31 Series · SOC 31-2021
Physical Therapist Assistants Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $68,380
- Median / year
- $89,510
- Top 10% earn
- +22%
- Growth '23–'33
- 112,430
- US workers
Physical Therapist Assistants earn a median of $68,380 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $68,380, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $47,750 (10th percentile) to $89,510 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 112,430 US workers. California pays the most ($83,110), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Physical Therapist Assistants earn a median of $68,380, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 60% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Support, it ranks #2 of 17 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 22% by 2033.
- $68,380
- Median annual wage
- Top 40%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #2 of 17
- in Healthcare Support
- 1.9×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: California at $83,110. Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree.
Physical Therapist Assistants (SOC 31-2021) pays a national median of $68,380 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $47,750 at the 10th percentile to $89,510 at the 90th, with a mean of $68,730 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 112,430 Americans work in this occupation across 52 reporting states and 474 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +22% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as much faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 19,800 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Associate's degree. 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. California pays the highest state median at $83,110, which is +22% above the national figure. The top metro is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $97,190 - 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 112,430 jobs Median $68,380/yr
Median Salary
$68,380
per year
Median Hourly
$32.88/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$68,730
average
Employment
112,430
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Physical Therapist Assistants pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$68,380 Top 40% higher than 60% of 825 US occupations
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 Assistants; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 17 31-series occupations with growth data, Physical Therapist Assistants sits on the faster-growing side at +22% growth and $68,380 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+22%
Much faster than average
Annual Openings
19,800
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Associate's degree
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 Assistants roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Active Listening 4.0
Speaking 3.8
Monitoring 3.8
Social Perceptiveness 3.8
Reading Comprehension 3.3
Writing 3.3
Critical Thinking 3.3
Active Learning 3.3
Service Orientation 3.3
Coordination 3.1
Knowledge Areas
Customer and Personal Service 4.5
Therapy and Counseling 4.2
English Language 4.2
Education and Training 3.9
Psychology 3.6
Medicine and Dentistry 3.5
Computers and Electronics 3.4
Biology 3.4
Administrative 3.0
Public Safety and Security 2.9
Key Tasks
- ▸ Instruct, motivate, safeguard, and assist patients as they practice exercises or functional activities.
- ▸ Document patient information, such as notes on their progress.
- ▸ Observe patients during treatments to compile and evaluate data on their responses and progress and provide results to physical therapist in person or through progress notes.
- ▸ Instruct patients in proper body mechanics and in ways to improve functional mobility, such as aquatic exercise.
- ▸ Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.
- ▸ Confer with physical therapy staff or others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, or coordinating treatment.
- ▸ Administer active or passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, aquatic physical therapy, or heat, light, sound, or electrical modality treatments, such as ultrasound.
- ▸ Transport patients to and from treatment areas, lifting and transferring them according to positioning requirements.
- ▸ Clean work area and check and store equipment after treatment.
- ▸ Communicate with or instruct caregivers or family members on patient therapeutic activities or treatment plans.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$47,750
25th Percentile
$59,820
Median
$68,380
75th Percentile
$78,680
90th Percentile
$89,510
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 52 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $83,110 | +22% above national |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $79,460 | +16% above national |
| 3 | New Jersey | $78,440 | +15% above national |
| 4 | Texas | $78,000 | +14% above national |
| 5 | Maryland | $77,670 | +14% above national |
| 6 | Alaska | $77,640 | +14% above national |
| 7 | Connecticut | $75,880 | +11% above national |
| 8 | Nevada | $75,520 | +10% above national |
| 9 | Delaware | $74,610 | +9% above national |
| 10 | Virginia | $73,760 | +8% above national |
| 11 | Oregon | $73,180 | +7% above national |
| 12 | Georgia | $72,800 | +6% above national |
| 13 | Florida | $72,530 | +6% above national |
| 14 | Vermont | $71,600 | +5% above national |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $71,440 | +4% above national |
| 16 | South Carolina | $70,500 | +3% above national |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $68,640 | same as national |
