This page contains the most 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: February 3rd, 2021
Page Contents
The most recent salary data from May 2017 shows the average annual physical therapy assistant salary to be: $58,790 (hourly pay: $28.26). While a physical therapist assistant salary of $47,690 was attributed to the bottom 25% of PTA wage earners and $80,840 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 $13 more per hour.
| Hourly Rate | Weekly Pay | Monthly Pay | Yearly Income | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTAs | $28.26 | $1,130 | $4,899 | $58,790 |
| General PT | $41.59 | $1,663 | $7,210 | $86,520 |
PTA Salary by State
PTAs are earning a wide range of salaries in different states. Annual PTA salaries range from $44,390 to $69,870. 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 | $26.44 | $1,057.60 | $4,574.12 | $55,000 | 1,890 |
| Alaska | $30.85 | $1,234.00 | $5,337.05 | $64,170 | NA |
| Arizona | $27.80 | $1,112.00 | $4,809.40 | $57,810 | 1,400 |
| Arkansas | $26.91 | $1,076.40 | $4,655.43 | $55,960 | 1,010 |
| California | $30.50 | $1,220.00 | $5,276.50 | $63,440 | 5,120 |
| Colorado | $26.10 | $1,044.00 | $4,515.30 | $54,290 | 1,270 |
| Connecticut | $30.51 | $1,220.40 | $5,278.23 | $63,470 | 680 |
| Delaware | $25.52 | $1,020.80 | $4,414.96 | $53,070 | 350 |
| District of Columbia | $18.62 | $744.80 | $3,221.26 | $38,720 | 160 |
| Florida | $29.81 | $1,192.40 | $5,157.13 | $62,000 | 5,880 |
| Georgia | $27.33 | $1,093.20 | $4,728.09 | $56,850 | 2,170 |
| Hawaii | $26.89 | $1,075.60 | $4,651.97 | $55,940 | 210 |
| Idaho | $21.48 | $859.20 | $3,716.04 | $44,680 | 360 |
| Illinois | $27.83 | $1,113.20 | $4,814.59 | $57,880 | 4,680 |
| Indiana | $27.18 | $1,087.20 | $4,702.14 | $56,530 | 2,840 |
| Iowa | $22.57 | $902.80 | $3,904.61 | $46,940 | 980 |
| Kansas | $25.66 | $1,026.40 | $4,439.18 | $53,380 | 1,210 |
| Kentucky | $26.24 | $1,049.60 | $4,539.52 | $54,580 | 1,680 |
| Louisiana | $23.24 | $929.60 | $4,020.52 | $48,340 | 1,530 |
| Maine | $25.06 | $1,002.40 | $4,335.38 | $52,130 | 280 |
| Maryland | $28.72 | $1,148.80 | $4,968.56 | $59,730 | 1,520 |
| Massachusetts | $30.65 | $1,226.00 | $5,302.45 | $63,760 | 2,720 |
| Michigan | $24.56 | $982.40 | $4,248.88 | $51,090 | 3,870 |
| Minnesota | $25.76 | $1,030.40 | $4,456.48 | $53,580 | 1,410 |
| Mississippi | $23.84 | $953.60 | $4,124.32 | $49,600 | 930 |
| Missouri | $26.01 | $1,040.40 | $4,499.73 | $54,110 | 2,200 |
| Montana | $22.37 | $894.80 | $3,870.01 | $46,520 | 160 |
| Nebraska | $22.41 | $896.40 | $3,876.93 | $46,600 | 790 |
| Nevada | $30.64 | $1,225.60 | $5,300.72 | $63,740 | 630 |
| New Hampshire | $28.53 | $1,141.20 | $4,935.69 | $59,330 | 430 |
| New Jersey | $32.98 | $1,319.20 | $5,705.54 | $68,590 | 1,430 |
| New Mexico | $24.71 | $988.40 | $4,274.83 | $51,390 | 480 |
| New York | $26.56 | $1,062.40 | $4,594.88 | $55,250 | 4,320 |
| North Carolina | $28.34 | $1,133.60 | $4,902.82 | $58,940 | 2,790 |
| North Dakota | $22.38 | $895.20 | $3,871.74 | $46,540 | 140 |
| Ohio | $27.63 | $1,105.20 | $4,779.99 | $57,470 | 5,900 |
| Oklahoma | $29.63 | $1,185.20 | $5,125.99 | $61,630 | 1,320 |
| Oregon | $28.48 | $1,139.20 | $4,927.04 | $59,230 | 750 |
| Pennsylvania | $25.15 | $1,006.00 | $4,350.95 | $52,320 | 5,180 |
| Rhode Island | $29.86 | $1,194.40 | $5,165.78 | $62,100 | 270 |
| South Carolina | $27.10 | $1,084.00 | $4,688.30 | $56,360 | 1,290 |
| South Dakota | $19.05 | $762.00 | $3,295.65 | $39,630 | 250 |
