Therapy recruiting · Chicago, IL
Chicago physical therapy, OT and SLP recruiters
APT Recruiting fills PT, OT, SLP and audiology roles for hospitals, skilled nursing, home health, outpatient clinics and schools across the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI area. Below is the current federal picture of the local therapy workforce, the same numbers we use when we take a search here.
Therapy workforce
Who practices in the Chicago metro today
9,430
Physical therapists
+ 1,706 PTAs
4,649
Occupational therapists
+ 882 OTAs
7,472
Speech-language pathologists
645
Audiologists
Over the last 12 months the registry added 401 physical therapists, 211 occupational therapists, 355 speech-language pathologists and 24 audiologists with a practice address in the Chicago metro, plus 98 PTAs and OTAs. Newly enumerated providers are mostly new graduates and clinicians relocating in, which is the pool every open seat in the Chicago metro is competing for.
Source: NPPES monthly file, October 2026 (CMS, public domain). Scope: Illinois side of the Chicago metro area.
Pay
What therapists earn in the Chicago metro
| Role | Employed | Mean annual wage | Median | National mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical therapists | 7,880 | $110,460 | $105,720 | $105,280 |
| Physical therapist assistants | 3,520 | $67,180 | $72,230 | $68,730 |
| Occupational therapists | 5,960 | $101,400 | $99,860 | $101,280 |
| Occupational therapy assistants | 1,710 | $68,150 | $67,840 | $70,710 |
| Speech-language pathologists | 7,150 | $95,200 | $98,490 | $98,170 |
| Audiologists | 230 | $101,120 | $100,930 | $97,740 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025 estimates, metropolitan area. Suppressed cells show n/a.
Metro figures cover the whole Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI statistical area. See Illinois statewide pay →
Facilities
325 Medicare-certified nursing homes and 460 home health agencies in the Chicago metro.
Nursing homes
325 facilities with 50,523 certified beds. Average overall CMS star rating 2.8 of 5. 85.5% are for-profit. Every one of them bills therapy minutes, and every one of them is hiring PTs, OTs and SLPs in the same market you are.
Home health agencies
460 agencies, average quality-of-care star rating 3.1 of 5. 100% offer physical therapy, 98.8% occupational therapy and 96.5% speech therapy, so most are staffing at least one therapy discipline and many all three.
Source: CMS Provider Data Catalog (nursing homes 4pq5-n9py, home health 6jpm-sxkc), pulled 2026-10-15.
Tell us about the openingFor employers
Hiring in Chicago? Physical therapy, OT and SLP recruiting, run by a clinician.
Engagement model
Contingency recruiting. There is no fee unless a successful placement is made.
Speed to first candidates
Clients typically receive the first vetted candidates within one to two weeks of providing the recruiting brief and search requirements.
Guarantee
Every direct-hire placement carries a 90-day replacement guarantee. If the candidate resigns or is terminated for cause during the first ninety calendar days of employment, APT Recruiting immediately begins a one-time search for a replacement in the same position, at no additional charge.
Questions hiring managers and directors of rehab ask us
How does a therapy search with APT Recruiting work in Chicago?+
It starts with a short call to take the brief: the discipline, the setting, the caseload and productivity expectations, the schedule and the pay range. Because APT is run by a licensed speech-language pathologist, the screen covers clinical fit, not just a license check. We then work the Chicago market for PTs, OTs, SLPs or audiologists who match, confirm interest, and send you candidates who have already said yes to a conversation about your organization. Clients typically receive the first vetted candidates within one to two weeks of providing the recruiting brief and search requirements.
Do you work on contingency or retained?+
Contingency recruiting. There is no fee unless a successful placement is made.
What does it cost to hire through a therapy recruiter?+
Agreed in writing before you see a candidate's details. Every direct-hire placement carries a 90-day replacement guarantee. If the candidate resigns or is terminated for cause during the first ninety calendar days of employment, APT Recruiting immediately begins a one-time search for a replacement in the same position, at no additional charge.
Which roles and settings do you cover?+
Physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists and audiologists, including PTAs, COTAs and SLPAs, plus directors of rehab and other therapy leadership. Settings in Chicago include hospitals and acute rehab, skilled nursing, home health, outpatient clinics, schools and pediatrics, and telehealth. We also recruit nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
Or email molly@aptrecruiting.com. Molly reads every brief herself.
Reviewed by a licensed SLP
Molly Salinas, M.S., CCC-SLP
The Chicago, IL figures on this page are drawn from public federal sources and reviewed by Molly, a licensed speech-language pathologist who has worked across healthcare settings and founded APT Recruiting. She has recruited therapists for 3 years and works from Austin, Texas. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.
Licensure compacts are set at the state level. See Illinois's PT, OT and ASLP compact status →
Hiring in Chicago?
Tell us the discipline, the setting and the pay range. We will give you an honest read on the local market before the search starts.