| 18 | North Carolina | $67,540 | 1% below national |
| 19 | Hawaii | $67,510 | 1% below national |
| 20 | Minnesota | $66,770 | 2% below national |
| 21 | Washington | $66,450 | 3% below national |
| 22 | Maine | $66,250 | 3% below national |
| 23 | Louisiana | $65,370 | 4% below national |
| 24 | Indiana | $65,280 | 5% below national |
| 25 | Illinois | $65,240 | 5% below national |
| 26 | Colorado | $64,810 | 5% below national |
| 27 | Arizona | $64,650 | 5% below national |
| 28 | Arkansas | $64,520 | 6% below national |
| 29 | Kansas | $64,500 | 6% below national |
| 30 | New York | $64,100 | 6% below national |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $64,080 | 6% below national |
| 32 | Ohio | $63,820 | 7% below national |
| 33 | Missouri | $63,770 | 7% below national |
| 34 | Wyoming | $63,550 | 7% below national |
| 35 | North Dakota | $63,520 | 7% below national |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $63,400 | 7% below national |
| 37 | Montana | $62,650 | 8% below national |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $62,580 | 8% below national |
| 39 | Tennessee | $62,500 | 9% below national |
| 40 | New Mexico | $62,280 | 9% below national |
| 41 | Utah | $61,980 | 9% below national |
| 42 | Mississippi | $61,770 | 10% below national |
| 43 | Michigan | $61,670 | 10% below national |
| 44 | Kentucky | $61,480 | 10% below national |
| 45 | Alabama | $61,430 | 10% below national |
| 46 | Nebraska | $61,370 | 10% below national |
| 47 | Iowa | $61,030 | 11% below national |
| 48 | Idaho | $61,020 | 11% below national |
| 49 | West Virginia | $60,430 | 12% below national |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $59,480 | 13% below national |
| 51 | South Dakota | $49,310 | 28% below national |
| 52 | Puerto Rico | $29,710 | 57% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 474 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $97,190 | +42% above national |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95,920 | +40% above national |
| 3 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $91,230 | +33% above national |
| 4 | Spartanburg, SC | $88,070 | +29% above national |
| 5 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $87,330 | +28% above national |
| 6 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $87,300 | +28% above national |
| 7 | Vallejo, CA | $86,630 | +27% above national |
| 8 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $85,150 | +25% above national |
| 9 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $84,930 | +24% above national |
| 10 | Salinas, CA | $84,850 | +24% above national |
| 11 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $84,290 | +23% above national |
| 12 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $84,100 | +23% above national |
| 13 | Modesto, CA | $83,450 | +22% above national |
| 14 | Midland, TX | $82,620 | +21% above national |
| 15 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $82,160 | +20% above national |
| 16 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82,140 | +20% above national |
| 17 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $81,310 | +19% above national |
| 18 | North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $80,440 | +18% above national |
| 19 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $80,430 | +18% above national |
| 20 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $80,370 | +18% above national |
| 21 | Sussex Delaware nonmetropolitan area | $80,240 | +17% above national |
| 22 | Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $80,180 | +17% above national |
| 23 | Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $79,970 | +17% above national |
| 24 | Barnstable Town, MA | $79,790 | +17% above national |
| 25 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $79,590 | +16% above national |
| 26 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $79,480 | +16% above national |
| 27 | Visalia, CA | $79,440 | +16% above national |
| 28 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $79,250 | +16% above national |
| 29 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $79,210 | +16% above national |
| 30 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $78,990 | +16% above national |
| 31 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $78,960 | +15% above national |
| 32 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $78,810 | +15% above national |
| 33 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $78,790 | +15% above national |
| 34 | Wichita Falls, TX | $78,310 | +15% above national |
| 35 | San Angelo, TX | $78,200 | +14% above national |
| 36 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $77,830 | +14% above national |
| 37 | Redding, CA | $77,740 | +14% above national |
| 38 | Anchorage, AK | $77,570 | +13% above national |
| 39 | Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $77,480 | +13% above national |
| 40 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $77,280 | +13% above national |
| 41 | Reno, NV | $77,200 | +13% above national |
| 42 | Fresno, CA | $77,000 | +13% above national |
| 43 | Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $76,950 | +13% above national |
| 44 | Worcester, MA | $76,900 | +12% above national |
| 45 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $76,830 | +12% above national |
| 46 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $76,690 | +12% above national |
| 47 | Longview, TX | $76,680 | +12% above national |
| 48 | Connecticut nonmetropolitan area | $76,630 | +12% above national |
