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The national median salary for Physical Therapist Assistants is $68,390 per year ($32.88/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $59,821 and $78,686 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $89,523 per year. There are approximately 112,430 physical therapist assistants employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+22.0%
Much faster than average
Annual openings
20K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
112K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
12% from new growth88% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Associate's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Offices of Other Health Practitioners
NAICS 621300
51K
$62,990
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
NAICS 622100
19K
$66,850
Home Health Care Services
NAICS 621600
14K
$80,050
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities)
NAICS 623100
12K
$77,440
Offices of Physicians
NAICS 621100
7K
$62,970
Wage range across top 5 industries: $62,970 to $80,050 (27% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$22.96
$47,757
P25
$28.76
$59,821
P50MEDIAN
$32.88
$68,390
P75
$37.83
$78,686
P90
$43.04
$89,523
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · health sector
Hot
Openings Rate
5.4%
Quits Rate
1.9%
Health Care & Social Assistance openings rebounded to 1.36M (+87K) in March with rate at 5.4%. Hires rose to 700K (+75K). The sector remains structurally tight; compensation pressure persists for clinical roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average physical therapist assistants salary?
The national median salary for Physical Therapist Assistants is $68,390 per year ($32.88/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $59,821 and $78,686 annually.
How much do top-earning physical therapist assistants make?
The 90th percentile salary for Physical Therapist Assistants is $89,523 per year ($43.04/hr). The 75th percentile is $78,686 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for physical therapist assistants?
Entry-level Physical Therapist Assistants (10th percentile) earn approximately $47,757 per year ($22.96/hr). The 25th percentile is $59,821 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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