Physical Therapist Aides
Physical Therapist Aides (SOC 31-2022) earn a median $35,240 a year ($16.94 an hour) in the United States, with 48,150 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Alaska.
What physical therapist aides do
Physical therapist aides work under close supervision of a physical therapist or physical therapy assistant and perform only delegated, selected or routine tasks in specific situations. The SOC gives preparing the patient and the treatment area as examples. They clean and organize the work area and disinfect equipment after treatment, change linens such as sheets and pillow cases, and secure patients into or onto therapy equipment. They transport patients to and from treatment areas, using wheelchairs or providing standing support. Under the direction of medical staff, they instruct, motivate, safeguard or assist patients who are practicing exercises or functional activities, and they observe patients during treatment to compile data on their responses and progress and report to the physical therapist. They confer with therapy staff about patient information for planning, modifying or coordinating treatment. O*NET lists manual exercises, massage and modality treatments such as ultrasound among their tasks, though these stay within the scope of what is delegated. About a third of respondents report a high school diploma and a quarter an associate degree. Alternate titles include rehabilitation aide, physical therapy technician and PT attendant.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical level of education for this occupation (34 percent).
Also called: Outpatient Aide, Outpatient Therapy Aide, Physical Therapist Aide (PTA), Physical Therapy Aide (PTA), Physiotherapy Aide.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $12.19 | $14.62 | $16.94 | $18.66 | $22.97 | $17.52 | 48,150 |
| Annual | $25,360 | $30,410 | $35,240 | $38,810 | $47,780 | $36,430 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where physical therapist aides earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $17.17 | $17.18 | $26.81 | $33.98 | $34.76 | $28.66 | 110 | 0.33 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $35,700 | $35,740 | $55,760 | $70,680 | $72,290 | $59,620 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $18.03 | $19.24 | $20.35 | $22.98 | $23.17 | $21.09 | 150 | 0.05 | 0.16 |
| Annual | $37,510 | $40,030 | $42,330 | $47,800 | $48,190 | $43,870 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $15.15 | $16.72 | $20.18 | $23.10 | $25.14 | $20.13 | 360 | 0.12 | 0.40 |
| Annual | $31,500 | $34,790 | $41,970 | $48,050 | $52,290 | $41,870 | ||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | $14.01 | $15.91 | $19.45 | $22.52 | $24.01 | $19.16 | 130 | 0.20 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $29,130 | $33,100 | $40,460 | $46,840 | $49,950 | $39,850 | ||||
| Maine | Hourly | $16.63 | $17.85 | $19.07 | $28.55 | $33.91 | $22.76 | 90 | 0.13 | 0.43 |
| Annual | $34,590 | $37,130 | $39,660 | $59,380 | $70,540 | $47,340 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $16.68 | $17.19 | $18.43 | $22.21 | $28.94 | $20.90 | 7,330 | 0.40 | 1.30 |
| Annual | $34,690 | $35,760 | $38,330 | $46,190 | $60,200 | $43,470 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $10.83 | $12.70 | $15.19 | $18.38 | $22.46 | $16.01 | 5,710 | 0.41 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $22,520 | $26,420 | $31,590 | $38,240 | $46,710 | $33,300 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $15.68 | $16.44 | $17.01 | $20.91 | $24.74 | $18.91 | 4,950 | 0.51 | 1.65 |
| Annual | $32,610 | $34,200 | $35,380 | $43,480 | $51,460 | $39,320 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $15.49 | $15.49 | $16.55 | $18.02 | $21.32 | $17.47 | 2,230 | 0.52 | 1.68 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $32,220 | $34,430 | $37,490 | $44,350 | $36,330 | ||||
| Michigan | Hourly | $13.01 | $13.37 | $14.11 | $16.62 | $18.41 | $15.32 | 1,810 | 0.41 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $27,070 | $27,810 | $29,350 | $34,580 | $38,300 | $31,860 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Abilene, TX | Hourly | $12.45 | $20.46 | $23.94 | $23.94 | $23.94 | $21.20 | 70 | 0.92 | 2.97 |