| Tennessee | $27.92 | $1,116.80 | $4,830.16 | $58,080 | 2,820 |
| Texas | $33.29 | $1,331.60 | $5,759.17 | $69,240 | 7,240 |
| Utah | $25.92 | $1,036.80 | $4,484.16 | $53,920 | 710 |
| Vermont | $25.73 | $1,029.20 | $4,451.29 | $53,510 | 190 |
| Virginia | $29.30 | $1,172.00 | $5,068.90 | $60,940 | 2,650 |
| Washington | $27.44 | $1,097.60 | $4,747.12 | $57,070 | 1,290 |
| West Virginia | $23.20 | $928.00 | $4,013.60 | $48,250 | 740 |
| Wisconsin | $25.41 | $1,016.40 | $4,395.93 | $52,850 | 1,640 |
| Wyoming | $24.44 | $977.60 | $4,228.12 | $50,830 | 170 |
| Puerto Rico | $10.12 | $404.80 | $1,750.76 | $21,050 | 750 |
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 | Tyler, TX | $40.13 | $83,470 | ** |
| TX | Killeen-Temple, TX | $38.24 | $79,550 | 110 |
| CA | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $37.11 | $77,180 | 100 |
| TX | Victoria, TX | $36.88 | $76,720 | 210 |
| TX | Texarkana, TX-AR | $36.52 | $75,960 | 40 |
| TX | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $36.22 | $75,340 | 620 |
| TX | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $36.16 | $75,220 | 70 |
| TN | Morristown, TN | $36.14 | $75,170 | 70 |
| TX | Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | $36.08 | $75,040 | 1,740 |
| TX | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $35.02 | $72,830 | 230 |
| FL | Sebring, FL | $34.80 | $72,380 | 40 |
| CA | San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA Metropolitan Division | $34.67 | $72,110 | 80 |
| TX | Laredo, TX | $34.26 | $71,260 | 80 |
| TX | Wichita Falls, TX | $34.02 | $70,770 | 80 |
| VA | Staunton-Waynesboro, VA | $33.94 | $70,590 | ** |
| TX | Waco, TX | $33.83 | $70,370 | 80 |
| OH | Dayton, OH | $33.73 | $70,160 | 420 |
| MD | Silver Spring-Frederick-Rockville, MD Metropolitan Division | $33.59 | $69,880 | 230 |
| CA | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $33.30 | $69,270 | 410 |
| FL | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $33.22 | $69,100 | 200 |
| NV | Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV | $33.03 | $68,700 | 490 |
| FL | The Villages, FL | $33.02 | $68,670 | 70 |
| VA | Lynchburg, VA | $32.86 | $68,340 | 120 |
| TX | Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $32.72 | $68,050 | 1,180 |
| NJ | Newark, NJ-PA Metropolitan Division | $32.52 | $67,630 | 330 |
| CA | Fresno, CA | $32.40 | $67,390 | 80 |
| FL | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $32.30 | $67,180 | 230 |
| FL | Port St. Lucie, FL | $32.20 | $66,980 | 140 |
| NH | Manchester, NH | $32.14 | $66,850 | 80 |
| VA | Charlottesville, VA | $32.02 | $66,600 | 30 |
| FL | Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL | $32.00 | $66,570 | 100 |
| TX | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $31.98 | $66,520 | 100 |
| NJ | Camden, NJ Metropolitan Division | $31.83 | $66,200 | 160 |
| MD | Cumberland, MD-WV | $31.82 | $66,180 | 120 |
| UT | St. George, UT | $31.68 | $65,890 | 70 |
| FL | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $31.43 | $65,380 | 610 |
| LA | Hammond, LA | $31.36 | $65,220 | 40 |
| MA | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA NECTA Division | $31.32 | $65,150 | 1,120 |
| FL | Tallahassee, FL | $31.29 | $65,090 | 160 |
| FL | Ocala, FL | $31.22 | $64,940 | 130 |
| TX | Longview, TX | $31.06 | $64,610 | 50 |
| FL | North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL | $31.00 | $64,490 | 380 |
