Physical Therapist Assistants: Job Description
Assist physical therapists in providing physical therapy treatments and procedures. May, in accordance with state laws, assist in the development of treatment plans, carry out routine functions, document the progress of treatment, and modify specific treatments in accordance with patient status and within the scope of treatment plans established by a physical therapist. Generally requires formal training.
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What Tasks Do Physical Therapist Assistants Do?
The core tasks performed by physical therapist assistants span:
- 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.
Skills and Knowledge
Top physical therapist assistants combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Assistant
- Certified Physical Therapist Assistant (CPTA)
- Home Care Physical Therapy Assistant
- Home Health Physical Therapist Assistant
- Home Health Physical Therapy Assistant (Home Health PTA)
- Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant (LPTA)
- Licensed Physical Therapy Assistant
- Nursing Facility PTA (Nursing Facility Physical Therapy Assistant)
How Many Physical Therapist Assistants Are There?
The U.S. employs around 407,606 physical therapist assistants working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -1.6% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Physical Therapist Assistants Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $29,340 |
| Hourly median | $14.11 |
| 10th percentile | $20,732 |
| 25th percentile | $25,036 |
| 75th percentile | $33,644 |
| 90th percentile | $37,949 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Physical Therapist Assistants Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $79,410 |
| Massachusetts | $77,780 |
| Alaska | $76,310 |
| Texas | $76,250 |
| New Jersey | $74,780 |
| Connecticut | $74,120 |
| Virginia | $73,900 |
| Nevada | $73,080 |
| Washington | $72,950 |
| Maryland | $71,770 |
| Georgia | $71,530 |
| Oregon | $69,510 |
| South Carolina | $68,340 |
| Vermont | $67,990 |
| Arkansas | $67,230 |
| New Hampshire | $67,150 |
| Arizona | $66,110 |
| Florida | $66,100 |
| New York | $64,660 |
| Illinois | $64,630 |
| North Carolina | $63,930 |
| Delaware | $63,410 |
| Rhode Island | $63,410 |
| Minnesota | $63,240 |
| Kansas | $63,010 |
| Tennessee | $62,920 |
| Indiana | $62,890 |
| Montana | $62,540 |
| Kentucky | $62,400 |
| Oklahoma | $62,380 |
| Ohio | $62,140 |
| Hawaii | $62,120 |
| Colorado | $62,110 |
| Wisconsin | $61,890 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,610 |
| Louisiana | $61,340 |
| Mississippi | $61,220 |
| Utah | $61,110 |
| Missouri | $60,940 |
| Alabama | $60,890 |
| Wyoming | $60,850 |
| Maine | $60,830 |
| Iowa | $60,720 |
| Nebraska | $60,430 |
| West Virginia | $60,270 |
| North Dakota | $59,970 |
| Michigan | $59,510 |
| New Mexico | $59,330 |
| Idaho | $58,240 |
| District of Columbia | $54,660 |
| South Dakota | $49,840 |
| Puerto Rico | $24,760 |
Where Physical Therapist Assistants Earn the Most
Pay for physical therapist assistants shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $76,919 | 11.3% | 0.69 |
| New England | $72,879 | 4.4% | 0.96 |
| Southwest | $72,670 | 14.3% | 1.17 |
| Southeast | $65,745 | 31.0% | 1.34 |
| Middle Atlantic | $65,639 | 10.8% | 0.80 |
| Great Lakes | $62,199 | 17.5% | 1.30 |
| Rocky Mountains | $61,245 | 3.4% | 0.86 |
| Plains States | $61,100 | 6.6% | 1.05 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $97,350 | 330 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $97,230 | 850 |
| Modesto, CA | CA | $96,120 | 140 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $90,000 | 80 |
| Spartanburg, SC | SC | $85,470 | 160 |
| Salinas, CA | CA | $84,210 | 50 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | CA | $83,820 | 50 |
| Chico, CA | CA | $83,610 | 50 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of physical therapist assistants are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 105,060 | $65,510 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,070 | $69,530 |
| Educational Services | 790 | $62,160 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 550 | $70,580 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for physical therapist assistants tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Physical Proximity
- Contact With Others
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Frequency of Decision Making
Education and Training
Most physical therapist assistants positions require an associate’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Physician Assistants (Supplemental)
- Occupational Therapists (Supplemental)
- Physical Therapists (Supplemental)
- Radiation Therapists (Primary-Long)
- Recreational Therapists (Primary-Long)
- Respiratory Therapists (Primary-Short)
- Acute Care Nurses (Supplemental)
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for physical therapist assistants commonly pursue programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 31-2021.00 (Physical Therapist Assistants).
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