Graduating as a physical, occupational, or speech therapist is an exciting milestone, but stepping into your first job can feel overwhelming. With so many career paths available, how do you choose the right one? If you’re looking for a rewarding, high-paying, and adventure-filled way to kick-start your career, travel therapy might be the perfect fit.
Travel therapy allows new grads to gain valuable experience, explore new locations, and earn competitive pay, all while maintaining the flexibility to shape their careers the way they want. Here are the top five reasons why new grads should consider a travel therapy career.
1. Accelerated Professional Growth
As a travel therapist, you’ll gain hands-on experience in a variety of settings, which accelerates your clinical and professional growth. Rather than spending years in a single facility, you’ll work with diverse patient populations every 13 weeks. How you approach treatments and the teams you work with it will all change over multiple assignments. This exposure helps you build confidence, adaptability, and problem-solving skills far beyond what a single job could offer.
Many new grads worry about mentorship and professional development when starting their careers. The good news is that travel therapy doesn’t mean you’re on your own. Most travel positions are in facilities with experienced clinicians who can guide and support you. Additionally, Ventura MedStaff offers the Career Support Program, designed specifically to help therapy new grads navigate their first assignment with confidence!
If you’re looking for a way to fast-track your expertise while building a well-rounded skill set, travel therapy is an excellent option.
2. Competitive Pay and Benefits (Goodbye, Student Loans!)
One of the biggest concerns for new grads is financial stability, especially with student loan debt looming. Travel therapy offers significantly higher pay than permanent positions, allowing you to earn a competitive salary right out of school. Many travel therapists can make more than their counterparts in traditional settings, depending on location, demand, and specialty.
This is because travel therapists often receive tax-free stipends for housing, meals, and incidentals, which can increase their take home pay. Some travel staffing agencies also provide benefits like health insurance, 401(k) options, and reimbursement for licensure fees.
For those looking to tackle student loan debt aggressively, travel therapy can be a game-changer. The extra income allows you to make larger loan payments, potentially cutting years off your repayment timeline. Many new grads use travel therapy as a way to build financial stability early on, giving them more freedom in their long-term careers.
3. Unmatched Flexibility and Freedom
Most full-time jobs require a long-term commitment, which can feel daunting when you’re just starting out. Travel therapy offers unmatched flexibility, allowing you to work on your terms. With typical contracts lasting 8-13 weeks, you can choose assignments that align with your lifestyle.
Want to take a break between contracts? No problem. Need to be near family for a few months? You can target assignments in that area. Travel therapy careers let you maintain control over your schedule, giving you the freedom to explore different settings and locations without being locked into a long-term commitment.
This flexibility is especially valuable for new grads who are still figuring out what type of work environment suits them best. Whether you thrive in a fast-paced hospital, a supportive outpatient clinic, or a skilled nursing facility, you have the chance to explore various settings before settling into a permanent role — if you even choose to at all!
4. Incredible Networking Opportunities
One of the most underrated benefits of travel therapy is the opportunity to build a vast professional network early in your career. Each assignment introduces you to new colleagues, supervisors, and mentors who can provide guidance, career advice, and potential job opportunities down the road.
By working in multiple facilities, you gain exposure to different leadership styles, treatment methodologies, and workplace cultures. This experience not only helps you determine your ideal work environment but also makes you a more attractive candidate for future job opportunities.
5. Adventures Around the Country
Beyond professional growth and financial benefits, travel therapy offers an unbeatable lifestyle. If you’ve ever dreamed of living in different parts of the country, hiking in the Pacific Northwest, experiencing city life in New York, or soaking up the sun in California, travel therapy makes it possible.
Each assignment is a chance to explore a new destination while getting paid to do what you love. Whether you enjoy outdoor adventures, food and culture, or meeting new people, travel therapy lets you experience it all. Plus, you can take contracts in bucket-list locations, allowing you to see and do things you might never have had the opportunity to otherwise.
For new grads with a sense of adventure, travel therapy provides the perfect blend of professional growth and personal fulfillment. We even have therapists who find a new part of the country they love and choose to settle down there when they are done with being a traveler.
Travel with Ventura MedStaff
Starting your career as a travel therapist can be one of the best decisions you make. With accelerated professional growth, competitive pay to tackle student loans, unmatched flexibility, valuable networking opportunities, and the chance to travel the country, it’s an opportunity that offers far more than a traditional job.
Are you ready to start your adventure? Connect with a trusted recruiter and take the first step toward your travel therapy career today!
