This page contains the most recent, complete, and accurate physical therapy assistant salary data provided by private employer surveys taken by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and presented by our team.
You can see how much a PTA salary is by city, major metro region, state, and also by the type of industry or healthcare setting.
✔️ Page updated: August 19th, 2023
Page Contents
The most recent salary data from the BLS shows the average annual physical therapy assistant salary to be: $64,510 (hourly pay: $31.01). While a physical therapist assistant salary of $53,970 was attributed to the bottom 25% of PTA wage earners and $85,230 to the top 10% of salaried PTAs.
If you are interested in a career as a PTA then use the salary data on this page to learn how much a physical therapy assistant salary is in your region and specific industry. The good news is that across the country PTA salaries are very competitive and often higher than many other similar healthcare careers’ salaries.
Average PTA Salary vs PT Salary
PTAs are paid very well compared to PTs who go through twice as much schooling. PT salaries are only about 33% higher than the PTA’s salaries who work for them, or about $16 more per hour.
| Hourly Rate | Weekly Pay | Monthly Pay | Yearly Income | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTAs | $31.01 | $1,240.40 | $5,364.73 | $64,510 |
| General PT | $47.10 | $1,884 | $8,148.30 | $97,960 |
PTA Salary by State
PTAs are earning a wide range of salaries in different states. Annual PTA salaries range from $49,240 to $78,920. Click a state to see the median PTA salaries in each state’s major cities.
| State | Hourly Pay | Weekly Pay | Monthly Pay | Annual Salary | Total Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $27.81 | $1,112.40 | $4,811.13 | $57,840 | 2,020 |
| Alaska | $28.83 | $1,153.20 | $4,987.59 | $59,960 | 170 |
| Arizona | $30.23 | $1,209.20 | $5,229.79 | $62,880 | 1,420 |
| Arkansas | $30.87 | $1,234.80 | $5,340.51 | $64,210 | 1,390 |
| California | $37.94 | $1,517.60 | $6,563.62 | $78,920 | 8,220 |
| Colorado | $29.84 | $1,193.60 | $5,162.32 | $62,070 | 1,550 |
| Connecticut | $33.53 | $1,341.20 | $5,800.69 | $69,730 | 850 |
| Delaware | $30.32 | $1,212.80 | $5,245.36 | $63,060 | 300 |
| District of Columbia | $29.21 | $1,168.40 | $5,053.33 | $60,750 | 70 |
| Florida | $31.84 | $1,273.60 | $5,508.32 | $66,220 | 7,340 |
| Georgia | $31.58 | $1,263.20 | $5,463.34 | $65,680 | 3,140 |
| Hawaii | $30.85 | $1,234.00 | $5,337.05 | $64,160 | 230 |
| Idaho | $27.05 | $1,082.00 | $4,679.65 | $56,260 | 520 |
| Illinois | $31.35 | $1,254.00 | $5,423.55 | $65,210 | 4,420 |
| Indiana | $28.44 | $1,137.60 | $4,920.12 | $59,160 | 2,180 |
| Iowa | $27.54 | $1,101.60 | $4,764.42 | $57,290 | 1,220 |
| Kansas | $28.91 | $1,156.40 | $5,001.43 | $60,130 | 910 |
| Kentucky | $27.89 | $1,115.60 | $4,824.97 | $58,010 | 2,200 |
| Louisiana | $28.03 | $1,121.20 | $4,849.19 | $58,300 | 1,530 |
| Maine | $28.15 | $1,126.00 | $4,869.95 | $58,550 | 480 |
| Maryland | $31.03 | $1,241.20 | $5,368.19 | $64,550 | 1,700 |
| Massachusetts | $33.81 | $1,352.40 | $5,849.13 | $70,330 | 1,920 |
| Michigan | $26.42 | $1,056.80 | $4,570.66 | $54,950 | 3,310 |
| Minnesota | $28.32 | $1,132.80 | $4,899.36 | $58,900 | 1,130 |
| Mississippi | $29.46 | $1,178.40 | $5,096.58 | $61,270 | 1,110 |
| Missouri | $31.07 | $1,242.80 | $5,375.11 | $64,620 | 1,990 |
| Montana | $27.03 | $1,081.20 | $4,676.19 | $56,220 | 290 |
| Nebraska | $26.97 | $1,078.80 | $4,665.81 | $56,110 | 1,040 |
| Nevada | $31.68 | $1,267.20 | $5,480.64 | $65,890 | 630 |
| New Hampshire | $30.66 | $1,226.40 | $5,304.18 | $63,770 | 370 |
