Pay Rates in Private Practice Pelvic Health Physiotherapy: A Discussion
By the team at Pelvic Physio Mentor
What Should Pelvic Health Physiotherapists Be Earning in Private Practice?
By the team at Pelvic Physio Mentor
If you've ever felt awkward discussing your pay rate or (as a clinic owner) stressed about whether your offer is competitive - you're not alone. This is hands-down one of the most common conversations we have with both pelvic health physios and clinic owners. And honestly? It's complicated. There's no universal formula, and what works in one clinic might not work in another. But that doesn't mean we can't shed some light on what's happening out there.
Here’s our take on some common things to consider in a pay negotiation with or as a pelvic health physio!
Start With The Legal Basics: Know Your Award
Before we talk about anything else, let's get this straight: When employing Physiotherapists in your clinic you must meet the minimum pay rates and conditions set out under the relevant award. For us in Victoria, this is the Health Professionals and Support Services Award.
If you employ physios and don't meet these requirements as a minimum, you're operating illegally. Full stop.
This means:
Understanding where your employee sits on the award based on their qualification, years post-graduation and current experience and pay them a base salary accordingly
You review this annually (pro-rata timeframe for part-time staff) and move people up a pay point where required
You must not only meet minimum pay rates but also offer all entitlements: 4 weeks annual leave, 10 days personal/carer's leave, superannuation (currently 11.5%), and other protections (These allowances are pro-rata for part time)
The award isn't your ceiling - it's your floor. You can definitely pay your practitioners a base salary that exceeds the award, but it's non-negotiable that you meet the standards set out.
I can hear you asking ‘What about contractor arrangements’?
Let's address the elephant in the room: contractor-only or commission-only setups don't really work in most private practice physio settings any more. Recent ATO crackdowns on sham contracting have sped this along significantly.
If your physiotherapist (or you) works regular shifts, follows clinic procedures, uses clinic equipment, and sees patients booked by the clinic, they're almost certainly an employee - even if you call them a contractor.
Employment agreements are the way forward. They ensure everyone gets a fair deal and expectations are crystal clear from the start.
A Common Model: Base Salary + Performance Bonus
From our experience, a common pay structure in private practice at present combines a base salary with a performance-based bonus or incentive.
(In practice this often looks like a base salary paid at or above award plus a commission or bonus amount paid if the agreed % of revenue exceeds the base amount. The bonus is essentially the amount that by which the agreed % of revenue exceeds the base salary. There may be other eligibilty factors required to trigger a bonus payment such as KPI targets)
Here's why this can work well for both parties:
For The Practitioner:
Your base salary covers all award entitlements, and you're secure in your pay regardless of clinic load. You're protected while building your caseload or during quieter periods. No worries about whether you can pay rent if you have a slow week.
For The Clinic:
You have a practitioner available at set hours to do work for the clinic. You can schedule them with confidence, knowing they're committed to being there. Yes, you're paying 4 weeks annual leave and 10 days sick leave (pro-rata), but that's part of running a business.
On the other hand, an employee can't take off for 6 months of the year, every other year (unless you agree to this) and leave the clinic unable to service the patient load, coping with huge dips in revenue and strain on costs.
The Opportunity For High Performers:
Here's where it gets exciting for hard-working, busy clinicians who have a bonus structure and manage a good caseload: your earning ceiling will surpass both your base as well as comparable hospital or community health salaries significantly.
We're seeing percentage-based revenue commissions ranging between 38-45% in private practice. This creates a real motivator for driven staff - what you put in, you get out. It's a win-win: clinics reward high performers, and practitioners are compensated for their productivity and excellence.
Important details to clarify:
When negotiating or setting up a base + bonus structure, make sure you're clear on these details:
Leave and Bonus Calculations:
What happens when you/your employee take annual leave - does the time not earning revenue dilute the bonus for the period?
Or, is leave (including Public Holidays) paid separately to protect earnings (an additional employee benefit)?
Get this in clear. It makes a huge difference to your actual take-home pay.
The Pelvic Health Premium:
If you're working in pelvic health, remember that consultation fees are often higher than those for general physiotherapy. If you're on a percentage commission, your earnings will reflect this. This accounts for the extra study required to gain skills in this unique area and reflects the often high demand for these services.
A Common Pain Point: The Pay Negotiation Standoff
The premium rates and unique service offering that a pelvic health physio may bring to a clinic can make pelvic health physios a desirable addition for many clinic owners.
However, we often hear this pain point expressed by business owners: "I want to hire a pelvic physio, but they're asking to be paid too highly."