| 49 | Chico, CA | $76,580 | +12% above national |
| 50 | Lexington Park, MD | $76,530 | +12% above national |
| 51 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $76,380 | +12% above national |
| 52 | Medford, OR | $76,340 | +12% above national |
| 53 | Waco, TX | $76,340 | +12% above national |
| 54 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $76,190 | +11% above national |
| 55 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $76,140 | +11% above national |
| 56 | New Haven, CT | $76,140 | +11% above national |
| 57 | Abilene, TX | $76,090 | +11% above national |
| 58 | Burlington, NC | $76,010 | +11% above national |
| 59 | Florence, SC | $75,920 | +11% above national |
| 60 | Wilmington, NC | $75,820 | +11% above national |
| 61 | Sherman-Denison, TX | $75,800 | +11% above national |
| 62 | Tyler, TX | $75,670 | +11% above national |
| 63 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $75,620 | +11% above national |
| 64 | Dover, DE | $75,580 | +11% above national |
| 65 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $75,570 | +11% above national |
| 66 | Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $75,530 | +10% above national |
| 67 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $75,520 | +10% above national |
| 68 | Lynchburg, VA | $75,420 | +10% above national |
| 69 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $75,420 | +10% above national |
| 70 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $75,410 | +10% above national |
| 71 | Salisbury, MD | $75,370 | +10% above national |
| 72 | East Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $75,110 | +10% above national |
| 73 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $74,980 | +10% above national |
| 74 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $74,730 | +9% above national |
| 75 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $74,690 | +9% above national |
| 76 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $74,660 | +9% above national |
| 77 | South Florida nonmetropolitan area | $74,630 | +9% above national |
| 78 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $74,510 | +9% above national |
| 79 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $74,250 | +9% above national |
| 80 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $74,140 | +8% above national |
| 81 | Yakima, WA | $74,100 | +8% above national |
| 82 | Charlottesville, VA | $74,010 | +8% above national |
| 83 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $73,980 | +8% above national |
| 84 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $73,970 | +8% above national |
| 85 | Springfield, MA | $73,930 | +8% above national |
| 86 | Corpus Christi, TX | $73,920 | +8% above national |
| 87 | Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $73,800 | +8% above national |
| 88 | Flagstaff, AZ | $73,710 | +8% above national |
| 89 | Richmond, VA | $73,640 | +8% above national |
| 90 | Rochester, MN | $73,580 | +8% above national |
| 91 | Yuba City, CA | $73,580 | +8% above national |
| 92 | Winchester, VA-WV | $73,570 | +8% above national |
| 93 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $73,560 | +8% above national |
| 94 | Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $73,520 | +8% above national |
| 95 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $73,440 | +7% above national |
| 96 | Sebring, FL | $73,410 | +7% above national |
| 97 | Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $73,410 | +7% above national |
| 98 | Victoria, TX | $73,310 | +7% above national |
| 99 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $73,300 | +7% above national |
| 100 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $73,100 | +7% above national |
| 101 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $73,020 | +7% above national |
| 102 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $73,000 | +7% above national |
| 103 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $72,980 | +7% above national |
| 104 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $72,800 | +6% above national |
| 105 | Amarillo, TX | $72,750 | +6% above national |
| 106 | Lubbock, TX | $72,740 | +6% above national |
| 107 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $72,740 | +6% above national |
| 108 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $72,600 | +6% above national |
| 109 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $72,530 | +6% above national |
| 110 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $72,520 | +6% above national |
| 111 | Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $72,500 | +6% above national |
| 112 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $72,230 | +6% above national |
| 113 | Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $72,220 | +6% above national |
| 114 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $72,150 | +6% above national |
| 115 | Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $72,110 | +5% above national |
| 116 | Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $72,080 | +5% above national |
| 117 | Rome, GA | $71,680 | +5% above national |
| 118 | Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $71,560 | +5% above national |
| 119 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $71,540 | +5% above national |
| 120 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $71,540 | +5% above national |
| 121 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $71,440 | +4% above national |
| 122 | El Paso, TX | $71,140 | +4% above national |