| New Jersey | $34.75 | $1,390.00 | $6,011.75 | $72,280 | 1,730 |
| New Mexico | $25.94 | $1,037.60 | $4,487.62 | $53,950 | 680 |
| New York | $30.09 | $1,203.60 | $5,205.57 | $62,590 | 3,980 |
| North Carolina | $30.37 | $1,214.80 | $5,254.01 | $63,180 | 2,720 |
| North Dakota | $26.52 | $1,060.80 | $4,587.96 | $55,160 | 150 |
| Ohio | $30.79 | $1,231.60 | $5,326.67 | $64,050 | 6,090 |
| Oklahoma | $27.74 | $1,109.60 | $4,799.02 | $57,690 | 1,520 |
| Oregon | $30.55 | $1,222.00 | $5,285.15 | $63,550 | 770 |
| Pennsylvania | $27.13 | $1,085.20 | $4,693.49 | $56,430 | 4,900 |
| Rhode Island | $31.74 | $1,269.60 | $5,491.02 | $66,030 | 370 |
| South Carolina | $30.45 | $1,218.00 | $5,267.85 | $63,330 | 2,080 |
| South Dakota | $23.67 | $946.80 | $4,094.91 | $49,240 | 350 |
| Tennessee | $29.63 | $1,185.20 | $5,125.99 | $61,620 | 2,320 |
| Texas | $35.47 | $1,418.80 | $6,136.31 | $73,770 | 8,480 |
| Utah | $29.80 | $1,192.00 | $5,155.40 | $61,990 | 620 |
| Vermont | $30.56 | $1,222.40 | $5,286.88 | $63,560 | 140 |
| Virginia | $29.46 | $1,178.40 | $5,096.58 | $61,270 | 2,770 |
| Washington | $30.30 | $1,212.00 | $5,241.90 | $63,010 | 1,650 |
| West Virginia | $28.16 | $1,126.40 | $4,871.68 | $58,580 | 770 |
| Wisconsin | $28.24 | $1,129.60 | $4,885.52 | $58,730 | 1,840 |
| Wyoming | $27.68 | $1,107.20 | $4,788.64 | $57,570 | 170 |
| Puerto Rico | $11.88 | $475.20 | $2,055.24 | $24,720 | 780 |
PT Assistant Salary by City
The table below contains nearly 350 major cities and metropolitan areas with their corresponding physical therapist assistant salary data. Keep in mind that how much a physical therapist assistant makes will depend on many different factors aside from location such as industry and experience.
| State | City / Metro | Hourly Pay | Annual Salary | Total Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TX | Abilene, TX | $34.07 | $70,860 | 40 |
| OH | Akron, OH | $31.09 | $64,660 | 320 |
| GA | Albany, GA | $31.97 | $66,490 | 60 |
| NY | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $26.23 | $54,550 | 170 |
| NM | Albuquerque, NM | $26.10 | $54,280 | 320 |
| LA | Alexandria, LA | $27.36 | $56,910 | 40 |
| NJ | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $28.38 | $59,030 | 250 |
| PA | Altoona, PA | $25.72 | $53,490 | 70 |
| TX | Amarillo, TX | $32.41 | $67,400 | 130 |
| IA | Ames, IA | $26.67 | $55,470 | 30 |
| AK | Anchorage, AK | $28.03 | $58,300 | 130 |
| MI | Ann Arbor, MI | $29.63 | $61,630 | 160 |
| AL | Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL | $28.19 | $58,640 | 40 |
| WI | Appleton, WI | $28.00 | $58,250 | 90 |
| PR | Arecibo, PR | $11.00 | $22,880 | 40 |
| NC | Asheville, NC | $30.35 | $63,120 | 150 |
| GA | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $33.85 | $70,420 | 80 |
| GA | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $31.90 | $66,360 | 1,770 |
| AL | Auburn-Opelika, AL | $23.05 | $47,940 | 40 |
| SC | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $31.91 | $66,370 | 180 |
| TX | Austin-Round Rock, TX | $35.37 | $73,570 | 720 |
| CA | Bakersfield, CA | $34.99 | $72,790 | 110 |
| MD | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $30.48 | $63,400 | 980 |
| LA | Baton Rouge, LA | $27.41 | $57,010 | 300 |
| MI | Battle Creek, MI | $26.47 | $55,070 | 40 |
| MI | Bay City, MI | $24.30 | $50,550 | 50 |
| TX | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $34.41 | $71,570 | 110 |
| WV | Beckley, WV | $27.29 | $56,770 | 50 |
| WA | Bellingham, WA | $28.56 | $59,410 | 50 |
| OR | Bend-Redmond, OR | $28.68 | $59,660 | 40 |
| MT | Billings, MT | $25.41 | $52,850 | 60 |
| NY | Binghamton, NY | $26.46 | $55,050 | 80 |
| AL | Birmingham-Hoover, AL | $26.36 | $54,830 | 620 |
