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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

31-2021 Physical Therapist Assistants

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.


National estimates for Physical Therapist Assistants
Industry profile for Physical Therapist Assistants
Geographic profile for Physical Therapist Assistants

National estimates for Physical Therapist Assistants:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Physical Therapist Assistants:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
92,740 1.6 % $ 28.58 $ 59,440 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for Physical Therapist Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 16.27 $ 23.20 $ 28.74 $ 34.04 $ 39.65
Annual Wage (2) $ 33,840 $ 48,260 $ 59,770 $ 70,800 $ 82,470


Industry profile for Physical Therapist Assistants:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Physical Therapist Assistants are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Physical Therapist Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Physical Therapist Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 41,370 4.58 $ 27.55 $ 57,300
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 19,330 0.35 $ 27.59 $ 57,380
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 9,190 0.60 $ 32.03 $ 66,620
Home Health Care Services 8,770 0.59 $ 32.15 $ 66,860
Offices of Physicians 5,050 0.19 $ 27.50 $ 57,200

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Physical Therapist Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 41,370 4.58 $ 27.55 $ 57,300
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 2,880 1.08 $ 29.25 $ 60,830
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 9,190 0.60 $ 32.03 $ 66,620
Home Health Care Services 8,770 0.59 $ 32.15 $ 66,860
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 19,330 0.35 $ 27.59 $ 57,380

Top paying industries for Physical Therapist Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Child Day Care Services 50 0.01 $ 32.81 $ 68,230
Other Residential Care Facilities (8) (8) $ 32.41 $ 67,420
Home Health Care Services 8,770 0.59 $ 32.15 $ 66,860
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 9,190 0.60 $ 32.03 $ 66,620
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly 1,000 0.11 $ 31.73 $ 66,000


Geographic profile for Physical Therapist Assistants:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Physical Therapist Assistants are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Physical Therapist Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in Physical Therapist Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Florida 7,100 0.84 1.26 $ 30.27 $ 62,960
Texas 6,500 0.54 0.81 $ 33.61 $ 69,900
Ohio 6,400 1.25 1.87 $ 29.54 $ 61,440
California 5,860 0.36 0.54 $ 33.93 $ 70,570
New York 5,200 0.60 0.90 $ 26.55 $ 55,220




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Physical Therapist Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Virginia 840 1.29 1.94 $ 26.41 $ 54,930
Ohio 6,400 1.25 1.87 $ 29.54 $ 61,440
Arkansas 1,420 1.20 1.81 $ 28.89 $ 60,080
Arizona 3,140 1.11 1.66 $ 21.91 $ 45,580
Tennessee 3,060 1.05 1.58 $ 27.79 $ 57,790




Top paying states for Physical Therapist Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 5,860 0.36 0.54 $ 33.93 $ 70,570
Connecticut 590 0.38 0.57 $ 33.62 $ 69,940
Texas 6,500 0.54 0.81 $ 33.61 $ 69,900
New Jersey 1,290 0.34 0.51 $ 33.32 $ 69,310
Rhode Island 330 0.74 1.10 $ 32.36 $ 67,300





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Physical Therapist Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 4,220 0.48 0.72 $ 28.44 $ 59,140
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 2,700 0.62 0.93 $ 30.22 $ 62,870
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 2,280 1.08 1.62 $ 21.47 $ 44,660
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,900 0.76 1.14 $ 28.34 $ 58,940
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,870 0.32 0.48 $ 36.54 $ 76,010
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,530 0.58 0.87 $ 26.17 $ 54,420
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 1,430 0.55 0.82 $ 30.43 $ 63,290
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 1,410 0.52 0.78 $ 28.82 $ 59,940
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,380 0.46 0.70 $ 39.19 $ 81,510
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 1,300 0.43 0.65 $ 25.44 $ 52,910




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Physical Therapist Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Pocatello, ID 130 3.86 5.79 $ 28.20 $ 58,650
Punta Gorda, FL 130 2.81 4.21 $ 33.98 $ 70,670
Bay City, MI 70 2.34 3.51 $ 24.73 $ 51,430
Homosassa Springs, FL 70 2.18 3.27 $ 32.38 $ 67,350
Johnson City, TN 160 2.14 3.21 $ 23.72 $ 49,340
Dalton, GA 120 1.99 2.99 $ 33.69 $ 70,070
Springfield, OH 90 1.97 2.96 $ 28.31 $ 58,880
New Bedford, MA 110 1.92 2.88 $ 30.84 $ 64,140
Wheeling, WV-OH 110 1.90 2.85 $ 27.98 $ 58,200
The Villages, FL 60 1.86 2.78 $ 34.63 $ 72,040




Top paying metropolitan areas for Physical Therapist Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,380 0.46 0.70 $ 39.19 $ 81,510
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 360 0.37 0.55 $ 37.68 $ 78,370
Visalia-Porterville, CA 60 0.38 0.58 $ 37.62 $ 78,240
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,870 0.32 0.48 $ 36.54 $ 76,010
Salinas, CA 120 0.71 1.06 $ 36.42 $ 75,760
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 180 0.69 1.04 $ 36.32 $ 75,540
Santa Rosa, CA 50 0.28 0.42 $ 36.04 $ 74,960
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 180 0.33 0.49 $ 36.03 $ 74,950
Laredo, TX 110 1.10 1.65 $ 35.39 $ 73,610
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 130 0.12 0.18 $ 35.36 $ 73,540

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Physical Therapist Assistants:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 500 1.62 2.43 $ 27.54 $ 57,290
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 380 0.99 1.49 $ 28.16 $ 58,570
Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 340 2.24 3.36 $ 32.52 $ 67,630
North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 270 2.57 3.85 $ 26.34 $ 54,780
Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area 270 1.67 2.50 $ 24.30 $ 50,550

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Physical Therapist Assistants:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 270 2.57 3.85 $ 26.34 $ 54,780
Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 340 2.24 3.36 $ 32.52 $ 67,630
Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area 250 2.11 3.17 $ 29.83 $ 62,040
Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 250 1.82 2.73 $ 25.84 $ 53,740
Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 220 1.76 2.65 $ 26.72 $ 55,580

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Physical Therapist Assistants:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area 90 1.33 1.99 $ 40.12 $ 83,450
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 130 0.93 1.40 $ 36.82 $ 76,590
Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 210 1.29 1.93 $ 36.79 $ 76,520
Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area 40 0.72 1.08 $ 34.55 $ 71,870
Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area 120 1.61 2.42 $ 34.22 $ 71,180


About May 2020 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021