New Grad PT Jobs in RI & Massachusetts
$80k-100k
Student loan assistance until they are paid off
Highbar Physical Therapy is hiring new DPT graduates across 25+ clinics in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. Gradual caseload ramp. Structured mentorship. Student loan repayment. No day-one sink-or-swim.
✓ $15k+ CE in year 1–2
✓ 2 hours of paid mentorship each week
✓ Student loan repayment
✓ Ortho Residency Program
HEAR IT FROM THEM
PTs who started where you are.
Dr. Osmar Freire, DPT
New Grad → Senior PT, Providence
“I went from terrified to confident in about 60 days. My mentor was a board-certified OCS who gave me feedback after every eval. I've never learned so much so fast.”
★★★★★
Dr. Jack Dixon, DPT
New Grad → Clinical Specialist, Attleboro
“The loan repayment assistance was the deciding factor for me. Between that and the starting salary, I'm actually making real progress on my debt — which I didn't think was possible in year one.”
★★★★★
Dr. Sydney Fournier, DPT
New Grad → Residency Track, Boston
“I looked at five different PT groups before I signed here. Highbar was the only one that could actually tell me what my first 90 days would look like. That specificity is why I trusted them.”
★★★★★
Glassdoor: 5.0 stars • 10 reviews
NOW HIRING — NEW GRAD DPT ROLES
Open positions. Apply in 2 minutes.
At Highbar Physical Therapy, new grads actually get set up to succeed
Locations Across RI & Massachusetts
Find the right location to start your career
Highbar Physical Therapy has 50+ clinics in Rhode Island, Southeastern, Central, and Boston Massachusetts. Find the one that works for you.
NO FLUFF. JUST THE TRUTH.
We know what you're worried about.
Three things scare every new grad PT. Here's how Highbar handles each one — specifically.
THE CASELOAD
You won't be handed a full schedule on day one.
Month one, you start with an experienced clinician. Typically 6–8 patients per day — not 40. We build gradually. Full ramp by month 3. “Gradual” isn’t a buzzword here — it’s how we actually schedule it.
MENTORSHIP
Two paid hours of 1:1 mentorship. Every week.
Not “come find me if you have questions” — an experienced clinician is specifically assigned to you. That time is scheduled and protected. Your mentor debriefs cases with you, challenges your clinical reasoning, and stays with you through your full first year and beyond.
LOAN ASSISTANCE
Highbar contributes directly to your loans until they're gone.
Not a one-time signing bonus that disappears after year one. Ongoing contributions until they’re paid off. We know what $150k in debt feels like when you’re trying to build a career. We decided to actually do something about it.
COMPENSATION & DEVELOPMENT
The full picture. No fine print.
$80k–$100k starting salary
6-month review, not 12. Uncapped performance bonus.
$15,000+ CE in first 2 years
Dry Needling, Core-4, Ortho Residency — all funded.
Orthopedic Residency Program
Get board-certified while earning your full salary.
Comprehensive benefits
Medical, dental, vision, 401k, PTO, wellness.
H-Shares equity program
Own a piece of what you're building.
Home-buying assistance
Support for PTs putting down roots in New England.
Specialty pathways
Pelvic Health, Sports, Neuro, Concussion, Vestibular, Pediatrics.
AI-assisted documentation
Spend time with patients, not paperwork.
Clear career trajectory
New Grad → Specialist → Director → Leadership.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Your first 90 days, mapped out.
No guessing. No sink-or-swim. Here's exactly how we ramp new grads.
week 1
Orientation & Culture
Meet your team, shadow experienced PTs, learn the EMR, and get grounded in the Highbar way — before you see a single patient independently.
WEEKS 3–4
Supervised Treatment
Treat your first patients with a mentor nearby. Real-time feedback on eval structure, clinical reasoning, and communication.
MONTH 2
Graduated Independence
Start managing your own caseload with weekly 1:1 mentorship check-ins. You’re building confidence and consistency — not just volume.
MONTH 3+
Full Ramp & Specialty Exploration
Operating at full capacity with ongoing mentorship. Start exploring a clinical specialty track — sports, ortho, neuro, vestibular, pelvic health, and more.