| VA | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $30.29 | $63,000 | 70 |
| IL | Bloomington, IL | $28.09 | $58,420 | 50 |
| PA | Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA | $27.24 | $56,650 | 60 |
| ID | Boise City, ID | $27.40 | $56,990 | 160 |
| CO | Boulder, CO | $28.84 | $59,990 | 110 |
| KY | Bowling Green, KY | $26.86 | $55,860 | 140 |
| WA | Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | $28.02 | $58,280 | 50 |
| TX | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $32.73 | $68,070 | 110 |
| NY | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY | $26.23 | $54,560 | 330 |
| NC | Burlington, NC | $31.29 | $65,090 | 40 |
| OH | Canton-Massillon, OH | $28.98 | $60,270 | 170 |
| FL | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $32.00 | $66,570 | 300 |
| IL | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $29.51 | $61,370 | 50 |
| IL | Carbondale-Marion, IL | $27.03 | $56,220 | 70 |
| WY | Casper, WY | $25.14 | $52,280 | 30 |
| IA | Cedar Rapids, IA | $28.62 | $59,530 | 100 |
| PA | Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA | $28.42 | $59,110 | 80 |
| IL | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $29.64 | $61,650 | 50 |
| WV | Charleston, WV | $31.56 | $65,650 | 90 |
| SC | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $27.42 | $57,040 | 500 |
| SC | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $31.52 | $65,560 | 640 |
| VA | Charlottesville, VA | $28.20 | $58,660 | 70 |
| GA | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $29.76 | $61,890 | 240 |
| WY | Cheyenne, WY | $29.35 | $61,040 | 30 |
| WI | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $32.72 | $68,060 | 3,230 |
| CA | Chico, CA | $34.54 | $71,850 | 40 |
| IN | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $31.55 | $65,620 | 820 |
| KY | Clarksville, TN-KY | $28.25 | $58,760 | 70 |
| OH | Cleveland-Elyria, OH | $31.69 | $65,920 | 1,150 |
| ID | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $26.74 | $55,620 | 80 |
| TX | College Station-Bryan, TX | $33.61 | $69,910 | 90 |
| CO | Colorado Springs, CO | $28.28 | $58,820 | 270 |
| MO | Columbia, MO | $30.82 | $64,110 | 90 |
| SC | Columbia, SC | $30.30 | $63,030 | 340 |
| AL | Columbus, GA-AL | $30.25 | $62,910 | 80 |
| OH | Columbus, OH | $31.92 | $66,390 | 1,140 |
| TX | Corpus Christi, TX | $33.31 | $69,290 | 200 |
| FL | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $30.32 | $63,060 | 110 |
| WV | Cumberland, MD-WV | $28.37 | $59,010 | 80 |
| TX | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $37.21 | $77,390 | 2,070 |
| AL | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $28.16 | $58,570 | 60 |
| IL | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $28.11 | $58,460 | 120 |
| OH | Dayton, OH | $30.54 | $63,530 | 370 |
| AL | Decatur, AL | $30.69 | $63,840 | 50 |
| FL | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $29.99 | $62,380 | 220 |
| CO | Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | $31.11 | $64,710 | 730 |
| IA | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $28.44 | $59,160 | 210 |
| MI | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $25.78 | $53,620 | 1,400 |
| AL | Dothan, AL | $27.96 | $58,150 | 80 |
| DE | Dover, DE | $27.77 | $57,770 | 50 |
| IA | Dubuque, IA | $24.84 | $51,670 | 40 |
| WI | Duluth, MN-WI | $28.17 | $58,590 | 80 |
| NC | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $32.28 | $67,130 | 130 |
| WI | Eau Claire, WI | $27.00 | $56,150 | 80 |
| KY | Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY | $28.14 | $58,540 | 60 |
| IN | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $30.23 | $62,880 | 60 |
| TX | El Paso, TX | $31.09 | $64,670 | 240 |