| MA | Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA NECTA Division | $30.95 | $64,370 | 140 |
| CA | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $30.93 | $64,340 | 50 |
| OK | Tulsa, OK | $30.93 | $64,330 | 470 |
| TX | Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Division | $30.92 | $64,320 | 360 |
| OR | Salem, OR | $30.84 | $64,140 | 70 |
| TX | Lubbock, TX | $30.79 | $64,050 | 100 |
| VA | Harrisonburg, VA | $30.75 | $63,950 | 50 |
| CA | Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA | $30.74 | $63,940 | 380 |
| CT | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $30.67 | $63,780 | 330 |
| FL | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $30.65 | $63,760 | 600 |
| NY | Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY Metropolitan Division | $30.60 | $63,640 | 840 |
| NJ | Trenton, NJ | $30.58 | $63,600 | 40 |
| VA | Roanoke, VA | $30.48 | $63,390 | 190 |
| SC | Spartanburg, SC | $30.45 | $63,330 | 80 |
| FL | Gainesville, FL | $30.44 | $63,320 | 60 |
| MA | Pittsfield, MA | $30.32 | $63,070 | 50 |
| TX | College Station-Bryan, TX | $30.29 | $63,010 | 50 |
| WA | Wenatchee, WA | $30.29 | $63,000 | 30 |
| NC | New Bern, NC | $30.23 | $62,880 | 80 |
| FL | Jacksonville, FL | $30.18 | $62,780 | 380 |
| MA | Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH NECTA Division | $30.18 | $62,780 | 70 |
| FL | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $30.14 | $62,680 | 100 |
| CA | Modesto, CA | $30.09 | $62,580 | 60 |
| AR | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO | $30.04 | $62,490 | 130 |
| MA | Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem, MA-NH NECTA Division | $29.94 | $62,280 | 110 |
| MD | Salisbury, MD-DE | $29.92 | $62,240 | 90 |
| OH | Cleveland-Elyria, OH | $29.92 | $62,230 | 1,060 |
| MA | Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, MA NECTA Division | $29.80 | $61,990 | 40 |
| MA | Taunton-Middleborough-Norton, MA NECTA Division | $29.75 | $61,890 | 30 |
| TX | Amarillo, TX | $29.74 | $61,860 | 80 |
| FL | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $29.73 | $61,840 | 260 |
| AK | Anchorage, AK | $29.59 | $61,550 | ** |
| MA | New Bedford, MA | $29.56 | $61,490 | 110 |
| IL | Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division | $29.55 | $61,470 | 2,430 |
| RI | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $29.52 | $61,390 | 340 |
| TN | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $29.49 | $61,350 | 380 |
| TX | El Paso, TX | $29.50 | $61,350 | 360 |
| CT | Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT | $29.48 | $61,320 | 110 |
| NY | New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | $29.45 | $61,250 | 2,410 |
| MA | Springfield, MA-CT | $29.42 | $61,200 | 290 |
| FL | West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Delray Beach, FL Metropolitan Division | $29.32 | $60,980 | 440 |
| CT | New Haven, CT | $29.31 | $60,970 | 120 |
| MA | Peabody-Salem-Beverly, MA NECTA Division | $29.31 | $60,960 | 100 |
| TX | Austin-Round Rock, TX | $29.29 | $60,920 | 490 |
| NC | Winston-Salem, NC | $29.28 | $60,910 | 150 |
| AL | Huntsville, AL | $29.20 | $60,730 | 150 |
| CT | Waterbury, CT | $29.10 | $60,530 | 40 |
| IN | Terre Haute, IN | $29.10 | $60,520 | 70 |
| FL | Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | $29.03 | $60,390 | 60 |
| SC | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC | $29.03 | $60,380 | 110 |
| MI | Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division | $29.00 | $60,330 | 1,320 |