| Annual | $25,890 | $42,560 | $49,790 | $49,790 | $49,790 | $44,090 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $17.27 | $18.77 | $22.34 | $27.19 | $27.93 | $22.90 | 400 | 0.19 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $35,930 | $39,030 | $46,460 | $56,550 | $58,100 | $47,620 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $18.08 | $19.49 | $21.36 | $26.13 | $33.37 | $23.69 | 680 | 0.29 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $37,610 | $40,550 | $44,440 | $54,350 | $69,400 | $49,270 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $18.52 | $19.60 | $20.82 | $26.19 | $35.67 | $24.70 | 330 | 0.29 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $38,530 | $40,770 | $43,300 | $54,470 | $74,190 | $51,380 | ||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | $16.80 | $19.36 | $20.44 | $23.15 | $27.49 | $21.36 | 150 | 0.09 | 0.30 |
| Annual | $34,940 | $40,280 | $42,520 | $48,150 | $57,180 | $44,420 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $15.49 | $16.40 | $16.98 | $19.40 | $24.50 | $18.59 | 6,030 | 0.64 | 2.05 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $34,120 | $35,320 | $40,350 | $50,960 | $38,670 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $16.68 | $16.85 | $17.92 | $22.23 | $29.06 | $20.51 | 2,720 | 0.43 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $34,690 | $35,050 | $37,280 | $46,230 | $60,450 | $42,660 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $11.28 | $13.23 | $15.89 | $17.97 | $21.26 | $16.19 | 1,280 | 0.39 | 1.25 |
| Annual | $23,460 | $27,520 | $33,060 | $37,370 | $44,210 | $33,680 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $15.42 | $16.50 | $16.83 | $18.53 | $21.19 | $17.80 | 1,070 | 0.45 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $32,070 | $34,320 | $35,010 | $38,550 | $44,080 | $37,030 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $11.72 | $14.97 | $17.10 | $19.79 | $22.78 | $17.60 | 990 | 0.24 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $24,370 | $31,130 | $35,570 | $41,160 | $47,380 | $36,610 | ||||
Top industries employing physical therapist aides
Offices of Other Health Practitioners employ 67.0% of physical therapist aides nationally (32,260 jobs) at a median $34,120 a year ($16.40 an hour), followed by General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (13.3%) and Offices of Physicians (9.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 32,260 | 67.0% | $34,120 | $16.40 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 6,420 | 13.3% | $38,950 | $18.72 |
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 4,420 | 9.2% | $35,320 | $16.98 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals NAICS 622300 | 1,920 | 4.0% | $37,350 | $17.96 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) NAICS 623100 | 1,000 | 2.1% | $43,410 | $20.87 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (48,150). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $29,200 for physical therapist aides in May 2021 and $35,240 in May 2025, with employment of 42,390 and 48,150.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $29,200 | $14.04 | 42,390 |
| May 2022 | $31,410 | $15.10 | 42,800 |
| May 2023 | $33,520 | $16.11 | 42,390 |
| May 2024 | $34,520 | $16.59 | 44,010 |
| May 2025 | $35,240 | $16.94 | 48,150 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
50 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska profile | $26.81 | $55,760 | $35,700 | $72,290 | 110 | 0.33 | 1.05 |
| 2 | Minnesota profile | $20.35 | $42,330 | $37,510 | $48,190 | 150 | 0.05 | 0.16 |
| 3 | Colorado profile | $20.18 | $41,970 | $31,500 | $52,290 | 360 | 0.12 | 0.40 |
| 4 | New Hampshire profile | $19.45 | $40,460 | $29,130 | $49,950 | 130 | 0.20 | 0.63 |
| 5 | Maine profile | $19.07 | $39,660 | $34,590 | $70,540 | 90 | 0.13 | 0.43 |
| 6 | Washington profile | $18.99 | $39,500 | $35,930 | $58,100 | 760 | 0.22 | 0.69 |
| 7 | District of Columbia profile | $18.72 | $38,950 | $36,960 | $39,040 | 30 | 0.05 | 0.16 |