| 123 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $71,110 | +4% above national |
| 124 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $71,100 | +4% above national |
| 125 | Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $71,010 | +4% above national |
| 126 | North Florida nonmetropolitan area | $70,960 | +4% above national |
| 127 | Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $70,950 | +4% above national |
| 128 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $70,720 | +3% above national |
| 129 | Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $70,590 | +3% above national |
| 130 | Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $70,480 | +3% above national |
| 131 | Odessa, TX | $70,470 | +3% above national |
| 132 | Santa Fe, NM | $70,200 | +3% above national |
| 133 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $70,170 | +3% above national |
| 134 | Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $70,160 | +3% above national |
| 135 | Pittsfield, MA | $70,140 | +3% above national |
| 136 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $70,030 | +2% above national |
| 137 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $69,900 | +2% above national |
| 138 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $69,790 | +2% above national |
| 139 | Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $69,680 | +2% above national |
| 140 | Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $69,670 | +2% above national |
| 141 | Reading, PA | $69,530 | +2% above national |
| 142 | Columbus, OH | $69,480 | +2% above national |
| 143 | South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $69,460 | +2% above national |
| 144 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $69,380 | +1% above national |
| 145 | Goldsboro, NC | $69,150 | +1% above national |
| 146 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $69,140 | +1% above national |
| 147 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $69,050 | +1% above national |
| 148 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $68,700 | same as national |
| 149 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $68,520 | same as national |
| 150 | Valdosta, GA | $68,470 | same as national |
| 151 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $68,330 | same as national |
| 152 | Gainesville, FL | $68,230 | same as national |
| 153 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $68,230 | same as national |
| 154 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $68,190 | same as national |
| 155 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $68,070 | same as national |
| 156 | Homosassa Springs, FL | $68,030 | 1% below national |
| 157 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $67,890 | 1% below national |
| 158 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $67,720 | 1% below national |
| 159 | East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $67,670 | 1% below national |
| 160 | Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $67,530 | 1% below national |
| 161 | Jacksonville, FL | $67,460 | 1% below national |
| 162 | Chambersburg, PA | $67,190 | 2% below national |
| 163 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $67,140 | 2% below national |
| 164 | Roanoke, VA | $67,140 | 2% below national |
| 165 | Salem, OR | $67,090 | 2% below national |
| 166 | Punta Gorda, FL | $66,820 | 2% below national |
| 167 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $66,810 | 2% below national |
| 168 | Terre Haute, IN | $66,760 | 2% below national |
| 169 | Dalton, GA | $66,650 | 3% below national |
| 170 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $66,550 | 3% below national |
| 171 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $66,540 | 3% below national |
| 172 | Baton Rouge, LA | $66,510 | 3% below national |
| 173 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $66,500 | 3% below national |
| 174 | Bellingham, WA | $66,450 | 3% below national |
| 175 | Springfield, IL | $66,390 | 3% below national |
| 176 | Southwestern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $66,390 | 3% below national |
| 177 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $66,320 | 3% below national |
| 178 | Battle Creek, MI | $66,310 | 3% below national |
| 179 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $66,300 | 3% below national |
| 180 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $66,280 | 3% below national |
| 181 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $66,090 | 3% below national |
| 182 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $66,080 | 3% below national |
| 183 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $65,980 | 4% below national |
| 184 | Pueblo, CO | $65,970 | 4% below national |
| 185 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $65,910 | 4% below national |
| 186 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $65,880 | 4% below national |
| 187 | East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $65,870 | 4% below national |
| 188 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $65,820 | 4% below national |
| 189 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $65,650 | 4% below national |
| 190 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $65,630 | 4% below national |
| 191 | Colorado Springs, CO | $65,620 | 4% below national |
| 192 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $65,580 | 4% below national |
| 193 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $65,560 | 4% below national |
