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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

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)
97,740 1.8 % $ 31.01 $ 64,510 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for Physical Therapist Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 20.84 $ 25.95 $ 30.18 $ 36.21 $ 40.98
Annual Wage (2) $ 43,340 $ 53,970 $ 62,770 $ 75,310 $ 85,230


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 44,900 4.20 $ 28.83 $ 59,970
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 17,640 0.32 $ 30.50 $ 63,430
Home Health Care Services 11,810 0.77 $ 37.67 $ 78,360
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 8,950 0.67 $ 35.00 $ 72,800
Offices of Physicians 4,810 0.17 $ 28.52 $ 59,310

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 44,900 4.20 $ 28.83 $ 59,970
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 3,330 1.23 $ 33.46 $ 69,600
Home Health Care Services 11,810 0.77 $ 37.67 $ 78,360
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 8,950 0.67 $ 35.00 $ 72,800
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 17,640 0.32 $ 30.50 $ 63,430

Top paying industries for Physical Therapist Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Home Health Care Services 11,810 0.77 $ 37.67 $ 78,360
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly 770 0.09 $ 35.18 $ 73,180
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 8,950 0.67 $ 35.00 $ 72,800
Management of Companies and Enterprises 520 0.02 $ 34.47 $ 71,700
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 3,330 1.23 $ 33.46 $ 69,600


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.



Map of employment of physical therapist assistants by state, May 2022


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)
Texas 8,480 0.65 0.99 $ 35.47 $ 73,770
California 8,220 0.47 0.71 $ 37.94 $ 78,920
Florida 7,340 0.80 1.21 $ 31.84 $ 66,220
Ohio 6,090 1.13 1.71 $ 30.79 $ 64,050
Pennsylvania 4,900 0.84 1.27 $ 27.13 $ 56,430


Map of location quotient of physical therapist assistants by state, May 2022


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)
Kentucky 2,200 1.16 1.75 $ 27.89 $ 58,010
Ohio 6,090 1.13 1.71 $ 30.79 $ 64,050
Arkansas 1,390 1.13 1.71 $ 30.87 $ 64,210
West Virginia 770 1.13 1.71 $ 28.16 $ 58,580
Nebraska 1,040 1.07 1.62 $ 26.97 $ 56,110


Map of annual mean wages of physical therapist assistants by state, May 2022


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 8,220 0.47 0.71 $ 37.94 $ 78,920
Texas 8,480 0.65 0.99 $ 35.47 $ 73,770
New Jersey 1,730 0.42 0.64 $ 34.75 $ 72,280
Massachusetts 1,920 0.54 0.82 $ 33.81 $ 70,330
Connecticut 850 0.52 0.79 $ 33.53 $ 69,730



Map of employment of physical therapist assistants by area, May 2022


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 3,720 0.40 0.61 $ 33.34 $ 69,340
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 3,230 0.73 1.11 $ 32.72 $ 68,060
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 3,040 0.50 0.75 $ 37.38 $ 77,750
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 2,070 0.54 0.82 $ 37.21 $ 77,390
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 1,970 0.71 1.08 $ 30.11 $ 62,630
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,780 0.68 1.03 $ 32.06 $ 66,670
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,770 0.65 0.98 $ 31.90 $ 66,360
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,650 0.54 0.82 $ 37.22 $ 77,410
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 1,400 0.75 1.14 $ 25.78 $ 53,620
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 1,330 0.49 0.74 $ 34.45 $ 71,660


Map of location quotient of physical therapist assistants by area, May 2022


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)
Gadsden, AL 100 3.05 4.62 $ 29.05 $ 60,420
Jonesboro, AR 150 2.49 3.77 $ 30.02 $ 62,450
Victoria, TX 90 2.36 3.57 $ 32.85 $ 68,320
Cumberland, MD-WV 80 2.19 3.31 $ 28.37 $ 59,010
Homosassa Springs, FL 70 2.13 3.22 $ 27.59 $ 57,380
Lima, OH 100 1.98 2.99 $ 28.71 $ 59,710
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA 370 1.83 2.77 $ 27.15 $ 56,470
Bowling Green, KY 140 1.81 2.75 $ 26.86 $ 55,860
Hot Springs, AR 70 1.75 2.64 $ 26.13 $ 54,340
Johnstown, PA 80 1.65 2.50 $ 25.37 $ 52,770


Map of annual mean wages of physical therapist assistants by area, May 2022


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)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 260 0.23 0.35 $ 45.61 $ 94,860
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 960 0.40 0.61 $ 43.03 $ 89,510
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 430 0.42 0.64 $ 38.82 $ 80,740
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 840 0.56 0.85 $ 38.49 $ 80,060
Santa Rosa, CA 70 0.37 0.56 $ 38.27 $ 79,600
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 70 0.35 0.54 $ 38.11 $ 79,260
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 830 0.51 0.77 $ 37.54 $ 78,090
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 3,040 0.50 0.75 $ 37.38 $ 77,750
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,650 0.54 0.82 $ 37.22 $ 77,410
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 2,070 0.54 0.82 $ 37.21 $ 77,390

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) 410 1.28 1.93 $ 29.75 $ 61,890
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 310 1.27 1.93 $ 29.90 $ 62,190
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 310 0.81 1.23 $ 26.76 $ 55,660
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 260 0.96 1.46 $ 34.10 $ 70,930
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 250 1.12 1.69 $ 29.69 $ 61,760

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 Arkansas nonmetropolitan area 200 1.76 2.66 $ 32.96 $ 68,560
North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 190 1.71 2.58 $ 29.97 $ 62,350
Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 220 1.62 2.45 $ 26.68 $ 55,500
West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 230 1.55 2.34 $ 26.71 $ 55,560
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 150 1.49 2.25 $ 25.92 $ 53,910

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)
Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 40 0.76 1.15 $ 36.01 $ 74,900
Big Thicket Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 80 0.78 1.18 $ 35.99 $ 74,860
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 40 0.57 0.87 $ 35.24 $ 73,300
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area 70 0.64 0.98 $ 34.64 $ 72,060
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 110 0.78 1.18 $ 34.43 $ 71,610


About May 2022 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.

(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 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023