31 Series · SOC 31-2022

Physical Therapist Aides Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$35,240
Median / year
$47,780
Top 10% earn
+2.8%
Growth '23–'33
48,150
US workers

Physical Therapist Aides earn a median of $35,240 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $35,240, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $25,360 (10th percentile) to $47,780 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 48,150 US workers. Alaska pays the most ($55,760), since pay varies by state and metro area.

31 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Physical Therapist Aides earn a median of $35,240, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 3% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Support, it ranks #17 of 17 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 2.8% by 2033.

$35,240
Median annual wage
Top 97%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#17 of 17
in Healthcare Support
1.9×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Alaska at $55,760. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Physical Therapist Aides (SOC 31-2022) pays a national median of $35,240 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $25,360 at the 10th percentile to $47,780 at the 90th, with a mean of $36,430 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 48,150 Americans work in this occupation across 50 reporting states and 229 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +2.8% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 6,600 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and short-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.6 per 100,000 and injury rate of 5.5 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Alaska pays the highest state median at $55,760, which is +58% above the national figure. The top metro is Abilene, TX at $49,790 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 48,150 jobs Median $35,240/yr

Median Salary

$35,240

per year

Median Hourly

$16.94/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$36,430

average

Employment

48,150

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Physical Therapist Aides pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$35,240 Bottom 3% higher than 3% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 31-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Physical Therapist Aides; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 17 31-series occupations with growth data, Physical Therapist Aides sits on the slower-growing side at +2.8% growth and $35,240 median pay.

Among 17 31-series occupations with growth data, Physical Therapist Aides sits on the slower-growing side at +2.8% growth and $35,240 median pay. Scatter plot of 17 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 -10%0%10%20%30% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 17 31-series occupations with growth data, Physical Therapist Aides sits on the slower-growing side at +2.8% growth and $35,240 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+2.8%

Slower than average

Annual Openings

6,600

per year (projected)

Typical Education

High school diploma or equivalent

On-the-Job Training

Short-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
B

Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

0.6/100K

Injury Rate

5.5/100

Danger Index

22.3/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Physical Therapist Aides roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Active Listening 3.6
Monitoring 3.3
Service Orientation 3.3
Reading Comprehension 3.1
Social Perceptiveness 3.1
Coordination 3.1
Writing 3.0
Speaking 3.0
Critical Thinking 3.0
Active Learning 3.0

Knowledge Areas

Customer and Personal Service 4.5
English Language 4.0
Computers and Electronics 3.5
Therapy and Counseling 3.3
Psychology 3.0
Public Safety and Security 2.9
Administrative 2.8
Education and Training 2.6
Telecommunications 2.4
Administration and Management 2.4

Key Tasks

  • Clean and organize work area and disinfect equipment after treatment.
  • Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.
  • Instruct, motivate, safeguard, or assist patients practicing exercises or functional activities, under direction of medical staff.
  • Confer with physical therapy staff or others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, or coordinating treatment.
  • Observe patients during treatment to compile and evaluate data on patients' responses and progress and report to physical therapist.
  • Change linens, such as bed sheets and pillow cases.
  • Administer active or passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, or heat, light, sound, water, or electrical modality treatments, such as ultrasound.
  • Record treatment given and equipment used.
  • Transport patients to and from treatment areas, using wheelchairs or providing standing support.
  • Measure patient's range-of-joint motion, body parts, or vital signs to determine effects of treatments or for patient evaluations.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$25,360$30,410$35,240$38,810$47,780
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$12.19$14.62$16.94$18.66$22.97
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$25,360