| 194 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $65,510 | 4% below national |
| 195 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $65,480 | 4% below national |
| 196 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $65,450 | 4% below national |
| 197 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $65,320 | 4% below national |
| 198 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $65,280 | 5% below national |
| 199 | Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $65,250 | 5% below national |
| 200 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $65,220 | 5% below national |
| 201 | Rocky Mount, NC | $65,220 | 5% below national |
| 202 | Tucson, AZ | $65,220 | 5% below national |
| 203 | Decatur, IL | $65,210 | 5% below national |
| 204 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $65,170 | 5% below national |
| 205 | Grand Junction, CO | $65,140 | 5% below national |
| 206 | Tallahassee, FL | $65,110 | 5% below national |
| 207 | Gadsden, AL | $65,060 | 5% below national |
| 208 | Gainesville, GA | $65,040 | 5% below national |
| 209 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $65,000 | 5% below national |
| 210 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $64,990 | 5% below national |
| 211 | South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $64,980 | 5% below national |
| 212 | Kankakee, IL | $64,960 | 5% below national |
| 213 | Kenosha, WI | $64,940 | 5% below national |
| 214 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $64,930 | 5% below national |
| 215 | Duluth, MN-WI | $64,900 | 5% below national |
| 216 | Springfield, OH | $64,860 | 5% below national |
| 217 | Cleveland, OH | $64,800 | 5% below national |
| 218 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $64,740 | 5% below national |
| 219 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $64,720 | 5% below national |
| 220 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $64,680 | 5% below national |
| 221 | Lawton, OK | $64,660 | 5% below national |
| 222 | Winston-Salem, NC | $64,660 | 5% below national |
| 223 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $64,610 | 6% below national |
| 224 | Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $64,590 | 6% below national |
| 225 | Ocala, FL | $64,580 | 6% below national |
| 226 | Lake Charles, LA | $64,550 | 6% below national |
| 227 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $64,540 | 6% below national |
| 228 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $64,530 | 6% below national |
| 229 | Fayetteville, NC | $64,520 | 6% below national |
| 230 | Laredo, TX | $64,500 | 6% below national |
| 231 | East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $64,480 | 6% below national |
| 232 | North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $64,410 | 6% below national |
| 233 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $64,380 | 6% below national |
| 234 | Cleveland, TN | $64,290 | 6% below national |
| 235 | Johnson City, TN | $64,270 | 6% below national |
| 236 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $64,270 | 6% below national |
| 237 | Monroe, LA | $64,250 | 6% below national |
| 238 | Topeka, KS | $64,250 | 6% below national |
| 239 | Appleton, WI | $64,240 | 6% below national |
| 240 | St. Cloud, MN | $64,120 | 6% below national |
| 241 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $64,110 | 6% below national |
| 242 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $64,110 | 6% below national |
| 243 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $64,050 | 6% below national |
| 244 | Rockford, IL | $64,040 | 6% below national |
| 245 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $64,040 | 6% below national |
| 246 | Morristown, TN | $63,940 | 6% below national |
| 247 | Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $63,910 | 7% below national |
| 248 | Greenville, NC | $63,900 | 7% below national |
| 249 | Asheville, NC | $63,860 | 7% below national |
| 250 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $63,860 | 7% below national |
| 251 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $63,850 | 7% below national |
| 252 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $63,820 | 7% below national |
| 253 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $63,800 | 7% below national |
| 254 | West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $63,790 | 7% below national |
| 255 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $63,780 | 7% below national |
| 256 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $63,710 | 7% below national |
| 257 | Savannah, GA | $63,600 | 7% below national |
| 258 | Green Bay, WI | $63,590 | 7% below national |
| 259 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $63,570 | 7% below national |
| 260 | West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $63,550 | 7% below national |
| 261 | Columbia, MO | $63,540 | 7% below national |
| 262 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $63,520 | 7% below national |
| 263 | Omaha, NE-IA | $63,470 | 7% below national |
| 264 | Toledo, OH | $63,450 | 7% below national |
| 265 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $63,450 | 7% below national |
| 266 | Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $63,440 | 7% below national |
| 267 | Madison, WI | $63,380 | 7% below national |
| 268 | Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $63,320 | 7% below national |
| 269 | Hot Springs, AR | $63,280 | 7% below national |
| 270 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $63,210 | 8% below national |
