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
- +4.4%
- 2024→2025
- $89,510
- Top 10% earn
- +22%
- Growth '24–'34
- 112,430
- Estimated US jobs
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 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is California ($83,110).
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 2034.
- $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.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Physical Therapist Assistants moved from $58,790 in May 2019 to $68,380 in May 2025 (+16.3%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Physical Therapist Assistants sits -8.1 pp behind that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Physical Therapist Assistants (SOC 31-2021) has a national median of $68,380 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $47,750 to $89,510, and the published mean is $68,730. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 112,430 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 52 state or territory areas and 474 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $65,510 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $68,380 in May 2025, a rise of $2,870 (+4.4%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +22% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as much faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 19,800 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Associate's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Healthcare Support Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
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 highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $97,190. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
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.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 (this entry) | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$68,380 · 60th percentile of 825 US occupations
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).
Read the chart as text
- Home Health and Pers…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 17%, Median annual wage $35800
- Nursing Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.3%, Median annual wage $42260
- Medical Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.5%, Median annual wage $45690
- Dental Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $48070
- Phlebotomists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.6%, Median annual wage $45230
- Veterinary Assistant…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.7%, Median annual wage $38150
- Physical Therapist A…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 22%, Median annual wage $68380
- Healthcare Support W…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.5%, Median annual wage $48430
- Massage Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 15.4%, Median annual wage $58450
- Medical Equipment Pr…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10%, Median annual wage $47700
- Orderlies: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.3%, Median annual wage $38290
- Occupational Therapy…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 19.2%, Median annual wage $72300
- Physical Therapist A…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.8%, Median annual wage $35240
- Medical Transcriptio…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -4.9%, Median annual wage $40410
- Pharmacy Aides: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.1%, Median annual wage $37680
- Psychiatric Aides: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.4%, Median annual wage $44910
- Occupational Therapy…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $39160
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)
Employment Change
+24,500
111,500 (2024) → 136,000 (2034)
Typical Education
Associate's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Healthcare Support Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
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
Knowledge Areas
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
Physical Therapist Assistants pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $55,170 |
| 2016 | $56,610 |
| 2017 | $57,430 |
| 2018 | $58,040 |
| 2019 | $58,790 |
| 2020 | $59,770 |
| 2021 | $61,180 |
| 2022 | $62,770 |
| 2023 | $64,080 |
| 2024 | $65,510 |
| 2025 | $68,380 |
2015 median
$55,170
2025 median
$68,380
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$9,590 (+16.3%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+2.6%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $55,170 | First banked release | 81,230 |
| May 2016 | $56,610 | +2.6% | 85,580 |
| May 2017 | $57,430 | +1.4% | 90,170 |
| May 2018 | $58,040 | +1.1% | 94,250 |
| May 2019 | $58,790 | Classification break | 96,840 |
| May 2020 | $59,770 | +1.7% | 92,740 |
| May 2021 | $61,180 | +2.4% | 93,660 |
| May 2022 | $62,770 | +2.6% | 97,740 |
| May 2023 | $64,080 | +2.1% | 104,000 |
| May 2024 | $65,510 | +2.2% | 108,010 |