25th Percentile

$30,410

Median

$35,240

75th Percentile

$38,810

90th Percentile

$47,780

Salary by State

View all 50 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Alaska $55,760 +58% above national
2 Minnesota $42,330 +20% above national
3 Colorado $41,970 +19% above national
4 New Hampshire $40,460 +15% above national
5 Maine $39,660 +13% above national
6 Washington $39,500 +12% above national
7 District of Columbia $38,950 +11% above national
8 Montana $38,950 +11% above national
9 California $38,330 +9% above national
10 North Dakota $37,680 +7% above national
11 Massachusetts $37,440 +6% above national
12 Ohio $37,220 +6% above national
13 Wisconsin $36,820 +4% above national
14 Illinois $36,650 +4% above national
15 Oregon $36,060 +2% above national
16 Connecticut $35,770 +2% above national
17 Pennsylvania $35,520 +1% above national
18 Kentucky $35,490 +1% above national
19 New York $35,380 same as national
20 Arizona $35,260 same as national
21 Florida $35,140 same as national
22 Indiana $35,100 same as national
23 West Virginia $34,840 1% below national
24 Maryland $34,780 1% below national
25 North Carolina $34,760 1% below national
26 New Jersey $34,430 2% below national
27 Delaware $34,060 3% below national
28 Hawaii $33,810 4% below national
29 Virginia $33,390 5% below national
30 South Carolina $33,280 6% below national
31 New Mexico $31,990 9% below national
32 Nevada $31,970 9% below national
33 Texas $31,590 10% below national
34 South Dakota $31,330 11% below national
35 Rhode Island $31,200 11% below national
36 Georgia $30,550 13% below national
37 Wyoming $30,470 14% below national
38 Tennessee $30,320 14% below national
39 Arkansas $29,450 16% below national
40 Michigan $29,350 17% below national
41 Missouri $29,250 17% below national
42 Utah $29,150 17% below national
43 Iowa $29,120 17% below national
44 Idaho $28,660 19% below national
45 Nebraska $28,080 20% below national
46 Oklahoma $27,630 22% below national
47 Mississippi $27,370 22% below national
48 Alabama $27,290 23% below national
49 Kansas $25,280 28% below national
50 Louisiana $22,460 36% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 229 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Abilene, TX $49,790 +41% above national
2 Arizona nonmetropolitan area $49,590 +41% above national
3 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $46,460 +32% above national
4 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $44,440 +26% above national
5 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $43,300 +23% above national
6 Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $42,560 +21% above national
7 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $42,520 +21% above national
8 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $42,230 +20% above national
9 Manchester-Nashua, NH $40,460 +15% above national
10 Fresno, CA $40,350 +15% above national
11 Toledo, OH $40,160 +14% above national
12 Columbus, OH $39,990 +13% above national
13 Madison, WI $39,420 +12% above national
14 Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $39,220 +11% above national
15 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $39,210 +11% above national
16 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $38,980 +11% above national
17 Anchorage, AK $38,930 +10% above national
18 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $38,810 +10% above national
19 Salinas, CA $38,810 +10% above national
20 Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area $38,800 +10% above national
21 Pittsburgh, PA $38,740 +10% above national
22 Worcester, MA $38,710 +10% above national
23 Western Washington nonmetropolitan area $38,550 +9% above national
24 Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area $38,550 +9% above national
25 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $38,440 +9% above national
26 Chico, CA $38,230 +8% above national
27 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $38,050 +8% above national
28 Cleveland, OH $38,030 +8% above national
29 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $37,850 +7% above national
30 Portland-South Portland, ME $37,720 +7% above national
31 Visalia, CA $37,700 +7% above national
32 Fargo, ND-MN $37,680 +7% above national
33 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $37,630 +7% above national
34 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $37,620 +7% above national
35 Winston-Salem, NC $37,610 +7% above national
36 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $37,580 +7% above national
37 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $37,440 +6% above national
38 Boulder, CO $37,440 +6% above national
39 North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area $37,320 +6% above national
40 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $37,280 +6% above national
41 Vallejo, CA $37,270 +6% above national
42 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $37,250 +6% above national
43 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $37,130 +5% above national
44 Midland, TX $37,020 +5% above national
45 Gainesville, FL $36,830 +5% above national
46 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $36,790 +4% above national
47 Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area $36,770 +4% above national
48 Akron, OH $36,750 +4% above national
49 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $36,730 +4% above national
50 Modesto, CA $36,640 +4% above national
51 Tucson, AZ $36,550 +4% above national
52 Stockton-Lodi, CA $36,380 +3% above national
53 Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $36,370 +3% above national
54 Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area $36,320 +3% above national
55 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $36,240 +3% above national
56 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $36,230 +3% above national
57 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $36,200 +3% above national
58 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $36,190 +3% above national
59 Jacksonville, FL $36,110 +2% above national
60 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $36,080 +2% above national
61 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $36,070 +2% above national
62 West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $36,060 +2% above national