| CA | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | $29.00 | $60,310 | 1,400 |
| AL | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $28.98 | $60,290 | 80 |
| CO | Grand Junction, CO | $28.99 | $60,290 | 40 |
| DE | Dover, DE | $28.95 | $60,210 | 30 |
| OR | Medford, OR | $28.94 | $60,200 | 60 |
| NC | Wilmington, NC | $28.94 | $60,190 | 70 |
| WA | Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division | $28.91 | $60,130 | 480 |
| NC | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $28.82 | $59,940 | 80 |
| OK | Oklahoma City, OK | $28.82 | $59,940 | 430 |
| SC | Florence, SC | $28.81 | $59,920 | 70 |
| AR | Jonesboro, AR | $28.80 | $59,890 | 100 |
| MA | Barnstable Town, MA | $28.79 | $59,880 | 150 |
| VA | Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | $28.77 | $59,840 | 590 |
| NC | Greenville, NC | $28.75 | $59,810 | 60 |
| IN | Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN | $28.65 | $59,580 | 1,030 |
| IL | Peoria, IL | $28.60 | $59,490 | 160 |
| CA | Oakland-Hayward-Berkeley, CA Metropolitan Division | $28.54 | $59,370 | 210 |
| CA | Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division | $28.54 | $59,360 | 700 |
| WA | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $28.53 | $59,350 | 70 |
| OR | Eugene, OR | $28.52 | $59,330 | 70 |
| OH | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $28.46 | $59,200 | 890 |
| TN | Jackson, TN | $28.37 | $59,010 | 150 |
| CA | Bakersfield, CA | $28.34 | $58,940 | 100 |
| NH | Dover-Durham, NH-ME | $28.32 | $58,910 | 30 |
| FL | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $28.29 | $58,840 | 150 |
| NC | Goldsboro, NC | $28.22 | $58,700 | 40 |
| OH | Akron, OH | $28.21 | $58,680 | 230 |
| CA | Santa Rosa, CA | $28.21 | $58,670 | 60 |
| WA | Bellingham, WA | $28.20 | $58,660 | 30 |
| CA | Chico, CA | $28.15 | $58,550 | 60 |
| FL | Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metropolitan Division | $28.12 | $58,490 | 540 |
| VA | Winchester, VA-WV | $28.03 | $58,290 | 40 |
| OR | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $27.99 | $58,220 | 490 |
| TN | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $27.99 | $58,210 | 490 |
| PA | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $27.96 | $58,160 | 220 |
| NC | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $27.92 | $58,070 | 480 |
| NC | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $27.92 | $58,060 | 190 |
| FL | Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, FL Metropolitan Division | $27.90 | $58,040 | 510 |
| CA | San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | $27.89 | $58,010 | 510 |
| MD | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $27.85 | $57,920 | 790 |
| NC | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $27.66 | $57,540 | 140 |
| AR | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $27.66 | $57,530 | 290 |
| MA | Leominster-Gardner, MA | $27.66 | $57,530 | 70 |
| NH | Portsmouth, NH-ME | $27.65 | $57,510 | 70 |
| MO | Joplin, MO | $27.63 | $57,460 | 50 |
| OH | Springfield, OH | $27.61 | $57,420 | 70 |
| IL | Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metropolitan Division | $27.58 | $57,360 | 160 |
| NC | Asheville, NC | $27.57 | $57,350 | 220 |
| OH | Mansfield, OH | $27.56 | $57,320 | 60 |
| TX | Corpus Christi, TX | $27.51 | $57,230 | 200 |
| NC | Raleigh, NC | $27.51 | $57,220 | 240 |
| AL | Auburn-Opelika, AL | $27.45 | $57,090 | 40 |