| 271 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $63,180 | 8% below national |
| 272 | Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $63,170 | 8% below national |
| 273 | Logan, UT-ID | $63,120 | 8% below national |
| 274 | Akron, OH | $63,050 | 8% below national |
| 275 | Charleston, WV | $63,020 | 8% below national |
| 276 | Cheyenne, WY | $63,010 | 8% below national |
| 277 | Columbia, SC | $62,920 | 8% below national |
| 278 | Wichita, KS | $62,900 | 8% below national |
| 279 | Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $62,900 | 8% below national |
| 280 | Billings, MT | $62,870 | 8% below national |
| 281 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $62,860 | 8% below national |
| 282 | Owensboro, KY | $62,860 | 8% below national |
| 283 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $62,860 | 8% below national |
| 284 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $62,850 | 8% below national |
| 285 | Decatur, AL | $62,810 | 8% below national |
| 286 | Bowling Green, KY | $62,740 | 8% below national |
| 287 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $62,730 | 8% below national |
| 288 | Jonesboro, AR | $62,700 | 8% below national |
| 289 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $62,700 | 8% below national |
| 290 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $62,670 | 8% below national |
| 291 | West Montana nonmetropolitan area | $62,650 | 8% below national |
| 292 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $62,620 | 8% below national |
| 293 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $62,620 | 8% below national |
| 294 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $62,590 | 8% below national |
| 295 | Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $62,580 | 8% below national |
| 296 | South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $62,570 | 8% below national |
| 297 | East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $62,540 | 9% below national |
| 298 | Alexandria, LA | $62,530 | 9% below national |
| 299 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $62,520 | 9% below national |
| 300 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $62,510 | 9% below national |
| 301 | Bend, OR | $62,490 | 9% below national |
| 302 | Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area | $62,470 | 9% below national |
| 303 | Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $62,460 | 9% below national |
| 304 | West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $62,450 | 9% below national |
| 305 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $62,440 | 9% below national |
| 306 | Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $62,430 | 9% below national |
| 307 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $62,420 | 9% below national |
| 308 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $62,420 | 9% below national |
| 309 | Columbus, GA-AL | $62,410 | 9% below national |
| 310 | Warner Robins, GA | $62,400 | 9% below national |
| 311 | York-Hanover, PA | $62,400 | 9% below national |
| 312 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $62,400 | 9% below national |
| 313 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $62,390 | 9% below national |
| 314 | Birmingham, AL | $62,380 | 9% below national |
| 315 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $62,360 | 9% below national |
| 316 | Fort Wayne, IN | $62,360 | 9% below national |
| 317 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $62,350 | 9% below national |
| 318 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $62,330 | 9% below national |
| 319 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $62,270 | 9% below national |
| 320 | Twin Falls, ID | $62,270 | 9% below national |
| 321 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $62,220 | 9% below national |
| 322 | North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $62,190 | 9% below national |
| 323 | Casper, WY | $62,110 | 9% below national |
| 324 | Jackson, MS | $62,100 | 9% below national |
| 325 | Ames, IA | $62,040 | 9% below national |
| 326 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $62,030 | 9% below national |
| 327 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $62,020 | 9% below national |
| 328 | Lancaster, PA | $61,950 | 9% below national |
| 329 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | $61,910 | 9% below national |
| 330 | Great Falls, MT | $61,900 | 9% below national |
| 331 | Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $61,900 | 9% below national |
| 332 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $61,880 | 10% below national |
| 333 | Evansville, IN | $61,860 | 10% below national |
| 334 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $61,840 | 10% below national |
| 335 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $61,830 | 10% below national |
| 336 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $61,820 | 10% below national |
| 337 | Jacksonville, NC | $61,780 | 10% below national |
| 338 | Glens Falls, NY | $61,740 | 10% below national |
| 339 | Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $61,680 | 10% below national |
| 340 | Altoona, PA | $61,670 | 10% below national |
| 341 | Yuma, AZ | $61,610 | 10% below national |
| 342 | Hammond, LA | $61,590 | 10% below national |
| 343 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $61,560 | 10% below national |
| 344 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $61,560 | 10% below national |
| 345 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $61,510 | 10% below national |
