Physical Therapist Assistants Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for physical therapist assistants is $68,380, or $32.88 per hour. About 112,430 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $83,110 in California to $49,310 in South Dakota.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $83,110 | $39.96 | 9,400 | 0.71 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $79,460 | $38.20 | 2,640 | 1.00 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $78,440 | $37.71 | 1,810 | 0.58 |
| 4 | Texas | $78,000 | $37.50 | 10,510 | 1.03 |
| 5 | Maryland | $77,670 | $37.34 | 1,430 | 0.72 |
| 6 | Alaska | $77,640 | $37.33 | 110 | 0.45 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $75,880 | $36.48 | 980 | 0.80 |
| 8 | Nevada | $75,520 | $36.31 | 560 | 0.50 |
| 9 | Delaware | $74,610 | $35.87 | 340 | 0.98 |
| 10 | Virginia | $73,760 | $35.46 | 3,370 | 1.13 |
| 11 | Oregon | $73,180 | $35.19 | 890 | 0.63 |
| 12 | Georgia | $72,800 | $35.00 | 2,620 | 0.74 |
| 13 | Florida | $72,530 | $34.87 | 9,870 | 1.37 |
| 14 | Vermont | $71,600 | $34.42 | 100 | 0.46 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $71,440 | $34.35 | 500 | 1.02 |
| 16 | South Carolina | $70,500 | $33.90 | 1,870 | 1.12 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $68,640 | $33.00 | 420 | 1.15 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $67,540 | $32.47 | 3,280 | 0.92 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $67,510 | $32.46 | 250 | 0.56 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $66,770 | $32.10 | 1,230 | 0.58 |
| 21 | Washington | $66,450 | $31.95 | 2,150 | 0.84 |
| 22 | Maine | $66,250 | $31.85 | 410 | 0.88 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $65,370 | $31.43 | 1,670 | 1.19 |
| 24 | Indiana | $65,280 | $31.39 | 2,830 | 1.22 |
| 25 | Illinois | $65,240 | $31.37 | 4,890 | 1.11 |
| 26 | Colorado | $64,810 | $31.16 | 1,350 | 0.65 |
| 27 | Arizona | $64,650 | $31.08 | 2,010 | 0.86 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $64,520 | $31.02 | 1,620 | 1.72 |
| 29 | Kansas | $64,500 | $31.01 | 1,300 | 1.25 |
| 30 | New York | $64,100 | $30.82 | 3,620 | 0.52 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $64,080 | $30.81 | 1,650 | 0.78 |
| 32 | Ohio | $63,820 | $30.68 | 7,040 | 1.75 |
| 33 | Missouri | $63,770 | $30.66 | 2,490 | 1.18 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $63,550 | $30.56 | 240 | 1.17 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $63,520 | $30.54 | 120 | 0.38 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $63,400 | $30.48 | 40 | 0.08 |
| 37 | Montana | $62,650 | $30.12 | 250 | 0.67 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $62,580 | $30.09 | 4,270 | 0.97 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $62,500 | $30.05 | 3,390 | 1.43 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $62,280 | $29.94 | 700 | 1.11 |
| 41 | Utah | $61,980 | $29.80 | 970 | 0.77 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $61,770 | $29.70 | 1,150 | 1.37 |
| 43 | Michigan | $61,670 | $29.65 | 4,520 | 1.42 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $61,480 | $29.56 | 2,580 | 1.78 |
| 45 | Alabama | $61,430 | $29.53 | 2,700 | 1.77 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $61,370 | $29.50 | 980 | 1.33 |
| 47 | Iowa | $61,030 | $29.34 | 1,060 | 0.94 |
| 48 | Idaho | $61,020 | $29.34 | 560 | 0.90 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $60,430 | $29.05 | 980 | 1.93 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $59,480 | $28.60 | 2,380 | 1.93 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $49,310 | $23.71 | 300 | 0.89 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do physical therapist assistants make?
The median annual wage for physical therapist assistants in the United States is $68,380, or $32.88 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $47,750, and the top 10% earn $89,510.
How many physical therapist assistants are employed in the U.S.?
About 112,430 people work as physical therapist assistants nationwide.
Which state pays physical therapist assistants the most?
California pays the most at a median of $83,110, followed by Massachusetts ($79,460) and New Jersey ($78,440).
Which state pays physical therapist assistants the least?
South Dakota has the lowest median at $49,310.
Where are physical therapist assistants jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is West Virginia at 1.93×.