Physical Therapist Aides Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for physical therapist aidess across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $36,430 ≈ $18/hr
National median salary $35,240
Total employment 48,150 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +2.8%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 6,600 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 45,600 → 46,900 (+1,300)
Typical entry education High school diploma or equivalent
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Alaska$59,620
- Maine$47,340
- Washington$44,430
- Minnesota$43,870
- California$43,470
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $59,620 | $55,760 | $29 | +63.7% | 110 |
| 2 | Maine | $47,340 | $39,660 | $23 | +29.9% | 90 |
| 3 | Washington | $44,430 | $39,500 | $21 | +22% | 760 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $43,870 | $42,330 | $21 | +20.4% | 150 |
| 5 | California | $43,470 | $38,330 | $21 | +19.3% | 7,330 |
| 6 | Colorado | $41,870 | $41,970 | $20 | +14.9% | 360 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $40,280 | $37,680 | $19 | +10.6% | 120 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $39,850 | $40,460 | $19 | +9.4% | 130 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $39,830 | $37,440 | $19 | +9.3% | 1,020 |
| 10 | New York | $39,320 | $35,380 | $19 | +7.9% | 4,950 |
| 11 | North Carolina | $39,310 | $34,760 | $19 | +7.9% | 1,050 |
| 12 | Indiana | $38,680 | $35,100 | $19 | +6.2% | 860 |
| 13 | Illinois | $38,610 | $36,650 | $19 | +6% | 680 |
| 14 | Montana | $38,230 | $38,950 | $18 | +4.9% | 110 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $38,200 | $38,950 | $18 | +4.9% | 30 |
| 16 | Oregon | $37,910 | $36,060 | $18 | +4.1% | 1,090 |
| 17 | Ohio | $37,570 | $37,220 | $18 | +3.1% | 760 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $37,450 | $31,990 | $18 | +2.8% | 240 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $37,400 | $36,820 | $18 | +2.7% | 840 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $37,340 | $35,770 | $18 | +2.5% | 520 |
| 21 | Arizona | $37,310 | $35,260 | $18 | +2.4% | 1,340 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $37,170 | $33,810 | $18 | +2% | 60 |
| 23 | Florida | $36,440 | $35,140 | $18 | +0% | 1,210 |
| 24 | New Jersey | $36,330 | $34,430 | $17 | -0.3% | 2,230 |
| 25 | Kentucky | $36,160 | $35,490 | $17 | -0.7% | 160 |
| 26 | Maryland | $35,780 | $34,780 | $17 | -1.8% | 830 |
| 27 | Rhode Island | $35,310 | $31,200 | $17 | -3.1% | 280 |
| 28 | Virginia | $35,080 | $33,390 | $17 | -3.7% | 1,260 |
| 29 | Delaware | $34,930 | $34,060 | $17 | -4.1% | 300 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $34,740 | $34,840 | $17 | -4.6% | 170 |
| 31 | Nevada | $34,650 | $31,970 | $17 | -4.9% | 900 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $34,290 | $29,450 | $16 | -5.9% | 160 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $34,210 | $35,520 | $16 | -6.1% | 1,200 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $33,890 | $31,330 | $16 | -7% | 70 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $33,670 | $33,280 | $16 | -7.6% | 370 |
| 36 | Texas | $33,300 | $31,590 | $16 | -8.6% | 5,710 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $33,060 | $30,470 | $16 | -9.3% | 240 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $32,800 | $28,080 | $16 | -10% | 670 |
| 39 | Missouri | $32,750 | $29,250 | $16 | -10.1% | 750 |
| 40 | Michigan | $31,860 | $29,350 | $15 | -12.5% | 1,810 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $31,470 | $30,320 | $15 | -13.6% | 710 |
| 42 | Iowa | $31,420 | $29,120 | $15 | -13.8% | 390 |
| 43 | Georgia | $31,150 | $30,550 | $15 | -14.5% | 1,200 |
| 44 | Idaho | $31,060 | $28,660 | $15 | -14.7% | 540 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $29,710 | $27,370 | $14 | -18.4% | 270 |
| 46 | Utah | $29,570 | $29,150 | $14 | -18.8% | 1,130 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $28,670 | $27,630 | $14 | -21.3% | 370 |
| 48 | Kansas | $28,010 | $25,280 | $13 | -23.1% | 440 |
| 49 | Alabama | $27,570 | $27,290 | $13 | -24.3% | 750 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $24,960 | $22,460 | $12 | -31.5% | 1,380 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 229 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abilene, TX | $49,790 | $44,090 | 70 |
| 2 | Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $49,590 | $43,350 | 40 |
| 3 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $46,460 | $47,620 | 400 |
| 4 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $44,440 | $49,270 | 680 |
| 5 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $43,300 | $51,380 | 330 |
| 6 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $42,560 | $41,080 | 150 |
| 7 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $42,520 | $44,420 | 150 |
| 8 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $42,230 | $43,720 | 80 |
| 9 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $40,460 | $42,790 | 50 |
| 10 | Fresno, CA | $40,350 | $40,440 | 240 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing physical therapist aidess (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $50,390 | $52,490 | 110 |
| 2 | Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | $49,410 | $53,130 | 130 |
| 3 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $48,360 | $47,220 | 800 |
| 4 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $48,360 | $47,220 | 800 |
| 5 | Offices of All Other Health Practitioners | $46,800 | $43,060 | 80 |
| 6 | State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $46,790 | $46,420 | 700 |
| 7 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $43,790 | $44,840 | 990 |
| 8 | Temporary Help Services | $43,680 | $42,960 | — |
| 9 | Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | $43,610 | $46,930 | 1,180 |
| 10 | Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | $43,410 | $46,380 | 1,000 |
| 11 | Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals, State Government Owned | $42,640 | $41,680 | 60 |
| 12 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $42,560 | $42,610 | 1,830 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do physical therapist aides make in the U.S.?
The median physical therapist aides salary in the United States is $35,240 per year (mean $36,430), and about 80% earn between $25,360 and $47,780.
How much do physical therapist aides make per hour?
Roughly $18 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $36,430 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays physical therapist aides the most?
Alaska has the highest average pay for physical therapist aides at $59,620 per year (median $55,760).
What is the job outlook for physical therapist aides?
Employment is projected to change +2.8% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 6,600 openings per year.