| May 2025 | $68,380 | +4.4% | 112,430 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $55,170 in May 2015 to $68,380 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +2.6% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 96,840 in May 2019 to 112,430 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
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 348 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 | Spartanburg, SC | $88,070 | +29% above national |
| 4 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $87,330 | +28% above national |
| 5 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $87,300 | +28% above national |
| 6 | Vallejo, CA | $86,630 | +27% above national |
| 7 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $85,150 | +25% above national |
| 8 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $84,930 | +24% above national |
| 9 | Salinas, CA | $84,850 | +24% above national |
| 10 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $84,290 | +23% above national |
| 11 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $84,100 | +23% above national |
| 12 | Modesto, CA | $83,450 | +22% above national |
| 13 | Midland, TX | $82,620 | +21% above national |
| 14 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $82,160 | +20% above national |
| 15 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82,140 | +20% above national |
| 16 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $81,310 | +19% above national |
| 17 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $80,430 | +18% above national |
| 18 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $80,370 | +18% above national |
| 19 | Barnstable Town, MA | $79,790 | +17% above national |
| 20 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $79,590 | +16% above national |
| 21 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $79,480 | +16% above national |
| 22 | Visalia, CA | $79,440 | +16% above national |
| 23 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $79,250 | +16% above national |
| 24 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $79,210 | +16% above national |
| 25 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $78,990 | +16% above national |
| 26 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $78,790 | +15% above national |
| 27 | Wichita Falls, TX | $78,310 | +15% above national |
| 28 | San Angelo, TX | $78,200 | +14% above national |
| 29 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $77,830 | +14% above national |
| 30 | Redding, CA | $77,740 | +14% above national |
| 31 | Anchorage, AK | $77,570 | +13% above national |
| 32 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $77,280 | +13% above national |
| 33 | Reno, NV | $77,200 | +13% above national |
| 34 | Fresno, CA | $77,000 | +13% above national |
| 35 | Worcester, MA | $76,900 | +12% above national |
| 36 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $76,830 | +12% above national |
| 37 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $76,690 | +12% above national |
| 38 | Longview, TX | $76,680 | +12% above national |
| 39 | Chico, CA | $76,580 | +12% above national |
| 40 | Lexington Park, MD | $76,530 | +12% above national |
| 41 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $76,380 | +12% above national |
| 42 | Medford, OR | $76,340 | +12% above national |
| 43 | Waco, TX | $76,340 | +12% above national |
| 44 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $76,190 | +11% above national |
| 45 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $76,140 | +11% above national |
| 46 | New Haven, CT | $76,140 | +11% above national |
| 47 | Abilene, TX | $76,090 | +11% above national |
| 48 | Burlington, NC | $76,010 | +11% above national |
| 49 | Florence, SC | $75,920 | +11% above national |
| 50 | Wilmington, NC | $75,820 | +11% above national |
| 51 | Sherman-Denison, TX | $75,800 | +11% above national |
| 52 | Tyler, TX | $75,670 | +11% above national |
| 53 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $75,620 | +11% above national |
| 54 | Dover, DE | $75,580 | +11% above national |
| 55 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $75,570 | +11% above national |
| 56 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $75,520 | +10% above national |
| 57 | Lynchburg, VA | $75,420 | +10% above national |
| 58 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $75,420 | +10% above national |
| 59 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $75,410 | +10% above national |
| 60 | Salisbury, MD | $75,370 | +10% above national |
| 61 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $74,980 | +10% above national |
| 62 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $74,730 | +9% above national |
| 63 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $74,690 | +9% above national |
| 64 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $74,510 | +9% above national |
| 65 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $74,250 | +9% above national |
| 66 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $74,140 | +8% above national |
| 67 | Yakima, WA | $74,100 | +8% above national |
| 68 | Charlottesville, VA | $74,010 | +8% above national |
