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Entry Level Chronic Pain Jobs (NOW HIRING)

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Entry Level Chronic Pain information

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$25K

$47.8K

$68.5K

How much do entry level chronic pain jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for entry level chronic pain in the United States is $47,831.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $40,500.00 and $52,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Entry Level Chronic Pain and Entry Level Physical Therapist?

AspectEntry Level Chronic PainEntry Level Physical Therapist
Required CredentialsHigh school diploma or associate's; certification may be preferredBachelor's degree; Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) required; licensure needed
Work EnvironmentClinics, hospitals, pain management centersRehabilitation centers, hospitals, outpatient clinics
Industry UsageHealthcare, pain managementHealthcare, rehabilitation, sports medicine
Common Search/ComparisonYesYes

Entry Level Chronic Pain roles typically involve assisting in pain management under supervision, focusing on patient support and basic clinical tasks. Entry Level Physical Therapists have more advanced training, providing direct patient care, developing treatment plans, and performing therapy sessions. While both roles work within healthcare settings, physical therapists require higher credentials and have broader responsibilities.

What cities are hiring for Entry Level Chronic Pain jobs? Cities with the most Entry Level Chronic Pain job openings:
What job categories do people searching Entry Level Chronic Pain jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Entry Level Chronic Pain jobs are:
Infographic showing various Entry Level Chronic Pain job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 25% Full Time, and 75% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $47,831 per year, or $23 per hour.

Physical Therapist (Chronic Pain Clinical Specialist)

SD Department of Veterans Affairs

Tacoma, WA โ€ข On-site

$120K/yr

Other

Posted 7 days ago


Job description

The primary function of this position is direct patient care in conjunction with the Pain Service Program at the American Lake Division, with 25% or greater time specifically dedicated to the specialty area. This individual is responsible for completing complex evaluations, conducting specialized interventions and treatments, and interpreting specialized procedures, theories, and outcomes in the specialty area to a vast array of functional impairments.Qualifications:Basic Requirements:
  • United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
  • English Language Proficiency. Individuals appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA must be proficient in written and spoken English. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
  • Education and experience. The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below:
  1. Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.
  2. Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.
  3. Doctorate degree in physical therapy.
  • NOTE: Individuals must be a graduate of a Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) accredited college or university. The CAPTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to accredit entry-level physical therapy programs. Verification of accredited programs may be obtained from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) at www.apta.org.
  • Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign physical therapy programs meet the requirements in subparagraph 3b if they have a full unrestricted and current license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. The Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT) is a non- 3 profit organization created to assist the United States (U.S.) Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly INS) and U.S. state licensing authorities by evaluating the credentials of Foreign Educated Physical Therapists (FEPTs) who wish to immigrate and work in the U.S. Although the licensing of physical therapists in the U.S. is a right and responsibility of each jurisdiction, foreign educated individuals must undergo an educational credentials assessment for substantial equivalency to the first professional degree in the US. The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) is committed to protect the public and to provide leadership within the field and practice of physical therapy. FSBPT's Foreign Educated Standards Committee has developed standards that represent "best practices" in evaluation services. The Credentials Evaluation Standards were developed with input from the physical therapy credentialing agencies that are licensed to use FSBPT's Coursework Tool.
  • Licensure. Individuals hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
  • NOTE. Individuals who have or have had multiple licenses and had any such license revoked for professional misconduct, professional incompetency or substandard care, or who surrendered such license after receiving written notice of potential termination of such license by the state for professional misconduct, professional incompetence, or substandard care, are not eligible for appointment to the position unless such revoked or surrendered license is fully restored (38 U.S.C 7402(f)). Effective November 30, 1999, this is a requirement for employment. This requirement does not apply to licensed physical therapists on VA rolls as of November 30, 1999, provided the individual maintains a continuous appointment and is not disqualified for employment by any subsequent revocations or voluntary surrenders of State license, registration or certification.
Grade Determinations:
GS- 13 Physical Therapist (Chronic Pain Clinical Specialist)
Experience
. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level and one of the following:
  1. Evidence of a minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice directly in the specialty area. This time must be between the past two and five years; or
  2. Board Certification in the specialty area recognized by the ABPTS; or
  3. Completion of a fellowship program; or
  4. An additional advanced degree in a related field.
In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).
  1. Advanced knowledge and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in a specialized treatment area of physical therapy.
  2. Ability to serve as a consultant and subject matter expert for health care providers regarding the delivery of care within a specialized content area of physical therapy (Chronic Pain).
  3. Ability to teach and mentor medical center staff in a specialized content area of physical therapy.
  4. Ability to guide the work of a multi-disciplinary team in a specialized content area of physical therapy.
  5. Advanced knowledge and expert skill to perform and interpret specialized procedures and tests in evaluating the treatment outcomes in the assigned specialty content area (Chronic Pain).
Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety. Clinical Specialists spend at least 25% or greater of their time working with specialized population(s) within their department. Physical therapists at this level perform assignments in specialty areas such as geriatrics, neurology, cardiopulmonary, orthopedics, spinal cord injury, amputee, wound care, chronic pain, electromyography, women's health or pelvic health, polytrauma, brain injury, lymphedema, vestibular, assistive technology, seating and mobility. The individual is assigned responsibility for serving as the subject matter expert in the content specialty area and as a consultant to physical therapy and other medical center staff in evaluating and treating patients in the specialty area. Clinical Specialists have advanced knowledge and demonstrate expert clinical practice skills in providing assessment and treatment interventions across the continuum of care. He/she utilizes advanced knowledge and expertise to modify treatment plans and to identify therapeutic activity interventions based on the changing needs, goals and performance of patients. Clinical Specialists have advanced training in specialized technology related to their area of practice. He/she establishes and maintains contact with other health care providers involved in patient care via written, telephone, and personal communication on a regular basis. He/she exercises expert professional judgment to establish appropriate discharge planning recommendations to ensure safe discharge from inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation programs. If the medical center has a PT residency program, the clinical specialist may be on faculty for the program.
Preferred Experience: TPS certification preferred.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.
Physical Requirements: There are no physical requirements for this occupation per OCHCO Communications email to VA Handbook 5019, updated on 4/17/2026.Education:Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.Employment Type: OTHER