Yes, new grads can travel. Here's the honest guide — preparation, finances, and landing your first contract.
The short answer is yes — thousands do every year. Settings like SNFs and outpatient clinics regularly accept new grads. The key is honest self-assessment of clinical readiness and choosing supportive facilities for your first contracts.
The traditional "get 1-2 years first" advice came from a different staffing era. Today's shortages mean more facilities welcome well-prepared new grads, and many agencies have new grad programs.
Dramatically higher pay than permanent positions
Accelerated student loan repayment
Exposure to multiple clinical settings
Rapid clinical adaptability
Explore the country while earning well
No long-term commitment — try different settings
Less mentorship than residency programs
Steeper learning curve every 13 weeks
May feel clinically isolated
Tax and financial complexity
Some facilities have unrealistic productivity expectations
Social adjustment with constant moving
The permanent figure is the median annual wage for all physical therapists, every experience level, in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics; it is not a new-grad figure. The travel figure is the median weekly gross package across the 357 travel PT contracts in our feed, pay data as of 2026-10-01; it includes non-taxable stipends meant for the cost of working away from home. As an illustration only, $2,340 × 48 working weeks = $112,320 a year gross. Neither figure is after tax: run the pay calculator on your own numbers. See our detailed payoff strategies.
Highest volume of new-grad-friendly positions. Structured caseloads and documentation.
Some clinics welcome new grads. Look for supportive team environments.
Autonomous but challenging. Some companies train new therapists.
Most hospitals want experienced travelers. Consider after 6-12 months.
Real pay ranges vs permanent positions. How to maximize your first-year earnings.
See Pay Data →Week-by-week guide to your first 13-week assignment. What to expect and how to thrive.
Read the Guide →Around week eight the facility asks if you want to stay. What it is worth, what it costs, and how to decide.
Read the Guide →From board exam to first assignment — the complete timeline by discipline.
View Timeline →Which clinical settings are most accessible and supportive for new grads?
Compare Settings →Common errors new grad travelers make — and how to avoid every one.
See the List →Essential items for your first assignment. What to bring and what to skip.
See the List →How to get clinical guidance without a formal residency program.
Get Strategies →From graduation to your first contract — exam, license, agency, and signing, step by step.
View the Timeline →Yes. Many agencies place new graduates, especially in SNFs and outpatient settings — you can browse current travel therapy openings to see what's available.
Pay is set contract by contract, by state, setting and facility; our feed does not record experience level, so we cannot say by how much. Compare current median weekly pay by discipline and state in the Travel Therapy Pay Index.
It can speed up repayment; how much depends on your pay, costs and balance. See our student loan guide.
Take our interactive Readiness Checklist — 15 items covering licensure, clinical skills, finances, and personal preparation.
Connect with a travel therapy agency that places new graduate travelers.