What Does a Physical Therapist Assistant Do?
On the parallel bars, a patient recovering from a stroke practices walking again while a physical therapist assistant (PTA) holds the gait belt. PTAs carry out the plan a physical therapist designs, from guided exercise and walking practice to heat, ice or electrical stimulation, in outpatient clinics, hospitals, nursing homes and patients' homes.
Also known as: Physical Therapy Assistant
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Certified Physical Therapist Assistant (CPTA), Home Care Physical Therapy Assistant, Home Health Physical Therapist Assistant, Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant (LPTA), Licensed Physical Therapy Assistant, Outpatient Physical Therapist Assistant, Per Diem Physical Therapist Assistant (Per Diem PTA), Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA).
Physical Therapist Assistant Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a physical therapist assistant include:
- Guide patients through therapeutic exercises set out in the physical therapist's plan of care.
- Teach safe walking with crutches, walkers or canes and practice stairs and transfers.
- Apply heat, ice, ultrasound or electrical stimulation as the treatment plan directs.
- Perform manual techniques such as soft tissue work and assisted stretching within scope.
- Measure strength, range of motion and pain levels and record progress each visit.
- Report changes in a patient's condition to the supervising physical therapist promptly.
- Adjust exercises within the plan when a patient struggles or progresses faster.
- Write daily treatment notes in the clinic's documentation system for billing.
- Show patients and caregivers home exercise programs using clear handouts.
- Prepare treatment areas and clean equipment between patients.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a physical therapist assistant, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- State PTA license or certification
- National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) for PTAs
- Therapeutic exercise and gait training
- CPR certification
- Documentation software such as WebPT
- Physical stamina for lifting and guarding patients
- Encouragement that keeps patients doing their exercises
- Close observation of pain and fatigue
Education and Training
To become a physical therapist assistant, in almost every state you will need a degree from an accredited PTA program and a passing score on the national exam to qualify to practice. Programs include clinical rotations. With experience, you could specialize in areas such as sports, neurology or geriatrics, or move into clinic coordination.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $59,820 - $78,680 per year, with a median of $68,380.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Physical Therapist Assistants.
BLS projects employment of physical therapist assistants to grow about 23 percent from 2025 to 2035. That strong growth should mean roughly 18,500 openings a year. Demand will rise for several reasons, including an aging population; chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity, that limit mobility; and the push to treat patients outside the hospital, as clinics use assistants to see more people.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Physical therapist assistants.
Physical Therapist Assistant Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $47,750 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $59,820 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $68,380 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $78,680 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $89,510 |
Highest-Paying States for Physical Therapist Assistants
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are California ($83,110), Massachusetts ($79,460), New Jersey ($78,440), Texas ($78,000), Maryland ($77,670). Pay is lowest in West Virginia ($60,430), Oklahoma ($59,480), South Dakota ($49,310).
Median pay in all 51 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $61,430 |
| Alaska | $77,640 |
| Arizona | $64,650 |
| Arkansas | $64,520 |
| California | $83,110 |
| Colorado | $64,810 |
| Connecticut | $75,880 |
| Delaware | $74,610 |
| District of Columbia | $63,400 |
| Florida | $72,530 |
| Georgia | $72,800 |
| Hawaii | $67,510 |
| Idaho | $61,020 |
| Illinois | $65,240 |
| Indiana | $65,280 |
| Iowa | $61,030 |
| Kansas | $64,500 |
| Kentucky | $61,480 |
| Louisiana | $65,370 |
| Maine | $66,250 |
| Maryland | $77,670 |
| Massachusetts | $79,460 |
| Michigan | $61,670 |
| Minnesota | $66,770 |
| Mississippi | $61,770 |
| Missouri | $63,770 |
| Montana | $62,650 |
| Nebraska | $61,370 |
| Nevada | $75,520 |
| New Hampshire | $71,440 |
| New Jersey | $78,440 |
| New Mexico | $62,280 |
| New York | $64,100 |
| North Carolina | $67,540 |
| North Dakota | $63,520 |
| Ohio | $63,820 |
| Oklahoma | $59,480 |
| Oregon | $73,180 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,580 |
| Rhode Island | $68,640 |
| South Carolina | $70,500 |
| South Dakota | $49,310 |
| Tennessee | $62,500 |
| Texas | $78,000 |
| Utah | $61,980 |
| Vermont | $71,600 |
| Virginia | $73,760 |
| Washington | $66,450 |
| West Virginia | $60,430 |
| Wisconsin | $64,080 |
| Wyoming | $63,550 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as physical therapist assistants about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 100% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 99% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 77% spend more than half the workday on their feet
- 67% use their hands on tools, objects or controls for more than half the day
- 63% spend more than half the day walking or moving around
- 61% are exposed to disease or infection every day
- 49% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Associate's degree | 84% |
| Bachelor's degree | 15% |
Tools and Software Physical Therapist Assistants Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy helping, teaching or caring for people as well as hands-on work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Active Listening, Speaking, Monitoring, Social Perceptiveness, Reading Comprehension, Writing.
Knowledge areas used most: Customer and Personal Service, Therapy and Counseling, English Language, Education and Training, Psychology.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 3 of 5, which means medium preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 31-2021.00 (Physical Therapist Assistants). View on O*NET OnLine.
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