Physical Therapist Assistants Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for physical therapist assistantss 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 $68,730 ≈ $33/hr
National median salary $68,380
Total employment 112,430 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +22%
Much faster than average
Annual openings 19,800 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 111,500 → 136,000 (+24,500)
Typical entry education Associate's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- California$83,080
- Alaska$77,670
- New Jersey$77,020
- Massachusetts$76,350
- Texas$75,060
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- South Dakota$52,170
- Oklahoma$57,990
- Idaho$60,200
- Iowa$60,220
- Michigan$60,260
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $83,080 | $83,110 | $40 | +20.9% | 9,400 |
| 2 | Alaska | $77,670 | $77,640 | $37 | +13% | 110 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $77,020 | $78,440 | $37 | +12.1% | 1,810 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $76,350 | $79,460 | $37 | +11.1% | 2,640 |
| 5 | Texas | $75,060 | $78,000 | $36 | +9.2% | 10,510 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $73,730 | $75,880 | $35 | +7.3% | 980 |
| 7 | Maryland | $73,000 | $77,670 | $35 | +6.2% | 1,430 |
| 8 | Nevada | $72,960 | $75,520 | $35 | +6.2% | 560 |
| 9 | Virginia | $72,710 | $73,760 | $35 | +5.8% | 3,370 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $72,140 | $71,440 | $35 | +5% | 500 |
| 11 | Vermont | $71,320 | $71,600 | $34 | +3.8% | 100 |
| 12 | Florida | $71,110 | $72,530 | $34 | +3.5% | 9,870 |
| 13 | Delaware | $71,070 | $74,610 | $34 | +3.4% | 340 |
| 14 | Oregon | $70,490 | $73,180 | $34 | +2.6% | 890 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $68,790 | $67,540 | $33 | +0.1% | 3,280 |
| 16 | Georgia | $68,580 | $72,800 | $33 | -0.2% | 2,620 |
| 17 | South Carolina | $68,260 | $70,500 | $33 | -0.7% | 1,870 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $67,980 | $68,640 | $33 | -1.1% | 420 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $67,730 | $66,770 | $33 | -1.5% | 1,230 |
| 20 | Colorado | $67,520 | $64,810 | $32 | -1.8% | 1,350 |
| 21 | Maine | $67,300 | $66,250 | $32 | -2.1% | 410 |
| 22 | Ohio | $67,260 | $63,820 | $32 | -2.1% | 7,040 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $67,130 | $63,400 | $32 | -2.3% | 40 |
| 24 | Kansas | $66,320 | $64,500 | $32 | -3.5% | 1,300 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $66,160 | $67,510 | $32 | -3.7% | 250 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $65,820 | $63,550 | $32 | -4.2% | 240 |
| 27 | Illinois | $65,810 | $65,240 | $32 | -4.2% | 4,890 |
| 28 | New York | $65,660 | $64,100 | $32 | -4.5% | 3,620 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $65,480 | $64,080 | $31 | -4.7% | 1,650 |
| 30 | Indiana | $65,470 | $65,280 | $31 | -4.7% | 2,830 |
| 31 | Montana | $65,320 | $62,650 | $31 | -5% | 250 |
| 32 | Missouri | $65,190 | $63,770 | $31 | -5.2% | 2,490 |
| 33 | Washington | $65,090 | $66,450 | $31 | -5.3% | 2,150 |
| 34 | Arizona | $64,970 | $64,650 | $31 | -5.5% | 2,010 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $64,500 | $64,520 | $31 | -6.2% | 1,620 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $64,060 | $62,500 | $31 | -6.8% | 3,390 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $63,820 | $62,580 | $31 | -7.1% | 4,270 |
| 38 | Alabama | $63,130 | $61,430 | $30 | -8.1% | 2,700 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $62,850 | $61,770 | $30 | -8.6% | 1,150 |
| 40 | Utah | $62,470 | $61,980 | $30 | -9.1% | 970 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $62,000 | $62,280 | $30 | -9.8% | 700 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $61,890 | $61,370 | $30 | -10% | 980 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $61,560 | $60,430 | $30 | -10.4% | 980 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $61,250 | $65,370 | $29 | -10.9% | 1,670 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $60,490 | $61,480 | $29 | -12% | 2,580 |
| 46 | North Dakota | $60,490 | $63,520 | $29 | -12% | 120 |
| 47 | Michigan | $60,260 | $61,670 | $29 | -12.3% | 4,520 |
| 48 | Iowa | $60,220 | $61,030 | $29 | -12.4% | 1,060 |
| 49 | Idaho | $60,200 | $61,020 | $29 | -12.4% | 560 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $57,990 | $59,480 | $28 | -15.6% | 2,380 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $52,170 | $49,310 | $25 | -24.1% | 300 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 470 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $97,190 | $94,690 | 400 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95,920 | $93,600 | 1,040 |
| 3 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $91,230 | $86,320 | 40 |
| 4 | Spartanburg, SC | $88,070 | $79,480 | 160 |
| 5 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $87,330 | $89,020 | 60 |
| 6 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $87,300 | $86,840 | 90 |
| 7 | Vallejo, CA | $86,630 | $84,030 | 50 |
| 8 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $85,150 | $84,710 | 100 |
| 9 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $84,930 | $82,060 | 1,180 |
| 10 | Salinas, CA | $84,850 | $84,930 | 70 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing physical therapist assistantss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Home Health Care Services | $80,050 | $80,770 | 14,030 |
| 2 | Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals, State Government Owned | $77,820 | $74,390 | 80 |
| 3 | Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | $77,440 | $77,650 | 11,820 |
| 4 | Other Residential Care Facilities | $77,310 | $75,420 | 160 |
| 5 | Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | $76,980 | $77,290 | 13,500 |
| 6 | Offices of All Other Health Practitioners | $76,250 | $77,540 | 550 |
| 7 | Educational Support Services, Privately Owned | $75,100 | $73,920 | — |
| 8 | Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | $74,260 | $76,070 | 1,280 |
| 9 | Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | $73,850 | $70,750 | 3,690 |
| 10 | Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals, Privately Owned | $73,750 | $70,640 | 3,600 |
| 11 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $73,490 | $91,250 | 80 |
| 12 | Sector 54 - Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $73,490 | $91,250 | 80 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do physical therapist assistants make in the U.S.?
The median physical therapist assistants salary in the United States is $68,380 per year (mean $68,730), and about 80% earn between $47,750 and $89,510.
How much do physical therapist assistants make per hour?
Roughly $33 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $68,730 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays physical therapist assistants the most?
California has the highest average pay for physical therapist assistants at $83,080 per year (median $83,110).
What is the job outlook for physical therapist assistants?
Employment is projected to change +22% from 2024 to 2034 (Much faster than average), with about 19,800 openings per year.