| 69 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $73,980 | +8% above national |
| 70 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $73,970 | +8% above national |
| 71 | Springfield, MA | $73,930 | +8% above national |
| 72 | Corpus Christi, TX | $73,920 | +8% above national |
| 73 | Flagstaff, AZ | $73,710 | +8% above national |
| 74 | Richmond, VA | $73,640 | +8% above national |
| 75 | Rochester, MN | $73,580 | +8% above national |
| 76 | Yuba City, CA | $73,580 | +8% above national |
| 77 | Winchester, VA-WV | $73,570 | +8% above national |
| 78 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $73,560 | +8% above national |
| 79 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $73,440 | +7% above national |
| 80 | Sebring, FL | $73,410 | +7% above national |
| 81 | Victoria, TX | $73,310 | +7% above national |
| 82 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $73,300 | +7% above national |
| 83 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $73,100 | +7% above national |
| 84 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $73,020 | +7% above national |
| 85 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $73,000 | +7% above national |
| 86 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $72,980 | +7% above national |
| 87 | Amarillo, TX | $72,750 | +6% above national |
| 88 | Lubbock, TX | $72,740 | +6% above national |
| 89 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $72,600 | +6% above national |
| 90 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $72,530 | +6% above national |
| 91 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $72,520 | +6% above national |
| 92 | Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $72,500 | +6% above national |
| 93 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $72,230 | +6% above national |
| 94 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $72,150 | +6% above national |
| 95 | Rome, GA | $71,680 | +5% above national |
| 96 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $71,540 | +5% above national |
| 97 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $71,540 | +5% above national |
| 98 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $71,440 | +4% above national |
| 99 | El Paso, TX | $71,140 | +4% above national |
| 100 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $71,110 | +4% above national |
| 101 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $71,100 | +4% above national |
| 102 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $70,720 | +3% above national |
| 103 | Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $70,480 | +3% above national |
| 104 | Odessa, TX | $70,470 | +3% above national |
| 105 | Santa Fe, NM | $70,200 | +3% above national |
| 106 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $70,170 | +3% above national |
| 107 | Pittsfield, MA | $70,140 | +3% above national |
| 108 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $69,900 | +2% above national |
| 109 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $69,790 | +2% above national |
| 110 | Reading, PA | $69,530 | +2% above national |
| 111 | Columbus, OH | $69,480 | +2% above national |
| 112 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $69,380 | +1% above national |
| 113 | Goldsboro, NC | $69,150 | +1% above national |
| 114 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $69,140 | +1% above national |
| 115 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $69,050 | +1% above national |
| 116 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $68,700 | same as national |
| 117 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $68,520 | same as national |
| 118 | Valdosta, GA | $68,470 | same as national |
| 119 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $68,330 | same as national |
| 120 | Gainesville, FL | $68,230 | same as national |
| 121 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $68,190 | same as national |
| 122 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $68,070 | same as national |
| 123 | Homosassa Springs, FL | $68,030 | 1% below national |
| 124 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $67,890 | 1% below national |
| 125 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $67,720 | 1% below national |
| 126 | Jacksonville, FL | $67,460 | 1% below national |
| 127 | Chambersburg, PA | $67,190 | 2% below national |
| 128 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $67,140 | 2% below national |
| 129 | Roanoke, VA | $67,140 | 2% below national |
| 130 | Salem, OR | $67,090 | 2% below national |
| 131 | Punta Gorda, FL | $66,820 | 2% below national |
| 132 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $66,810 | 2% below national |
| 133 | Terre Haute, IN | $66,760 | 2% below national |
| 134 | Dalton, GA | $66,650 | 3% below national |
| 135 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $66,550 | 3% below national |
| 136 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $66,540 | 3% below national |
| 137 | Baton Rouge, LA | $66,510 | 3% below national |
| 138 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $66,500 | 3% below national |
