Please note: This page has been updated to allow for the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data gathered in May 2020 and released in March 2021.
The average physical therapist assistant salary is $59,440 per annum – according to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics Salary data (May 2020). In this report, we break down the average PTA salary in detail.
Explore Contents:
- Average Salary
- Hourly Income
- PTA Salary by State
- Top Paying Metro Areas
- Physical Therapist and Physical Therapy
- PTA Salary Comparisons
Average Physical Therapy Assistant Salary
| Average salary 2020/2021 | $59,440 |
| Average hourly wage | $ 28.58 |
| Top 10% of Earners | $82,470 |
| Bottom 10% of Earners | $33,840 |
| Highest Paying State: California | $70,570 |
| Bottom Paying State: South Dakota | $42,810 |
According to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics Salary data (May 2020), physical therapist assistants earn an average salary of $59,440 per annum – up slightly from $58,520 in May 2019. . The highest-paid physical therapist assistants earn average salaries of $82,470 whilst the average salary for an entry-level physical therapist assistant is $33,840.
Salary Range
- The average range across all States: From a low of $42,810 in South Dakota to a high of $70,570 in California. This represents a variance of over $28,000 in earnings, even taking into consideration cost of living adjustments.
- Average range across Metro Areas: From a low of $37,660 in Ogden, UT to a high of $81,510 in Houston, Texas.
- The highest earners overall in the industry are those in the Houston metro area of Texas where the top 10% of PTA’s working there earn an average salary of $140,220 – 2.5 times the national average.
Salary Growth
Average physical therapy assistant salaries have grown by just under 5% between 2016 and 2020 – equivalent to an extra $2,590 per annum. See the graph below.
How much does a PTA make an hour?
According to the most recent BLS Studies (May 2020), physical therapist assistants in the US make an average of $28.58 per hour.
The top 10% of earners in the profession receive an average hourly wage of $39.65 whilst those in the lower 10% earn just $16.27 per hour.
Physical therapist assistants working in child daycare facilities earned the highest hourly wage across all industries at $32.81 per hour.
Physical Therapy Assistant Salary by State
Top paying States for Physical Therapy Assistants
The table below illustrates the States in which Physical Therapist Assistants earn the most – taking into consideration cost of living adjustments for each State.
| State | Salary | # Employed |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $69,480 | 1,420 |
| Texas | $68,680 | 7,550 |
| California | $66,150 | 5,750 |
| Connecticut | $65,510 | 630 |
| Rhode Island | $65,480 | 390 |
How much do Physical Therapist Assistants make in your area? Browse through the map below to view detailed salary and employment data by State for 2019/2020.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington DC
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
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Top paying Metro Areas for Physical Therapy Assistants
The table below shows the top 10 local metro and non-metro areas in the USA in which Physical Therapist Assistants earn the most – taking into consideration cost of living adjustments for each area.
As is evident from the data metro areas in Texas dominate the list.
| Metro Area | Average Salary | Hourly Wage | # Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $78,530 | $37.75 | 1,470 |
| Victoria, TX | $78,070 | $37.53 | 70 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA | $75,470 | $36.28 | 400 |
| Laredo, TX | $74,470 | $35.80 | 120 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $74,220 | $35.68 | 80 |
| Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $73,940 | $35.55 | 200 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $72,920 | $35.06 | 250 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $72,600 | $34.90 | 590 |
| Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $72,480 | $34.84 | 140 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV | $71,650 | $34.45 | 320 |
Physical Therapist Salary and Physical Therapist Aides Salary
How much do Physical Therapy Assistants make by comparison to a Physical Therapist or a Physical Therapist Aide?
Many schools allow for the continuation of study to become a fully qualified Physical Therapist – so how much more could you earn if you should pursue this path now or in the future? Additionally working as a Physical Therapist Aide could be a good path towards a career as a Physical Therapist Assistant if you do not have the resources or desire to attend an accredited school. But how will your earnings be impacted?
| Career | Average Salary | #’s Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Therapist Assistant | $ 59,770 | 92,740 |
| Physical Therapist | $ 91,680 | 220,870 |
| Physical Therapist Aide | $ 28,450 | 45,790 |
Average PTA’s salary compared with similar careers
How much do PTA’s make compared with other careers?
Healthcare Support Careers
Does a physical therapist assistant make good money compared to similar healthcare support roles?
In the diagram below we compare salary levels for PTA’s with salaries for similar careers in the healthcare support industry. As is quite visible PTA’s enjoy much higher entry level and overall salary growth than most other comparative careers.
All Occupations
As illustrated on the graph below the average PTA salary since 2015 has remained steadily above the average salary for all occupations as a whole as well as the average salary for all other healthcare support roles and health technician roles.
Frequently asked questions
Are Physical Therapy Assistants in high demand?
Yes, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the employment of PTA’s will grow by a massive 30% between 2016 and 2024.
There are currently approximately 96,840 persons employed as Physical Therapist Assistants in the USA. This represents an almost 100% increase in employment since 2000 and over 19% growth since 2015.
Much of the growth in demand for Physical therapy assistants come from both an aging population and efforts by the Government and health services to become more efficient. More Physical Therapist Assistants to carry out the recommendations and prescribed treatments of a Physiotherapist will result in easier access to care and cost savings across the board.
As all the evidence suggests, a career as a Physical Therapist Assistant offers a great opportunity both in terms of employment growth and salary.
What was the average PTA Salary in 2017?
According to data collected by the BLS in 2017, it was reported that the average PTA salary was $57,620 – up slightly from $56,850 in 2016.