Let's unpack this from both perspectives, because both sides have valid points.
To Business Owners:
Ask yourself: Why do you want a pelvic health physiotherapist?
Usually, it's to add a new service and bring in more revenue. That's smart business. But consider:
How will you support them if you aren't pelvic health-trained yourself?
What is the cost of bringing in this service actually worth to you in revenue terms?
If you're expecting them to build a unique service from scratch, is that sustainable?
What can you offer them in return? Mentoring? Training budget? Clinical supervision? Marketing support?
If you want someone to build something new for your business, you need to invest in making that possible. A pelvic health physio who can establish a thriving service will generate significant revenue.
To Physiotherapists:
If you're asking for high pay and getting knock back, prove that you're worth it.
Can you:
Build and maintain a full caseload?
Retain patients effectively?
Work efficiently with your time?
Generate consistent patient satisfaction?
Contribute positively to the practice culture?
Work hard, bring the numbers in, and then you can demonstrate you're worth the higher rate. Come to the negotiating table with evidence: retention rates, patient feedback, efficiency metrics, revenue generation, contribution to the team. Negotiate from a position of strength backed by data.
And if you're new to pelvic health? Be honest about that. Starting slightly lower with a clear progression plan is reasonable - just make sure there's a pathway to increase your pay as you build your competence and caseload.
The market reality: What are people actually earning?
We know there are many factors that influence take home pay and that all markets differ therefore take home pay can wildly vary!
However, we thought it would be valuable to give a ball park, as so many people ask us for this! Of course there will be variations and outliers from the below!
From our observations and conversations across the industry, here's a really generalised picture of what a private practice pelvic health physio might be paid:
Commission-Based Structures:
Base wage (meeting or exceeding award rates + super)
Plus 40-45% commission on revenue generated
Typically paid monthly or quarterly
Take home Salary Equivalents (Approximate for FULL TIME clinician 38hrs/wk):
Entry-level pelvic health: $85-95K + super
Experienced practitioners (postgraduate qualifications, 2-3+ years in pelvic health): $100-120K + super
Senior practitioners (extensive experience, proven high performance): $120-150K plus + super
What Influences Your Market Rate?
Not everyone earns the same, and that's appropriate. Here's what legitimately affects where you sit in the pay range:
1. Private Practice Experience
Private practice requires different skills than hospital or community health: managing patient expectations, documentation efficiency, building your own caseload, time management without institutional support, and navigating the business side of healthcare. If you're coming from the public sector, you might start slightly lower while you develop these skills, but you should progress quickly once you demonstrate competence.
2. Training and Qualifications
A weekend course demonstrates interest. A postgraduate certificate shows commitment. A Masters degree represents 2+ years of comprehensive training and significant investment -and commands higher rates.
3. Years of Specific Pelvic Health Experience
Experience in pelvic health specifically (not just general physio) carries premium value. Two years in orthopaedics doesn't directly translate to pelvic health expertise. Can you manage complex pelvic cases independently? That's what employers are paying for.
4. Proven Revenue Generation
Ultimately, in a private setting, how much revenue you can generate dictates what a clinic can sustainably pay you. Can you build and maintain a full caseload? Do patients return? Are you clinically efficient? These metrics directly impact your value to a practice.
Making it work: A two-way street
Fair pay requires fair contribution from both sides.
Practitioners: Know Your Obligations
Building and maintaining a strong caseload
Providing excellent patient care and outcomes
Being clinically efficient with your time
Retaining patients through quality service
Contributing positively to practice culture
Continuing professional development
Clinic Owners: Structure Compensation Fairly
Meet or exceed award requirements (legally required)
Create clear progression pathways
Reward performance meaningfully
Support professional development
Be transparent about how bonuses are calculated
Honour leave entitlements without resentment
Final Thoughts
The private practice compensation landscape is evolving, and transparency benefits everyone. We're moving away from murky contractor arrangements toward clear employee agreements with fair base pay and performance incentives. No doubt this will change again soon, and perhaps significantly, with entire Award reviews underway in certain professions including physiotherapy.
For practitioners: understand both your worth AND your obligations. Build your value, document your performance, and negotiate confidently.
For clinic owners: invest in your staff through fair compensation and support, and they'll build your practice.
The market is sophisticated enough now to recognise that this is about mutual benefit. When both parties understand the numbers, the expectations, and the value being created, everyone wins.
What's your experience with pay structures in private practice? We'd love to hear what's working (and what isn't) in your clinic or role.
Want to understand more about building a successful pelvic health career - including how to negotiate compensation confidently? Our mentoring program covers clinical skills AND business acumen.