| PA | Erie, PA | $25.06 | $52,130 | 110 |
| OR | Eugene, OR | $29.73 | $61,830 | 80 |
| KY | Evansville, IN-KY | $27.44 | $57,080 | 160 |
| MN | Fargo, ND-MN | $27.78 | $57,780 | 40 |
| NM | Farmington, NM | $25.34 | $52,710 | 40 |
| NC | Fayetteville, NC | $27.78 | $57,790 | 100 |
| MO | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO | $30.21 | $62,840 | 190 |
| AZ | Flagstaff, AZ | $30.61 | $63,670 | 30 |
| MI | Flint, MI | $27.04 | $56,240 | 140 |
| SC | Florence, SC | $32.62 | $67,860 | 80 |
| AL | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $29.48 | $61,320 | 60 |
| WI | Fond du Lac, WI | $29.82 | $62,030 | 30 |
| CO | Fort Collins, CO | $31.92 | $66,400 | 80 |
| OK | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $28.55 | $59,380 | 130 |
| IN | Fort Wayne, IN | $26.25 | $54,600 | 210 |
| CA | Fresno, CA | $33.97 | $70,660 | 210 |
| AL | Gadsden, AL | $29.05 | $60,420 | 100 |
| FL | Gainesville, FL | $29.42 | $61,190 | 120 |
| GA | Gainesville, GA | $28.94 | $60,190 | 60 |
| NC | Goldsboro, NC | $27.87 | $57,970 | 30 |
| NE | Grand Island, NE | $26.44 | $54,990 | 70 |
| CO | Grand Junction, CO | $28.67 | $59,620 | 50 |
| MI | Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | $27.04 | $56,240 | 360 |
| MT | Great Falls, MT | $26.38 | $54,870 | 30 |
| CO | Greeley, CO | $28.99 | $60,300 | 60 |
| WI | Green Bay, WI | $29.01 | $60,340 | 100 |
| NC | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $31.24 | $64,980 | 190 |
| NC | Greenville, NC | $31.04 | $64,570 | 70 |
| SC | Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC | $32.47 | $67,550 | 420 |
| MS | Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS | $30.94 | $64,350 | 140 |
| WV | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $30.03 | $62,470 | 60 |
| LA | Hammond, LA | $25.11 | $52,240 | 40 |
| PA | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $24.95 | $51,900 | 320 |
| MS | Hattiesburg, MS | $23.75 | $49,410 | 80 |
| NC | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $30.13 | $62,680 | 120 |
| SC | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC | $30.40 | $63,240 | 70 |
| FL | Homosassa Springs, FL | $27.59 | $57,380 | 70 |
| AR | Hot Springs, AR | $26.13 | $54,340 | 70 |
| LA | Houma-Thibodaux, LA | $25.51 | $53,050 | 40 |
| TX | Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $37.22 | $77,410 | 1,650 |
| OH | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $28.83 | $59,960 | 180 |
| AL | Huntsville, AL | $29.64 | $61,650 | 180 |
| ID | Idaho Falls, ID | $29.31 | $60,970 | 60 |
| IN | Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN | $29.20 | $60,740 | 720 |
| IA | Iowa City, IA | $28.50 | $59,280 | 80 |
| MI | Jackson, MI | $27.26 | $56,690 | 40 |
| MS | Jackson, MS | $29.05 | $60,420 | 290 |
| FL | Jacksonville, FL | $30.92 | $64,320 | 570 |
| NC | Jacksonville, NC | $25.98 | $54,040 | 40 |
| WI | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $28.18 | $58,600 | 30 |
| MO | Jefferson City, MO | $30.02 | $62,440 | 40 |
| TN | Johnson City, TN | $28.90 | $60,100 | 50 |
| PA | Johnstown, PA | $25.37 | $52,770 | 80 |
| AR | Jonesboro, AR | $30.02 | $62,450 | 150 |
| MO | Joplin, MO | $31.65 | $65,830 | 70 |
| MI | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $27.95 | $58,130 | 80 |
| KS | Kansas City, MO-KS | $32.18 | $66,940 | 560 |
| WA | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $28.58 | $59,440 | 70 |
| TX | Killeen-Temple, TX | $34.02 | $70,750 | 120 |
| VA | Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA | $28.47 | $59,210 | 100 |
| NY | Kingston, NY | $27.35 | $56,880 | 30 |
| TN | Knoxville, TN | $27.40 | $57,000 | 360 |