| 346 | Bloomington, IN | $61,460 | 10% below national |
| 347 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $61,440 | 10% below national |
| 348 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $61,430 | 10% below national |
| 349 | Mobile, AL | $61,430 | 10% below national |
| 350 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $61,420 | 10% below national |
| 351 | Springfield, MO | $61,420 | 10% below national |
| 352 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $61,400 | 10% below national |
| 353 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $61,360 | 10% below national |
| 354 | Boise City, ID | $61,350 | 10% below national |
| 355 | West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $61,340 | 10% below national |
| 356 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $61,320 | 10% below national |
| 357 | East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area | $61,300 | 10% below national |
| 358 | Traverse City, MI | $61,290 | 10% below national |
| 359 | Wasatch Front Fringe Utah nonmetropolitan area | $61,290 | 10% below national |
| 360 | Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $61,280 | 10% below national |
| 361 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $61,270 | 10% below national |
| 362 | Jefferson City, MO | $61,250 | 10% below national |
| 363 | Las Cruces, NM | $61,220 | 10% below national |
| 364 | Ann Arbor, MI | $61,200 | 11% below national |
| 365 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $61,170 | 11% below national |
| 366 | Columbus, IN | $61,140 | 11% below national |
| 367 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $61,130 | 11% below national |
| 368 | Peoria, IL | $61,120 | 11% below national |
| 369 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $61,110 | 11% below national |
| 370 | Bangor, ME | $61,090 | 11% below national |
| 371 | Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $61,050 | 11% below national |
| 372 | Syracuse, NY | $61,010 | 11% below national |
| 373 | Jackson, MI | $60,990 | 11% below national |
| 374 | Jackson, TN | $60,980 | 11% below national |
| 375 | Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $60,980 | 11% below national |
| 376 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $60,970 | 11% below national |
| 377 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $60,970 | 11% below national |
| 378 | Mansfield, OH | $60,940 | 11% below national |
| 379 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $60,940 | 11% below national |
| 380 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $60,930 | 11% below national |
| 381 | Montgomery, AL | $60,910 | 11% below national |
| 382 | Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $60,890 | 11% below national |
| 383 | Grand Island, NE | $60,880 | 11% below national |
| 384 | Ogden, UT | $60,880 | 11% below national |
| 385 | Huntsville, AL | $60,870 | 11% below national |
| 386 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $60,870 | 11% below national |
| 387 | Northwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $60,860 | 11% below national |
| 388 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $60,810 | 11% below national |
| 389 | Lafayette, LA | $60,760 | 11% below national |
| 390 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $60,740 | 11% below national |
| 391 | Sandusky, OH | $60,610 | 11% below national |
| 392 | Elizabethtown, KY | $60,560 | 11% below national |
| 393 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $60,530 | 11% below national |
| 394 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $60,520 | 11% below national |
| 395 | Williamsport, PA | $60,480 | 12% below national |
| 396 | Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $60,460 | 12% below national |
| 397 | Lima, OH | $60,420 | 12% below national |
| 398 | Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $60,390 | 12% below national |
| 399 | St. George, UT | $60,350 | 12% below national |
| 400 | Binghamton, NY | $60,280 | 12% below national |
| 401 | Knoxville, TN | $60,280 | 12% below national |
| 402 | Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $60,260 | 12% below national |
| 403 | Wausau, WI | $60,250 | 12% below national |
| 404 | Eau Claire, WI | $60,210 | 12% below national |
| 405 | Manhattan, KS | $60,210 | 12% below national |
| 406 | Lebanon, PA | $60,180 | 12% below national |
| 407 | Saginaw, MI | $60,050 | 12% below national |
| 408 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $60,040 | 12% below national |
| 409 | Utica-Rome, NY | $59,970 | 12% below national |
| 410 | Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $59,970 | 12% below national |
| 411 | Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $59,970 | 12% below national |
| 412 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $59,930 | 12% below national |
| 413 | Morgantown, WV | $59,920 | 12% below national |
| 414 | Tulsa, OK | $59,910 | 12% below national |
| 415 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $59,830 | 13% below national |
| 416 | Greeley, CO | $59,780 | 13% below national |
| 417 | Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $59,740 | 13% below national |
| 418 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $59,700 | 13% below national |
| 419 | Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $59,660 | 13% below national |
| 420 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $59,640 | 13% below national |
| 421 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $59,640 | 13% below national |