63 Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area $35,960 +2% above national
64 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $35,920 +2% above national
65 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $35,880 +2% above national
66 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $35,870 +2% above national
67 Merced, CA $35,870 +2% above national
68 New Haven, CT $35,830 +2% above national
69 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $35,780 +2% above national
70 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $35,770 +2% above national
71 South Georgia nonmetropolitan area $35,770 +2% above national
72 Columbia, SC $35,740 +1% above national
73 Bend, OR $35,730 +1% above national
74 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $35,570 +1% above national
75 Lexington-Fayette, KY $35,490 +1% above national
76 Salem, OR $35,430 +1% above national
77 Asheville, NC $35,420 +1% above national
78 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $35,410 same as national
79 Raleigh-Cary, NC $35,370 same as national
80 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $35,320 same as national
81 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $35,220 same as national
82 Rochester, NY $35,200 same as national
83 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $35,180 same as national
84 Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area $35,090 same as national
85 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $35,010 1% below national
86 Redding, CA $35,010 1% below national
87 Medford, OR $34,870 1% below national
88 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $34,790 1% below national
89 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $34,780 1% below national
90 Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area $34,770 1% below national
91 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $34,760 1% below national
92 Springfield, MO $34,720 1% below national
93 Springfield, MA $34,700 2% below national
94 Kenosha, WI $34,650 2% below national
95 Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area $34,580 2% below national
96 Greensboro-High Point, NC $34,530 2% below national
97 Port St. Lucie, FL $34,320 3% below national
98 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $34,280 3% below national
99 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $34,270 3% below national
100 Corvallis, OR $34,230 3% below national
101 Fayetteville, NC $34,200 3% below national
102 Eugene-Springfield, OR $34,160 3% below national
103 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $34,110 3% below national
104 Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area $34,070 3% below national
105 Dover, DE $33,920 4% below national
106 Richmond, VA $33,860 4% below national
107 Charlottesville, VA $33,850 4% below national
108 Urban Honolulu, HI $33,810 4% below national
109 Ann Arbor, MI $33,790 4% below national
110 Sussex Delaware nonmetropolitan area $33,700 4% below national
111 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $33,600 5% below national
112 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $33,580 5% below national
113 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $33,570 5% below national
114 Idaho Falls, ID $33,280 6% below national
115 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $33,180 6% below national
116 Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area $33,130 6% below national
117 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $33,060 6% below national
118 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $32,780 7% below national
119 Texarkana, TX-AR $32,770 7% below national
120 Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area $32,590 8% below national
121 Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $32,320 8% below national
122 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $32,240 9% below national
123 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $32,240 9% below national
124 Syracuse, NY $32,240 9% below national
125 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $32,220 9% below national
126 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $32,130 9% below national
127 Tallahassee, FL $32,050 9% below national
128 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $31,980 9% below national
129 Tuscaloosa, AL $31,900 9% below national
130 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $31,840 10% below national
131 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $31,730 10% below national
132 Colorado Springs, CO $31,520 11% below national
133 Wilmington, NC $31,510 11% below national
134 Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area $31,260 11% below national
135 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $31,200 11% below national
136 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $31,200 11% below national
137 Omaha, NE-IA $31,000 12% below national
138 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $30,900 12% below national
139 Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area $30,780 13% below national
140 Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $30,720 13% below national
141 Cheyenne, WY $30,700 13% below national
142 Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $30,620 13% below national
143 Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $30,620 13% below national
144 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $30,590 13% below national
145 Reno, NV $30,560 13% below national
146 Rome, GA $30,480 14% below national
147 Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $30,440 14% below national
148 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $30,370 14% below national
149 Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area $30,320 14% below national
150 Knoxville, TN $30,200 14% below national
151 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $30,040 15% below national
152 Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area $29,980 15% below national
153 Killeen-Temple, TX $29,970 15% below national
154 Fort Wayne, IN $29,930 15% below national
155 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $29,910 15% below national
156 Las Cruces, NM $29,800 15% below national
157 Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $29,790 15% below national