| MN | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $28.25 | $58,760 | 50 |
| LA | Lafayette, LA | $26.98 | $56,120 | 170 |
| IN | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $28.14 | $58,540 | 60 |
| LA | Lake Charles, LA | $24.89 | $51,770 | 110 |
| AZ | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $27.72 | $57,670 | 60 |
| FL | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $31.24 | $64,970 | 170 |
| PA | Lancaster, PA | $26.32 | $54,740 | 200 |
| MI | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $27.35 | $56,880 | 90 |
| TX | Laredo, TX | $36.26 | $75,420 | 100 |
| NM | Las Cruces, NM | $24.48 | $50,920 | 110 |
| NV | Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV | $34.01 | $70,730 | 450 |
| OK | Lawton, OK | $26.41 | $54,940 | 40 |
| PA | Lebanon, PA | $27.90 | $58,030 | 30 |
| WA | Lewiston, ID-WA | $27.10 | $56,360 | 40 |
| KY | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $28.65 | $59,590 | 250 |
| OH | Lima, OH | $28.71 | $59,710 | 100 |
| NE | Lincoln, NE | $24.93 | $51,850 | 200 |
| AR | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $30.42 | $63,270 | 330 |
| TX | Longview, TX | $33.64 | $69,980 | 100 |
| CA | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $37.38 | $77,750 | 3,040 |
| IN | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $28.69 | $59,680 | 660 |
| TX | Lubbock, TX | $34.25 | $71,240 | 140 |
| VA | Lynchburg, VA | $29.85 | $62,090 | 80 |
| GA | Macon, GA | $28.57 | $59,430 | 90 |
| WI | Madison, WI | $27.27 | $56,720 | 240 |
| KS | Manhattan, KS | $29.09 | $60,520 | 30 |
| OH | Mansfield, OH | $29.56 | $61,480 | 50 |
| PR | Mayaguez, PR | $11.28 | $23,470 | 50 |
| TX | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $34.27 | $71,290 | 300 |
| OR | Medford, OR | $30.65 | $63,750 | 40 |
| AR | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $30.09 | $62,590 | 480 |
| CA | Merced, CA | $30.65 | $63,760 | 40 |
| FL | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $32.06 | $66,670 | 1,780 |
| WI | Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI | $29.76 | $61,890 | 440 |
| WI | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $29.00 | $60,320 | 700 |
| AL | Mobile, AL | $28.24 | $58,750 | 170 |
| CA | Modesto, CA | $32.83 | $68,280 | 150 |
| LA | Monroe, LA | $26.86 | $55,860 | 80 |
| AL | Montgomery, AL | $29.54 | $61,440 | 100 |
| WV | Morgantown, WV | $27.73 | $57,670 | 80 |
| TN | Morristown, TN | $29.11 | $60,560 | 50 |
| WA | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $29.32 | $60,990 | 40 |
| MI | Muskegon, MI | $26.35 | $54,810 | 50 |
| NC | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC | $29.71 | $61,790 | 140 |
| FL | Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL | $33.71 | $70,130 | 120 |
| TN | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $30.64 | $63,730 | 510 |
| NC | New Bern, NC | $28.22 | $58,700 | 50 |
| LA | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $28.88 | $60,070 | 340 |
| PA | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $33.34 | $69,340 | 3,720 |
| MI | Niles-Benton Harbor, MI | $26.12 | $54,330 | 40 |
| FL | North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL | $31.34 | $65,190 | 370 |
| FL | Ocala, FL | $30.67 | $63,790 | 100 |
| TX | Odessa, TX | $33.91 | $70,530 | 50 |
| UT | Ogden-Clearfield, UT | $26.70 | $55,530 | 120 |
| OK | Oklahoma City, OK | $27.04 | $56,250 | 610 |
| WA | Olympia-Tumwater, WA | $31.02 | $64,520 | 60 |
| IA | Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA | $28.44 | $59,150 | 400 |
| FL | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $34.12 | $70,960 | 860 |
| KY | Owensboro, KY | $29.16 | $60,650 | 70 |