| 8 | Montana profile | $18.73 | $38,950 | $24,240 | $48,780 | 110 | 0.21 | 0.68 |
| 9 | California profile | $18.43 | $38,330 | $34,690 | $60,200 | 7,330 | 0.40 | 1.30 |
| 10 | North Dakota profile | $18.11 | $37,680 | $29,900 | $56,430 | 120 | 0.28 | 0.89 |
| 11 | Massachusetts profile | $18.00 | $37,440 | $35,070 | $48,690 | 1,020 | 0.28 | 0.91 |
| 12 | Ohio profile | $17.89 | $37,220 | $22,970 | $46,050 | 760 | 0.14 | 0.44 |
| 13 | Wisconsin profile | $17.70 | $36,820 | $28,080 | $46,520 | 840 | 0.29 | 0.93 |
| 14 | Illinois profile | $17.62 | $36,650 | $31,200 | $48,360 | 680 | 0.11 | 0.36 |
| 15 | Oregon profile | $17.34 | $36,060 | $31,430 | $44,490 | 1,090 | 0.55 | 1.79 |
| 16 | Connecticut profile | $17.20 | $35,770 | $34,010 | $43,830 | 520 | 0.31 | 0.99 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania profile | $17.08 | $35,520 | $24,180 | $43,100 | 1,200 | 0.20 | 0.64 |
| 18 | Kentucky profile | $17.06 | $35,490 | $27,470 | $47,780 | 160 | 0.08 | 0.25 |
| 19 | New York profile | $17.01 | $35,380 | $32,610 | $51,460 | 4,950 | 0.51 | 1.65 |
| 20 | Arizona profile | $16.95 | $35,260 | $31,510 | $44,630 | 1,340 | 0.41 | 1.34 |
| 21 | Florida profile | $16.90 | $35,140 | $30,620 | $44,180 | 1,210 | 0.12 | 0.39 |
| 22 | Indiana profile | $16.88 | $35,100 | $23,010 | $73,430 | 860 | 0.27 | 0.86 |
| 23 | West Virginia profile | $16.75 | $34,840 | $22,960 | $43,720 | 170 | 0.24 | 0.77 |
| 24 | Maryland profile | $16.72 | $34,780 | $31,200 | $39,330 | 830 | 0.30 | 0.97 |
| 25 | North Carolina profile | $16.71 | $34,760 | $28,920 | $72,890 | 1,050 | 0.21 | 0.68 |
| 26 | New Jersey profile | $16.55 | $34,430 | $32,220 | $44,350 | 2,230 | 0.52 | 1.68 |
| 27 | Delaware profile | $16.38 | $34,060 | $31,200 | $42,750 | 300 | 0.62 | 2.00 |
| 28 | Hawaii profile | $16.25 | $33,810 | $31,050 | $46,480 | 60 | 0.10 | 0.33 |
| 29 | Virginia profile | $16.05 | $33,390 | $25,960 | $42,530 | 1,260 | 0.31 | 0.99 |
| 30 | South Carolina profile | $16.00 | $33,280 | $22,830 | $45,290 | 370 | 0.16 | 0.52 |
| 31 | New Mexico profile | $15.38 | $31,990 | $29,090 | $47,860 | 240 | 0.28 | 0.89 |
| 32 | Nevada profile | $15.37 | $31,970 | $27,550 | $40,090 | 900 | 0.58 | 1.88 |
| 33 | Texas profile | $15.19 | $31,590 | $22,520 | $46,710 | 5,710 | 0.41 | 1.31 |
| 34 | South Dakota profile | $15.06 | $31,330 | $24,010 | $44,770 | 70 | 0.16 | 0.53 |
| 35 | Rhode Island profile | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $43,480 | 280 | 0.57 | 1.83 |
| 36 | Georgia profile | $14.69 | $30,550 | $22,080 | $38,680 | 1,200 | 0.25 | 0.79 |
| 37 | Wyoming profile | $14.65 | $30,470 | $29,730 | $37,080 | 240 | 0.86 | 2.78 |
| 38 | Tennessee profile | $14.58 | $30,320 | $21,220 | $42,830 | 710 | 0.22 | 0.70 |
| 39 | Arkansas profile | $14.16 | $29,450 | $24,810 | $47,650 | 160 | 0.12 | 0.40 |
| 40 | Michigan profile | $14.11 | $29,350 | $27,070 | $38,300 | 1,810 | 0.41 | 1.33 |
| 41 | Missouri profile | $14.06 | $29,250 | $28,600 | $39,140 | 750 | 0.26 | 0.83 |
| 42 | Utah profile | $14.02 | $29,150 | $23,010 | $36,220 | 1,130 | 0.65 | 2.11 |
| 43 | Iowa profile | $14.00 | $29,120 | $21,840 | $43,760 | 390 | 0.25 | 0.81 |
| 44 | Idaho profile | $13.78 | $28,660 | $23,600 | $40,680 | 540 | 0.63 | 2.04 |
| 45 | Nebraska profile | $13.50 | $28,080 | $28,080 | $41,590 | 670 | 0.66 | 2.13 |
| 46 | Oklahoma profile | $13.28 | $27,630 | $21,550 | $35,990 | 370 | 0.22 | 0.69 |
| 47 | Mississippi profile | $13.16 | $27,370 | $23,450 | $36,880 | 270 | 0.23 | 0.74 |
| 48 | Alabama profile | $13.12 | $27,290 | $21,160 | $33,770 | 750 | 0.36 | 1.15 |
| 49 | Kansas profile | $12.15 | $25,280 | $21,880 | $39,260 | 440 | 0.31 | 0.99 |
| 50 | Louisiana profile | $10.80 | $22,460 | $19,490 | $30,070 | 1,380 | 0.72 | 2.31 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (31-2020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Healthcare Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 31-2022 Physical Therapist Aides.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 31-2022, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 31-2022.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.