| FL | Homosassa Springs, FL | $27.45 | $57,090 | 120 |
| OH | Columbus, OH | $27.42 | $57,030 | 650 |
| DE | Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division | $27.39 | $56,970 | 290 |
| VA | Richmond, VA | $27.37 | $56,920 | 380 |
| WV | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $27.34 | $56,870 | 190 |
| KY | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $27.32 | $56,820 | 640 |
| OH | Toledo, OH | $27.32 | $56,820 | 450 |
| AR | Hot Springs, AR | $27.25 | $56,680 | 50 |
| TN | Knoxville, TN | $27.22 | $56,620 | 390 |
| AZ | Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | $27.18 | $56,540 | 1,020 |
| WA | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $27.18 | $56,540 | 80 |
| AL | Mobile, AL | $27.16 | $56,500 | 130 |
| GA | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $27.15 | $56,470 | 40 |
| IN | Kokomo, IN | $27.14 | $56,440 | 100 |
| WA | Tacoma-Lakewood, WA Metropolitan Division | $27.13 | $56,430 | 100 |
| MO | Columbia, MO | $27.11 | $56,400 | 50 |
| WA | Yakima, WA | $27.11 | $56,380 | 30 |
| CO | Pueblo, CO | $27.09 | $56,350 | 100 |
| VA | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $27.08 | $56,330 | 50 |
| PA | York-Hanover, PA | $27.01 | $56,180 | 200 |
| OH | Canton-Massillon, OH | $27.00 | $56,160 | 430 |
| AL | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $26.92 | $55,990 | 90 |
| CA | Redding, CA | $26.90 | $55,960 | 80 |
| IL | Springfield, IL | $26.91 | $55,960 | 70 |
| AL | Tuscaloosa, AL | $26.89 | $55,920 | 100 |
| NH | Nashua, NH-MA NECTA Division | $26.83 | $55,800 | 70 |
| MI | Ann Arbor, MI | $26.82 | $55,780 | 120 |
| WI | Fond du Lac, WI | $26.82 | $55,780 | 40 |
| KS | Wichita, KS | $26.81 | $55,760 | 170 |
| AL | Gadsden, AL | $26.79 | $55,720 | 110 |
| PA | Reading, PA | $26.79 | $55,720 | 150 |
| ME | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $26.74 | $55,620 | 40 |
| WI | Appleton, WI | $26.72 | $55,580 | 70 |
| CA | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $26.70 | $55,540 | 110 |
| MA | Worcester, MA-CT | $26.69 | $55,510 | 210 |
| CA | Visalia-Porterville, CA | $26.68 | $55,490 | 50 |
| CT | Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI | $26.68 | $55,490 | 30 |
| NY | Utica-Rome, NY | $26.67 | $55,470 | ** |
| LA | Monroe, LA | $26.66 | $55,450 | ** |
| MI | Jackson, MI | $26.56 | $55,250 | 60 |
| PA | Lancaster, PA | $26.56 | $55,240 | 250 |
| MO | Springfield, MO | $26.53 | $55,180 | 250 |
| MN | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $26.51 | $55,130 | 840 |
| AR | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $26.50 | $55,120 | 100 |
| MD | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $26.49 | $55,090 | 70 |
| MI | Battle Creek, MI | $26.47 | $55,060 | 50 |
| OH | Lima, OH | $26.47 | $55,060 | 50 |
| AL | Decatur, AL | $26.45 | $55,010 | 60 |
| HI | Urban Honolulu, HI | $26.43 | $54,970 | 180 |
| FL | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $26.37 | $54,850 | 80 |
| PA | Montgomery County-Bucks County-Chester County, PA Metropolitan Division | $26.37 | $54,840 | 810 |
| CO | Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | $26.36 | $54,830 | 620 |
| SC | Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC | $26.34 | $54,800 | 410 |
| WV | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $26.34 | $54,780 | 40 |
| AL | Dothan, AL | $26.32 | $54,740 | 120 |
| SC | Columbia, SC | $26.30 | $54,710 | 210 |