| CA | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $33.86 | $70,430 | 250 |
| FL | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $30.79 | $64,050 | 210 |
| FL | Panama City, FL | $30.49 | $63,410 | 90 |
| WV | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $26.56 | $55,240 | 50 |
| FL | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $30.82 | $64,100 | 220 |
| IL | Peoria, IL | $28.16 | $58,570 | 100 |
| MD | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $30.11 | $62,630 | 1,970 |
| AZ | Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | $30.63 | $63,710 | 930 |
| PA | Pittsburgh, PA | $25.74 | $53,550 | 770 |
| ID | Pocatello, ID | $20.86 | $43,390 | 60 |
| PR | Ponce, PR | $11.38 | $23,670 | 90 |
| WA | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $30.98 | $64,430 | 500 |
| FL | Port St. Lucie, FL | $29.87 | $62,140 | 180 |
| AZ | Prescott, AZ | $32.88 | $68,380 | 40 |
| UT | Provo-Orem, UT | $28.47 | $59,220 | 110 |
| CO | Pueblo, CO | $26.62 | $55,380 | 90 |
| FL | Punta Gorda, FL | $30.94 | $64,360 | 70 |
| WI | Racine, WI | $25.93 | $53,940 | 80 |
| NC | Raleigh, NC | $30.40 | $63,230 | 250 |
| SD | Rapid City, SD | $23.06 | $47,960 | 40 |
| PA | Reading, PA | $29.41 | $61,170 | 100 |
| CA | Redding, CA | $33.62 | $69,940 | 70 |
| NV | Reno, NV | $26.79 | $55,730 | 100 |
| VA | Richmond, VA | $30.46 | $63,360 | 350 |
| CA | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $37.54 | $78,090 | 830 |
| VA | Roanoke, VA | $31.71 | $65,960 | 150 |
| NY | Rochester, NY | $26.72 | $55,570 | 220 |
| IL | Rockford, IL | $29.07 | $60,470 | 90 |
| NC | Rocky Mount, NC | $30.52 | $63,480 | 60 |
| GA | Rome, GA | $29.75 | $61,890 | 50 |
| CA | Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA | $38.82 | $80,740 | 430 |
| MI | Saginaw, MI | $27.42 | $57,030 | 90 |
| MN | St. Cloud, MN | $28.38 | $59,030 | 50 |
| UT | St. George, UT | $32.24 | $67,060 | 70 |
| IL | St. Louis, MO-IL | $30.23 | $62,870 | 1,160 |
| OR | Salem, OR | $29.88 | $62,150 | 70 |
| CA | Salinas, CA | $35.05 | $72,910 | 60 |
| DE | Salisbury, MD-DE | $30.65 | $63,750 | 130 |
| UT | Salt Lake City, UT | $30.93 | $64,330 | 240 |
| TX | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $35.27 | $73,370 | 850 |
| CA | San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | $38.49 | $80,060 | 840 |
| CA | San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $43.03 | $89,510 | 960 |
| CA | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $45.61 | $94,860 | 260 |
| PR | San Juan-Carolina-Caguas, PR | $12.36 | $25,700 | 510 |
| CA | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA | $33.26 | $69,190 | 60 |
| NM | Santa Fe, NM | $27.37 | $56,930 | 40 |
| CA | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $38.11 | $79,260 | 70 |
| CA | Santa Rosa, CA | $38.27 | $79,600 | 70 |
| GA | Savannah, GA | $32.90 | $68,420 | 140 |
| PA | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA | $26.43 | $54,960 | 200 |
| WA | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $31.81 | $66,160 | 800 |
| FL | Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | $31.41 | $65,320 | 80 |
| TX | Sherman-Denison, TX | $32.15 | $66,880 | 50 |
| LA | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $29.18 | $60,690 | 180 |
| SD | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $26.56 | $55,240 | 50 |
| SD | Sioux Falls, SD | $24.41 | $50,770 | 100 |
| MI | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $28.36 | $58,980 | 70 |
| SC | Spartanburg, SC | $31.76 | $66,050 | 120 |
| WA | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $28.34 | $58,940 | 190 |
| IL | Springfield, IL | $29.31 | $60,960 | 60 |
| MO | Springfield, MO | $27.73 | $57,670 | 140 |