| 139 | Bellingham, WA | $66,450 | 3% below national |
| 140 | Springfield, IL | $66,390 | 3% below national |
| 141 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $66,320 | 3% below national |
| 142 | Battle Creek, MI | $66,310 | 3% below national |
| 143 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $66,300 | 3% below national |
| 144 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $66,090 | 3% below national |
| 145 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $66,080 | 3% below national |
| 146 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $65,980 | 4% below national |
| 147 | Pueblo, CO | $65,970 | 4% below national |
| 148 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $65,910 | 4% below national |
| 149 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $65,820 | 4% below national |
| 150 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $65,650 | 4% below national |
| 151 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $65,630 | 4% below national |
| 152 | Colorado Springs, CO | $65,620 | 4% below national |
| 153 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $65,580 | 4% below national |
| 154 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $65,510 | 4% below national |
| 155 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $65,480 | 4% below national |
| 156 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $65,450 | 4% below national |
| 157 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $65,320 | 4% below national |
| 158 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $65,280 | 5% below national |
| 159 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $65,220 | 5% below national |
| 160 | Rocky Mount, NC | $65,220 | 5% below national |
| 161 | Tucson, AZ | $65,220 | 5% below national |
| 162 | Decatur, IL | $65,210 | 5% below national |
| 163 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $65,170 | 5% below national |
| 164 | Grand Junction, CO | $65,140 | 5% below national |
| 165 | Tallahassee, FL | $65,110 | 5% below national |
| 166 | Gadsden, AL | $65,060 | 5% below national |
| 167 | Gainesville, GA | $65,040 | 5% below national |
| 168 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $64,990 | 5% below national |
| 169 | Kankakee, IL | $64,960 | 5% below national |
| 170 | Kenosha, WI | $64,940 | 5% below national |
| 171 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $64,930 | 5% below national |
| 172 | Duluth, MN-WI | $64,900 | 5% below national |
| 173 | Springfield, OH | $64,860 | 5% below national |
| 174 | Cleveland, OH | $64,800 | 5% below national |
| 175 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $64,740 | 5% below national |
| 176 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $64,720 | 5% below national |
| 177 | Lawton, OK | $64,660 | 5% below national |
| 178 | Winston-Salem, NC | $64,660 | 5% below national |
| 179 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $64,610 | 6% below national |
| 180 | Ocala, FL | $64,580 | 6% below national |
| 181 | Lake Charles, LA | $64,550 | 6% below national |
| 182 | Fayetteville, NC | $64,520 | 6% below national |
| 183 | Laredo, TX | $64,500 | 6% below national |
| 184 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $64,380 | 6% below national |
| 185 | Cleveland, TN | $64,290 | 6% below national |
| 186 | Johnson City, TN | $64,270 | 6% below national |
| 187 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $64,270 | 6% below national |
| 188 | Monroe, LA | $64,250 | 6% below national |
| 189 | Topeka, KS | $64,250 | 6% below national |
| 190 | Appleton, WI | $64,240 | 6% below national |
| 191 | St. Cloud, MN | $64,120 | 6% below national |
| 192 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $64,110 | 6% below national |
| 193 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $64,050 | 6% below national |
| 194 | Rockford, IL | $64,040 | 6% below national |
| 195 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $64,040 | 6% below national |
| 196 | Morristown, TN | $63,940 | 6% below national |
| 197 | Greenville, NC | $63,900 | 7% below national |
| 198 | Asheville, NC | $63,860 | 7% below national |
| 199 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $63,860 | 7% below national |
| 200 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $63,820 | 7% below national |
| 201 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $63,800 | 7% below national |
| 202 | Savannah, GA | $63,600 | 7% below national |
| 203 | Green Bay, WI | $63,590 | 7% below national |
| 204 | Columbia, MO | $63,540 | 7% below national |
| 205 | Omaha, NE-IA | $63,470 | 7% below national |
| 206 | Toledo, OH | $63,450 | 7% below national |
| 207 | Madison, WI | $63,380 | 7% below national |
| 208 | Hot Springs, AR | $63,280 | 7% below national |
| 209 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $63,210 | 8% below national |
| 210 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $63,180 | 8% below national |
| 211 | Logan, UT-ID | $63,120 | 8% below national |
| 212 | Akron, OH | $63,050 | 8% below national |
