patients. In the PT Compact Commission's words: “A compact privilege is the authorization to practice in a compact member state other than your home state. It is the legal equivalent to a state-issued license.” And: “If you are not eligible for a compact privilege, you can still practice in another state by applying for licensure by endorsement/reciprocity through that state's licensing board.” As of September 30, 2026, 38 states (including DC) issue PT Compact privileges, according to the PT Compact Commission; the other 13 need a full license from the state board.
More: the PT Compact guide and PT license by endorsement.
Sources
- FSBPT, Exam Candidates (NPTE) (read 2026-10-01).
- PT Compact Commission help center: What is a Compact Privilege?, Who is eligible to purchase a compact privilege? and What else should I consider before purchasing a compact privilege? (read 2026-10-01); the Commission's compact map (read 2026-09-30).
- IRS, Publication 463 (2025), Travel, Gift, and Car Expenses: tax home and temporary assignments (read 2026-10-01).
- GSA, Per diem rates (read 2026-10-01).
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Physical Therapists: employment and largest employers, 2025 (read 2026-10-01, re-read in a browser 2026-10-02).