| AL | Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL | $26.23 | $54,570 | 60 |
| WI | Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI | $26.17 | $54,420 | 430 |
| WI | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $26.12 | $54,330 | 40 |
| AL | Montgomery, AL | $26.09 | $54,260 | 140 |
| UT | Ogden-Clearfield, UT | $26.07 | $54,230 | 140 |
| SC | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $26.06 | $54,200 | 150 |
| KY | Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY | $26.04 | $54,170 | 50 |
| UT | Salt Lake City, UT | $25.97 | $54,010 | 280 |
| IN | Bloomington, IN | $25.91 | $53,890 | ** |
| WI | Green Bay, WI | $25.86 | $53,790 | 100 |
| IA | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $25.84 | $53,760 | 90 |
| TX | Sherman-Denison, TX | $25.83 | $53,730 | 40 |
| TX | Midland, TX | $25.80 | $53,670 | ** |
| LA | Baton Rouge, LA | $25.80 | $53,660 | 250 |
| MS | Hattiesburg, MS | $25.79 | $53,640 | 40 |
| IL | Elgin, IL Metropolitan Division | $25.73 | $53,530 | 370 |
| WV | Wheeling, WV-OH | $25.74 | $53,530 | 30 |
| SC | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC | $25.71 | $53,470 | 70 |
| GA | Macon, GA | $25.70 | $53,460 | 70 |
| IL | Bloomington, IL | $25.65 | $53,350 | 50 |
| OH | Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA | $25.62 | $53,290 | 500 |
| MO | Kansas City, MO-KS | $25.61 | $53,270 | 950 |
| PA | East Stroudsburg, PA | $25.61 | $53,270 | 40 |
| KY | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $25.60 | $53,260 | 210 |
| IN | Muncie, IN | $25.58 | $53,200 | 60 |
| GA | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $25.51 | $53,060 | 130 |
| PA | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $25.49 | $53,010 | 240 |
| WV | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $25.45 | $52,930 | 60 |
| GA | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $25.44 | $52,910 | 1,190 |
| AZ | Tucson, AZ | $25.42 | $52,870 | 190 |
| IA | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $25.40 | $52,830 | 120 |
| PA | Erie, PA | $25.40 | $52,830 | 200 |
| CA | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $25.36 | $52,760 | 60 |
| PA | Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA | $25.34 | $52,700 | 60 |
| DC | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division | $25.33 | $52,690 | 1,170 |
| TN | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $25.33 | $52,680 | 280 |
| WI | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $25.31 | $52,640 | 40 |
| IA | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $25.27 | $52,570 | 80 |
| MO | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $25.24 | $52,500 | 80 |
| FL | Panama City, FL | $25.22 | $52,460 | 80 |
| IN | Fort Wayne, IN | $25.13 | $52,260 | 250 |
| TN | Clarksville, TN-KY | $25.10 | $52,210 | 90 |
| VT | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $25.10 | $52,210 | ** |
| AL | Birmingham-Hoover, AL | $25.08 | $58,790 | 460 |
| KS | Topeka, KS | $25.06 | $52,130 | 180 |
| GA | Savannah, GA | $25.05 | $52,100 | 70 |
| MI | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $25.01 | $52,010 | 90 |
| PA | Gettysburg, PA | $25.00 | $51,990 | 40 |
| PA | State College, PA | $24.99 | $51,990 | 60 |
| MO | Jefferson City, MO | $24.80 | $51,590 | 40 |
| WY | Cheyenne, WY | $24.79 | $51,560 | 30 |
| PA | Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division | $24.78 | $51,540 | 620 |
| PA | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA | $24.78 | $51,540 | 250 |