| 213 | Charleston, WV | $63,020 | 8% below national |
| 214 | Cheyenne, WY | $63,010 | 8% below national |
| 215 | Columbia, SC | $62,920 | 8% below national |
| 216 | Wichita, KS | $62,900 | 8% below national |
| 217 | Billings, MT | $62,870 | 8% below national |
| 218 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $62,860 | 8% below national |
| 219 | Owensboro, KY | $62,860 | 8% below national |
| 220 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $62,850 | 8% below national |
| 221 | Decatur, AL | $62,810 | 8% below national |
| 222 | Bowling Green, KY | $62,740 | 8% below national |
| 223 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $62,730 | 8% below national |
| 224 | Jonesboro, AR | $62,700 | 8% below national |
| 225 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $62,670 | 8% below national |
| 226 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $62,620 | 8% below national |
| 227 | Alexandria, LA | $62,530 | 9% below national |
| 228 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $62,510 | 9% below national |
| 229 | Bend, OR | $62,490 | 9% below national |
| 230 | Columbus, GA-AL | $62,410 | 9% below national |
| 231 | Warner Robins, GA | $62,400 | 9% below national |
| 232 | York-Hanover, PA | $62,400 | 9% below national |
| 233 | Birmingham, AL | $62,380 | 9% below national |
| 234 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $62,360 | 9% below national |
| 235 | Fort Wayne, IN | $62,360 | 9% below national |
| 236 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $62,350 | 9% below national |
| 237 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $62,330 | 9% below national |
| 238 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $62,270 | 9% below national |
| 239 | Twin Falls, ID | $62,270 | 9% below national |
| 240 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $62,220 | 9% below national |
| 241 | Casper, WY | $62,110 | 9% below national |
| 242 | Jackson, MS | $62,100 | 9% below national |
| 243 | Ames, IA | $62,040 | 9% below national |
| 244 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $62,030 | 9% below national |
| 245 | Lancaster, PA | $61,950 | 9% below national |
| 246 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | $61,910 | 9% below national |
| 247 | Great Falls, MT | $61,900 | 9% below national |
| 248 | Evansville, IN | $61,860 | 10% below national |
| 249 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $61,830 | 10% below national |
| 250 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $61,820 | 10% below national |
| 251 | Jacksonville, NC | $61,780 | 10% below national |
| 252 | Glens Falls, NY | $61,740 | 10% below national |
| 253 | Altoona, PA | $61,670 | 10% below national |
| 254 | Yuma, AZ | $61,610 | 10% below national |
| 255 | Hammond, LA | $61,590 | 10% below national |
| 256 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $61,560 | 10% below national |
| 257 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $61,560 | 10% below national |
| 258 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $61,510 | 10% below national |
| 259 | Bloomington, IN | $61,460 | 10% below national |
| 260 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $61,430 | 10% below national |
| 261 | Mobile, AL | $61,430 | 10% below national |
| 262 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $61,420 | 10% below national |
| 263 | Springfield, MO | $61,420 | 10% below national |
| 264 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $61,360 | 10% below national |
| 265 | Boise City, ID | $61,350 | 10% below national |
| 266 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $61,320 | 10% below national |
| 267 | Traverse City, MI | $61,290 | 10% below national |
| 268 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $61,270 | 10% below national |
| 269 | Jefferson City, MO | $61,250 | 10% below national |
| 270 | Las Cruces, NM | $61,220 | 10% below national |
| 271 | Ann Arbor, MI | $61,200 | 11% below national |
| 272 | Columbus, IN | $61,140 | 11% below national |
| 273 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $61,130 | 11% below national |
| 274 | Peoria, IL | $61,120 | 11% below national |
| 275 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $61,110 | 11% below national |
| 276 | Bangor, ME | $61,090 | 11% below national |
| 277 | Syracuse, NY | $61,010 | 11% below national |
| 278 | Jackson, MI | $60,990 | 11% below national |
| 279 | Jackson, TN | $60,980 | 11% below national |
| 280 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $60,970 | 11% below national |
| 281 | Mansfield, OH | $60,940 | 11% below national |
| 282 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $60,940 | 11% below national |
| 283 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $60,930 | 11% below national |
| 284 | Montgomery, AL | $60,910 | 11% below national |
| 285 | Grand Island, NE | $60,880 | 11% below national |
| 286 | Ogden, UT | $60,880 | 11% below national |
| 287 | Huntsville, AL | $60,870 | 11% below national |
| 288 | Lafayette, LA | $60,760 | 11% below national |