FOR NEW GRAD DPTs
Everything you need to know about starting your PT career right.
Salary benchmarks, job offer red flags, interview questions that reveal the truth. The stuff DPT programs do not always cover.
New Grad PT Salary: What to Actually Expect in 2026
| Setting | Salary Range | What to Know |
|---|---|---|
| Outpatient Ortho (New England) | $78,000 - $92,000 | Strong mentorship practices at the higher end |
| Hospital / Acute Care | $78,000 - $90,000 | Good benefits; high volume caseloads are common |
| Home Health | $80,000 - $100,000 | Higher pay, fewer benefits, more isolation |
| SNF / Skilled Nursing | $75,000 - $88,000 | Watch for productivity pressure models |
| Travel PT | $90,000 - $120,000+ | No PTO, no stability, no mentorship |
| Highbar PT (RI & MA) | $80,000 - $90,000 | + student loan repayment + $15k CE + equity |
Your New Grad PT Job Checklist:
8 Things That Actually Matter
A defined raise schedule
Ask: Is there a documented pathway to $90k+? A 6-month review beats a 12-month review every time. No pathway = no promise.
Structured mentorship on the clock
Not come find me if you have questions. Two paid hours per week with an assigned mentor, scheduled and protected, not optional.
Real CE reimbursement
Look for $2,000+ per year minimum. Dry Needling, manual therapy, and residency programs add five-figure value over your first 2 years.
Student loan assistance
Still rare in PT but it is happening. Ongoing contributions - not a one-time signing bonus - can be worth $15,000 to $50,000 over your first 5 years.
A gradual caseload ramp
You should not be at 14 patients per day in month one. A structured ramp from 6 to full caseload over 90 days protects your development and prevents early burnout.
Admin support that actually exists
Ask how long PTs typically stay after their last patient. Dedicated billing and front desk teams mean you go home when your day ends, not 2 hours later.
A specialty pathway
Ortho, pelvic health, sports, neuro, vestibular - make sure there is a track that fits your interests. Board cert while employed is a major career differentiator.
Low turnover at the clinic
High turnover is the loudest signal a clinic can send. Ask about average PT tenure. If most people leave after 18 months, the problem is the clinic, not the clinicians.
5 Interview Questions That Reveal the Truth About Any PT Job
Ask these directly. The answers or evasions tell you more than any job description will.
Ask Us a QuestionWhat does your documentation setup look like?
If PTs are routinely finishing notes at 7pm, that is not a documentation issue – that is a caseload and culture issue. Well-run clinics have PTs out the door with notes done.
What is the average caseload in month one?
Any clinic that cannot give you a specific number – or says you will ramp as fast as you are comfortable without a real structure – is setting you up to sink or swim.
Who handles prior authorizations?
If the answer is the treating PT, that is hours of your week gone to insurance wrangling. A dedicated billing and auth team is worth more than a $2k base salary difference.
Can you show me your career advancement document?
Every clinic says they have growth opportunities. The ones that mean it can hand you a career ladder with defined milestones. Vague answers are your answer.
What is the average PT tenure here?
High turnover is the single loudest signal a clinic can send. If most PTs leave after 12 to 18 months, the problem is the clinic, not the clinicians.
PT Salary Guide: What DPTs Really Earn in 2026
A full breakdown of physical therapist compensation by setting, specialty, state, and experience - so you can evaluate any offer with real numbers in hand.
Why Admin Support Makes or Breaks a PT Job
Documentation burden is the number one driver of PT burnout. Here is what strong administrative support actually looks like and the questions that reveal whether a clinic really has it.
Highbar Glassdoor Reviews: 5.0 Stars
See what DPTs who started at Highbar as new grads say about mentorship, caseload, loan repayment, and what their first year actually looked like.
READY TO SEE WHAT IS POSSIBLE?
Talk to a real person in 1 business day.
No recruiter scripts. David or Michelle will reach out directly for an honest conversation about whether Highbar is the right fit.
Not ready to apply yet?
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Questions? Email directly: dpavao@highbarhealth.com