| IN | Evansville, IN-KY | $24.75 | $51,480 | 210 |
| IL | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $24.74 | $51,460 | 120 |
| IL | Rockford, IL | $24.68 | $51,330 | 100 |
| MO | St. Louis, MO-IL | $24.67 | $51,310 | 1,170 |
| NM | Albuquerque, NM | $24.65 | $51,270 | 220 |
| IN | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $24.64 | $51,260 | 30 |
| GA | Gainesville, GA | $24.62 | $51,210 | 30 |
| ME | Portland-South Portland, ME | $24.59 | $51,150 | 60 |
| TN | Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA | $24.48 | $50,910 | 230 |
| KY | Owensboro, KY | $24.45 | $50,870 | 60 |
| NY | Dutchess County-Putnam County, NY Metropolitan Division | $24.45 | $50,850 | 70 |
| NC | Fayetteville, NC | $24.42 | $50,780 | 110 |
| PA | Williamsport, PA | $24.38 | $50,700 | 40 |
| PA | Pittsburgh, PA | $24.34 | $50,620 | 1,060 |
| LA | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $24.31 | $50,560 | 160 |
| NE | Grand Island, NE | $24.31 | $50,560 | 70 |
| ID | Lewiston, ID-WA | $24.29 | $50,520 | 40 |
| MN | Rochester, MN | $24.24 | $50,420 | 50 |
| MI | Saginaw, MI | $24.20 | $50,330 | 100 |
| AZ | Prescott, AZ | $24.19 | $50,310 | 50 |
| AZ | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $24.16 | $50,250 | 50 |
| KY | Bowling Green, KY | $24.09 | $50,110 | 80 |
| NY | Glens Falls, NY | $23.90 | $49,710 | 50 |
| WA | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $23.85 | $49,610 | 190 |
| NY | Kingston, NY | $23.84 | $49,590 | 40 |
| NM | Santa Fe, NM | $23.81 | $49,530 | 40 |
| NY | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY | $23.71 | $49,320 | 260 |
| MI | Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, MI Metropolitan Division | $23.60 | $49,090 | 490 |
| IN | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $23.56 | $49,000 | 70 |
| MI | Flint, MI | $23.55 | $48,980 | 190 |
| MI | Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | $23.51 | $48,900 | 530 |
| GA | Columbus, GA-AL | $23.45 | $48,770 | 70 |
| NM | Farmington, NM | $23.39 | $48,650 | 40 |
| MI | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $23.31 | $48,480 | 100 |
| MN | Duluth, MN-WI | $23.30 | $48,460 | 90 |
| NY | Rochester, NY | $23.12 | $48,080 | 240 |
| PA | Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA | $22.96 | $47,760 | 80 |
| CO | Fort Collins, CO | $22.93 | $47,700 | 70 |
| LA | Lake Charles, LA | $22.89 | $47,610 | 150 |
| CO | Colorado Springs, CO | $22.88 | $47,580 | 230 |
| IN | Gary, IN Metropolitan Division | $22.87 | $47,570 | 200 |
| IL | Carbondale-Marion, IL | $22.84 | $47,500 | 50 |
| CO | Boulder, CO | $22.81 | $47,440 | 60 |
| MN | St. Cloud, MN | $22.80 | $47,430 | 60 |
| MA | Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury Town, MA-NH NECTA Division | $22.70 | $47,220 | 70 |
| WV | Morgantown, WV | $22.69 | $47,200 | 90 |
| NY | Binghamton, NY | $22.67 | $47,160 | 60 |
| WI | Eau Claire, WI | $22.67 | $47,150 | 110 |
| IA | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $22.66 | $47,140 | 50 |
| NY | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $22.65 | $47,110 | 200 |
| LA | Houma-Thibodaux, LA | $22.64 | $47,100 | 30 |
| WI | Madison, WI | $22.61 | $47,020 | 130 |
| LA | Alexandria, LA | $22.56 | $46,930 | 30 |
| IA | Iowa City, IA | $22.55 | $46,910 | 30 |
| MI | Muskegon, MI | $22.54 | $46,880 | 30 |
| MT | Great Falls, MT | $22.50 | $46,800 | 30 |
| NV | Reno, NV | $22.48 | $46,770 | 90 |