| 289 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $60,740 | 11% below national |
| 290 | Sandusky, OH | $60,610 | 11% below national |
| 291 | Elizabethtown, KY | $60,560 | 11% below national |
| 292 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $60,530 | 11% below national |
| 293 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $60,520 | 11% below national |
| 294 | Williamsport, PA | $60,480 | 12% below national |
| 295 | Lima, OH | $60,420 | 12% below national |
| 296 | St. George, UT | $60,350 | 12% below national |
| 297 | Binghamton, NY | $60,280 | 12% below national |
| 298 | Knoxville, TN | $60,280 | 12% below national |
| 299 | Wausau, WI | $60,250 | 12% below national |
| 300 | Eau Claire, WI | $60,210 | 12% below national |
| 301 | Manhattan, KS | $60,210 | 12% below national |
| 302 | Lebanon, PA | $60,180 | 12% below national |
| 303 | Saginaw, MI | $60,050 | 12% below national |
| 304 | Utica-Rome, NY | $59,970 | 12% below national |
| 305 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $59,930 | 12% below national |
| 306 | Morgantown, WV | $59,920 | 12% below national |
| 307 | Tulsa, OK | $59,910 | 12% below national |
| 308 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $59,830 | 13% below national |
| 309 | Greeley, CO | $59,780 | 13% below national |
| 310 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $59,700 | 13% below national |
| 311 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $59,640 | 13% below national |
| 312 | Albuquerque, NM | $59,620 | 13% below national |
| 313 | Bloomington, IL | $59,590 | 13% below national |
| 314 | Beckley, WV | $59,400 | 13% below national |
| 315 | Boulder, CO | $59,250 | 13% below national |
| 316 | Flint, MI | $59,210 | 13% below national |
| 317 | Rochester, NY | $59,190 | 13% below national |
| 318 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $59,160 | 13% below national |
| 319 | Erie, PA | $59,120 | 14% below national |
| 320 | Bay City, MI | $58,970 | 14% below national |
| 321 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $58,950 | 14% below national |
| 322 | Oklahoma City, OK | $58,850 | 14% below national |
| 323 | State College, PA | $58,780 | 14% below national |
| 324 | Paducah, KY-IL | $58,720 | 14% below national |
| 325 | Idaho Falls, ID | $58,690 | 14% below national |
| 326 | Lincoln, NE | $58,650 | 14% below national |
| 327 | Hattiesburg, MS | $58,610 | 14% below national |
| 328 | Joplin, MO-KS | $58,240 | 15% below national |
| 329 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $58,190 | 15% below national |
| 330 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $58,180 | 15% below national |
| 331 | Iowa City, IA | $58,140 | 15% below national |
| 332 | Johnstown, PA | $58,080 | 15% below national |
| 333 | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $58,070 | 15% below national |
| 334 | Muncie, IN | $57,940 | 15% below national |
| 335 | Pocatello, ID | $57,870 | 15% below national |
| 336 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $57,790 | 15% below national |
| 337 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $56,630 | 17% below national |
| 338 | Dothan, AL | $56,150 | 18% below national |
| 339 | Pittsburgh, PA | $56,020 | 18% below national |
| 340 | Farmington, NM | $54,100 | 21% below national |
| 341 | Dubuque, IA | $51,640 | 24% below national |
| 342 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $51,000 | 25% below national |
| 343 | Rapid City, SD | $50,010 | 27% below national |
| 344 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $49,080 | 28% below national |
| 345 | Mayaguez, PR | $30,950 | 55% below national |
| 346 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $30,330 | 56% below national |
| 347 | Aguadilla, PR | $29,120 | 57% below national |
| 348 | Ponce, PR | $28,350 | 59% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 31 (Healthcare Support Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Dental Assistants
SOC 31-9091
Healthcare Support Workers, All Other
SOC 31-9099
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
SOC 31-1120
Massage Therapists
SOC 31-9011
Medical Assistants
SOC 31-9092
Showing 5 of 16 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Healthcare Support Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($68,380 here) and reported employment (112,430 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Physical Therapist Assistants make? ▼
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What state pays Physical Therapist Assistants the most? ▼
What education do Physical Therapist Assistants need? ▼
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Physical Therapist Assistants? ▼
Is Physical Therapist Assistants a good career? ▼
How does Physical Therapist Assistants pay vary by state? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Physical Therapist Assistants pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $78,680/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. 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.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
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.