| OH | Springfield, OH | $31.30 | $65,090 | 60 |
| PA | State College, PA | $26.57 | $55,260 | 50 |
| CA | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $34.78 | $72,350 | 100 |
| NY | Syracuse, NY | $26.62 | $55,370 | 170 |
| FL | Tallahassee, FL | $29.49 | $61,330 | 100 |
| FL | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $32.56 | $67,720 | 1,130 |
| IN | Terre Haute, IN | $28.70 | $59,700 | 50 |
| AR | Texarkana, TX-AR | $35.22 | $73,260 | 60 |
| FL | The Villages, FL | $30.15 | $62,710 | 50 |
| OH | Toledo, OH | $31.34 | $65,180 | 410 |
| KS | Topeka, KS | $28.82 | $59,950 | 110 |
| NJ | Trenton, NJ | $35.27 | $73,370 | 50 |
| AZ | Tucson, AZ | $30.05 | $62,500 | 260 |
| OK | Tulsa, OK | $27.98 | $58,210 | 400 |
| AL | Tuscaloosa, AL | $30.21 | $62,840 | 80 |
| TX | Tyler, TX | $33.59 | $69,860 | 120 |
| HI | Urban Honolulu, HI | $31.18 | $64,850 | 190 |
| NY | Utica-Rome, NY | $25.46 | $52,950 | 80 |
| GA | Valdosta, GA | $29.04 | $60,390 | 50 |
| CA | Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | $36.23 | $75,360 | 50 |
| TX | Victoria, TX | $32.85 | $68,320 | 90 |
| NC | Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | $28.91 | $60,130 | 520 |
| CA | Visalia-Porterville, CA | $35.82 | $74,510 | 80 |
| TX | Waco, TX | $31.50 | $65,530 | 90 |
| GA | Warner Robins, GA | $27.03 | $56,220 | 80 |
| WV | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $33.83 | $70,370 | 1,130 |
| IA | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $28.50 | $59,280 | 60 |
| OH | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $26.76 | $55,660 | 40 |
| WA | Wenatchee, WA | $29.84 | $62,060 | 30 |
| OH | Wheeling, WV-OH | $27.92 | $58,080 | 70 |
| KS | Wichita, KS | $29.50 | $61,370 | 160 |
| TX | Wichita Falls, TX | $32.83 | $68,280 | 50 |
| PA | Williamsport, PA | $27.64 | $57,500 | 60 |
| NC | Wilmington, NC | $29.47 | $61,300 | 70 |
| WV | Winchester, VA-WV | $28.60 | $59,490 | 60 |
| NC | Winston-Salem, NC | $30.61 | $63,670 | 190 |
| WA | Yakima, WA | $29.30 | $60,950 | 60 |
| PA | York-Hanover, PA | $28.12 | $58,490 | 100 |
| PA | Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA | $27.15 | $56,470 | 370 |
| CA | Yuba City, CA | $36.49 | $75,890 | 50 |
| AZ | Yuma, AZ | $26.38 | $54,870 | 40 |
| ME | Bangor, ME | $27.35 | $56,880 | 60 |
| MA | Barnstable Town, MA | $35.68 | $74,210 | 60 |
| NH | Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | $34.45 | $71,660 | 1,330 |
| CT | Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT | $33.23 | $69,120 | 230 |
| VT | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $31.63 | $65,790 | 40 |
| ME | Dover-Durham, NH-ME | $29.48 | $61,320 | 30 |
| CT | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $33.68 | $70,060 | 300 |
| ME | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $29.68 | $61,730 | 50 |
| NH | Manchester, NH | $30.53 | $63,500 | 50 |
| MA | New Bedford, MA | $32.32 | $67,220 | 70 |
| CT | New Haven, CT | $34.34 | $71,430 | 140 |
| RI | Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI | $32.68 | $67,980 | 50 |
| ME | Portland-South Portland, ME | $29.12 | $60,570 | 140 |
| ME | Portsmouth, NH-ME | $31.75 | $66,040 | 50 |
| MA | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $32.16 | $66,880 | 430 |
| CT | Springfield, MA-CT | $32.27 | $67,120 | 220 |
| CT | Waterbury, CT | $34.21 | $71,160 | 40 |
| CT | Worcester, MA-CT | $29.93 | $62,260 | 180 |
Top Paying Industries for PTAs
Physical Therapist Assistants are earning around $30 per hour in the top 5 paying industries they work in. Home healthcare services is currently the highest-paying sector for PTAs, as you can earn $78,360 per year which comes out to $37.67 per hour.