| CA | Salinas, CA | $22.47 | $46,730 | 70 |
| MI | Bay City, MI | $22.46 | $46,720 | 80 |
| ND | Bismarck, ND | $22.39 | $46,570 | ** |
| IA | Cedar Rapids, IA | $22.18 | $46,130 | 140 |
| PA | Altoona, PA | $22.14 | $46,050 | 70 |
| WV | Beckley, WV | $22.09 | $45,940 | 80 |
| MI | Midland, MI | $21.98 | $45,720 | 30 |
| WI | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $21.97 | $45,690 | 80 |
| GA | Valdosta, GA | $21.94 | $45,630 | 30 |
| WV | Charleston, WV | $21.74 | $45,220 | 60 |
| IA | Ames, IA | $21.68 | $45,100 | ** |
| MS | Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS | $21.65 | $45,030 | 100 |
| NY | Syracuse, NY | $21.50 | $44,730 | 220 |
| ID | Idaho Falls, ID | $21.25 | $44,200 | 50 |
| PA | Lebanon, PA | $21.09 | $43,870 | 30 |
| TN | Johnson City, TN | $21.06 | $43,800 | 80 |
| MS | Jackson, MS | $21.01 | $43,710 | 220 |
| NE | Lincoln, NE | $20.98 | $43,640 | 160 |
| IA | Dubuque, IA | $20.84 | $43,350 | 30 |
| WI | Racine, WI | $20.41 | $42,460 | 60 |
| LA | Lafayette, LA | $20.17 | $41,950 | 120 |
| ID | Boise City, ID | $20.16 | $41,930 | 100 |
| NE | Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA | $20.11 | $41,820 | 340 |
| NM | Las Cruces, NM | $20.03 | $41,650 | 70 |
| PA | Johnstown, PA | $20.02 | $41,650 | 70 |
| UT | Provo-Orem, UT | $19.37 | $40,300 | 100 |
| ID | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $19.27 | $40,080 | 60 |
| UT | Logan, UT-ID | $19.03 | $39,590 | 70 |
| SD | Sioux Falls, SD | $19.01 | $39,540 | 110 |
| CA | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA | $18.57 | $38,620 | ** |
| LA | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $17.03 | $35,430 | 400 |
| PR | Mayaguez, PR | $11.74 | $24,410 | 60 |
| PR | San Juan-Carolina-Caguas, PR | $11.29 | $23,470 | 550 |
| PR | Ponce, PR | $11.27 | $23,450 | 50 |
| PR | Aguadilla-Isabela, PR | $8.79 | $18,290 | 40 |
Top Paying Industries for PTAs
Physical Therapist Assistants are earning around $30 per hour in the top 5 paying industries they work in. Home health care services is currently the highest paying sector for PTAs, as you can earn $65,300 per year which comes out to $31.39 per hour.
Hourly | Annually | |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health Care Services | $31.39 | $65,300 |
| Employment Services | $30.64 | $63,740 |
| Nursing Care Facilities | $29.86 | $62,110 |
| Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals | $29.82 | $62,021 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities | $29.31 | $60,940 |
PTA Salary Outlook
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 in 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 for a physical therapy assistant salary.
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; bring 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 | $33.62 | $69,920 |
| 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 $57,620:
- Dental Assistants average $35,080.
- Medical Assistants bring in an average of $30,550
- Pharmacy Technicians’ average income is $30,430
- Nursing Aides earn an average salary of $25,420
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 earn 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: $53,787 – $56,770
- PTA Salary range with a Bachelor’s Degree: $54,064 – $57,066
All data presented here was researched from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2017 Edition, Physical Therapist Assistants and Aides, on the Internet on this page