158 Casper, WY $29,730 16% below national
159 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $29,730 16% below national
160 Waco, TX $29,660 16% below national
161 Coeur d'Alene, ID $29,430 16% below national
162 Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area $29,260 17% below national
163 St. Louis, MO-IL $29,250 17% below national
164 St. George, UT $29,240 17% below national
165 Columbia, MO $29,130 17% below national
166 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $29,120 17% below national
167 Evansville, IN $29,120 17% below national
168 Wasatch Front Fringe Utah nonmetropolitan area $29,110 17% below national
169 Corpus Christi, TX $29,080 17% below national
170 Jackson, MS $28,980 18% below national
171 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $28,850 18% below national
172 Logan, UT-ID $28,730 18% below national
173 Wichita Falls, TX $28,690 19% below national
174 Chattanooga, TN-GA $28,610 19% below national
175 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $28,570 19% below national
176 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $28,520 19% below national
177 Pocatello, ID $28,520 19% below national
178 Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area $28,450 19% below national
179 Boise City, ID $28,430 19% below national
180 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $28,410 19% below national
181 North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $28,320 20% below national
182 North Georgia nonmetropolitan area $28,230 20% below national
183 Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area $28,210 20% below national
184 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $28,200 20% below national
185 Kansas nonmetropolitan area $28,090 20% below national
186 Lincoln, NE $28,080 20% below national
187 South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area $28,080 20% below national
188 Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area $28,060 20% below national
189 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $27,920 21% below national
190 Ogden, UT $27,920 21% below national
191 Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area $27,900 21% below national
192 Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $27,900 21% below national
193 Tulsa, OK $27,870 21% below national
194 North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area $27,800 21% below national
195 Iowa City, IA $27,700 21% below national
196 Lubbock, TX $27,620 22% below national
197 High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area $27,480 22% below national
198 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $27,370 22% below national
199 Traverse City, MI $27,370 22% below national
200 Savannah, GA $27,220 23% below national
201 Flint, MI $27,100 23% below national
202 Amarillo, TX $26,930 24% below national
203 Odessa, TX $26,870 24% below national
204 Montgomery, AL $26,800 24% below national
205 Twin Falls, ID $26,740 24% below national
206 Birmingham, AL $26,530 25% below national
207 Huntsville, AL $26,440 25% below national
208 Oklahoma City, OK $26,430 25% below national
209 College Station-Bryan, TX $26,420 25% below national
210 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $26,410 25% below national
211 Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area $25,930 26% below national
212 Mobile, AL $25,690 27% below national
213 Dothan, AL $25,360 28% below national
214 El Paso, TX $25,300 28% below national
215 Kansas City, MO-KS $25,280 28% below national
216 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $24,590 30% below national
217 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $23,750 33% below national
218 Wichita, KS $23,120 34% below national
219 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $23,040 35% below national
220 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $23,010 35% below national
221 Laredo, TX $22,790 35% below national
222 Monroe, LA $22,170 37% below national
223 Lafayette, LA $22,150 37% below national
224 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $22,120 37% below national
225 Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area $22,070 37% below national
226 Baton Rouge, LA $21,910 38% below national
227 Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area $21,050 40% below national
228 Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area $20,540 42% below national
229 Johnson City, TN $20,140 43% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 31 (healthcare support) with comparable pay and career paths.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Physical Therapist Aides make?
The median annual salary for Physical Therapist Aides is $35,240 ($16.94/hour). The salary range spans from $25,360 at the 10th percentile to $47,780 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Physical Therapist Aides the most?
Alaska pays the highest median salary for Physical Therapist Aides at $55,760/year, which is +58% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Physical Therapist Aides?
The typical entry-level education for Physical Therapist Aides is High school diploma or equivalent. On-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is being a Physical Therapist Aides?
Physical Therapist Aides has a safety grade of B (Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.6 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 5.5 per 100 workers.
Is Physical Therapist Aides a good career?
Employment for Physical Therapist Aides is projected to grow 2.8% from 2024 to 2034, which is slower than average. About 6,600 openings are projected each year.
How does Physical Therapist Aides pay vary by state?
Physical Therapist Aides salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Alaska at $55,760/year, while Oklahoma pays the least at $27,630/year. BLS data covers 50 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Physical Therapist Aides?
The highest-paying metro area for Physical Therapist Aides is Abilene, TX at $49,790/year. BLS reports wage data for 229 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Physical Therapist Aides pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $38,810/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Alaska leads at $55,760/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.