Hourly | Annually | |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health Care Services | $37.67 | $78,360 |
| Employment Services | $35.18 | $73,180 |
| Nursing Care Facilities | $35.00 | $72,800 |
| Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals | $34.47 | $71,700 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities | $33.46 | $69,600 |
PTA Salary Outlook
For 2023, the average salary for PTAs is $64,510. Here are the top-paying cities and metro areas for physical therapist assistants in 2023.
| Metropolitan area | Total Employed | Hourly wage | Annual salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 260 | $ 45.61 | $ 94,860 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | 960 | $ 43.03 | $ 89,510 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA | 430 | $ 38.82 | $ 80,740 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | 840 | $ 38.49 | $ 80,060 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | 70 | $ 38.27 | $ 79,600 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 70 | $ 38.11 | $ 79,260 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 830 | $ 37.54 | $ 78,090 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,040 | $ 37.38 | $ 77,750 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 1,650 | $ 37.22 | $ 77,410 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,070 | $ 37.21 | $ 77,390 |
Physical therapist assistants are paid well. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median salary earned by PTAs in 2017 was $57,620, where the highest-paid PTA earned $72,720 and the lowest-paid earned about $32,420. The higher-paid physical therapy assistants generally worked for nursing care facilities or private home health care service companies. The highest-paid metro areas for careers as a PTA are San Antonio – TX, McAllen – TX, and Lakeland – FL.
Highest Paying Cities for Physical Therapist Assistants
You may want to know the cities offering the most income for PTAs so that you can make a career or move decision. Here are the 5 top paying cities in 2017 for a physical therapy assistant salary. Today in 2023, these are still some very well-paid areas to work.
Lakeland, Florida – Average PTA Salary: $77,230
- On average, PTAs in Lakeland earn a salary of $77,230 which is $25,070 higher than the average physical therapist assistant salary.
San Antonio, Texas – Average PTA Salary: $75,840
- In San Antonio, PTAs earn an average annual income of $75,840 which is $23,680 more than the median PTA salary.
McAllen, Texas – Average PTA Salary: $75,490
- PTAs in Mcallen are earning $23,330 higher than the average PTA, which comes out to $75,490 per year.
Modesto, California – Average PTA Salary: $72,310
- On average, PTAs in Modesto earn $20,150 higher than the average physical therapist assistant salary; bringing in $72,310 each year.
Victoria, Texas – Average PTA Salary: $71,700
- PTAs in Victoria earn $19,540 more than the median salary for physical therapy assistants, coming out to $71,700.
Highest Paid Nonmetropolitan Regions for PTAs
If you prefer a non-metropolitan town, then working in Eastern or Northwestern Texas is the highest-paid location for you offering over $75,000 per year.
Non-metro area | Hourly Wage | Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Texas | $36.96 | $76,870 |
| Northwestern Texas | $34.10 | $70,930 |
| South Central Tennessee | $32.70 | $68,010 |
| Gulf Coast Texas | $32.58 | $67,760 |
| North Central Texas | $32.39 | $67,370 |
Physical Therapy Assistant Average Salary vs. Related Health Care Jobs
As you can see, those interested in a PTA career can expect to earn a highly competitive salary, especially for the cost of the shorter 2-year degree compared to a 4-year college degree. In fact, PTAs earn more than most other allied healthcare careers.
Here are some related healthcare salaries compared to a PTA average annual salary of $64,510 :
- Dental Assistants average $44,710.
- Medical Assistants bring in an average of $40,700
- Pharmacy Technicians’ average income is $40,260
- Nursing Aides earn an average salary of $36,220
Plus, becoming a physical therapy assistant always leaves you with the option of pursuing additional education to meet the requirements to become a physical therapist, who earns as much as $81,110 per year.
PTA Salary: Associate’s Degree vs Bachelor’s Degree
Some physical therapist assistants have an associate degree while others have a bachelor’s degree. Depending on the degree you hold and the PTA job that you have, you may earn a slightly different wage. Below is a PTA salary comparison for physical therapist assistants with associate’s degrees vs bachelor’s degrees with data provided from salary.com surveys to physical therapist assistants across the US.
- PTA Salary range with an Associate’s Degree: $55,787 – $59,770
- PTA Salary range with a Bachelor’s Degree: $58,064 – $61,066
All data presented here was collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2022 Edition, Physical Therapist Assistants, on the Internet on this page