| 422 | Albuquerque, NM | $59,620 | 13% below national |
| 423 | Bloomington, IL | $59,590 | 13% below national |
| 424 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $59,530 | 13% below national |
| 425 | Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $59,500 | 13% below national |
| 426 | Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $59,440 | 13% below national |
| 427 | Beckley, WV | $59,400 | 13% below national |
| 428 | Boulder, CO | $59,250 | 13% below national |
| 429 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $59,220 | 13% below national |
| 430 | Flint, MI | $59,210 | 13% below national |
| 431 | Rochester, NY | $59,190 | 13% below national |
| 432 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $59,160 | 13% below national |
| 433 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $59,150 | 13% below national |
| 434 | Erie, PA | $59,120 | 14% below national |
| 435 | North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $59,050 | 14% below national |
| 436 | Bay City, MI | $58,970 | 14% below national |
| 437 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $58,950 | 14% below national |
| 438 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $58,900 | 14% below national |
| 439 | Oklahoma City, OK | $58,850 | 14% below national |
| 440 | State College, PA | $58,780 | 14% below national |
| 441 | Paducah, KY-IL | $58,720 | 14% below national |
| 442 | Idaho Falls, ID | $58,690 | 14% below national |
| 443 | Lincoln, NE | $58,650 | 14% below national |
| 444 | Hattiesburg, MS | $58,610 | 14% below national |
| 445 | Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $58,400 | 15% below national |
| 446 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $58,340 | 15% below national |
| 447 | Joplin, MO-KS | $58,240 | 15% below national |
| 448 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $58,190 | 15% below national |
| 449 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $58,180 | 15% below national |
| 450 | Iowa City, IA | $58,140 | 15% below national |
| 451 | Johnstown, PA | $58,080 | 15% below national |
| 452 | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $58,070 | 15% below national |
| 453 | Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $58,040 | 15% below national |
| 454 | Muncie, IN | $57,940 | 15% below national |
| 455 | Pocatello, ID | $57,870 | 15% below national |
| 456 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $57,790 | 15% below national |
| 457 | Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $57,630 | 16% below national |
| 458 | West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $57,200 | 16% below national |
| 459 | East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $56,670 | 17% below national |
| 460 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $56,630 | 17% below national |
| 461 | Dothan, AL | $56,150 | 18% below national |
| 462 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $56,060 | 18% below national |
| 463 | Pittsburgh, PA | $56,020 | 18% below national |
| 464 | Farmington, NM | $54,100 | 21% below national |
| 465 | Dubuque, IA | $51,640 | 24% below national |
| 466 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $51,570 | 25% below national |
| 467 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $51,000 | 25% below national |
| 468 | Rapid City, SD | $50,010 | 27% below national |
| 469 | West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $49,830 | 27% below national |
| 470 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $49,080 | 28% below national |
| 471 | Mayaguez, PR | $30,950 | 55% below national |
| 472 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $30,330 | 56% below national |
| 473 | Aguadilla, PR | $29,120 | 57% below national |
| 474 | Ponce, PR | $28,350 | 59% 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 Assistants make? ▼
The median annual salary for Physical Therapist Assistants is $68,380 ($32.88/hour). The salary range spans from $47,750 at the 10th percentile to $89,510 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Physical Therapist Assistants the most? ▼
California pays the highest median salary for Physical Therapist Assistants at $83,110/year, which is +22% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Physical Therapist Assistants? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Physical Therapist Assistants is Associate's degree.
How dangerous is being a Physical Therapist Assistants? ▼
Physical Therapist Assistants 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 Assistants a good career? ▼
Employment for Physical Therapist Assistants is projected to grow 22% from 2024 to 2034, which is much faster than average. About 19,800 openings are projected each year.
How does Physical Therapist Assistants pay vary by state? ▼
Physical Therapist Assistants salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is California at $83,110/year, while Idaho pays the least at $61,020/year. BLS data covers 52 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Physical Therapist Assistants? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Physical Therapist Assistants is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $97,190/year. BLS reports wage data for 474 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 Assistants pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $78,680/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: California leads at $83,110/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.
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.