Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) salary, United States
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The median annual wage for Physical Therapist Assistants in the United States was $68,380 in BLS OEWS May 2025, and the middle half of workers earned between $59,820 and $78,680.
What does the published band tell you about a PTA offer?
The published annual P25 to P75 band for PTA in the United States is $59,820 to $78,680. That PTA band spans
How does PTA pay in the United States compare with the nation?
BLS reports $68,380 as the annual median for SOC 31-2021, Physical Therapist Assistants, in the United States. PTA in the United States has a annual median $0 away from the national median of $68,380. PTA may cover different duties within that published occupation. We ask what this PTA must handle before you use the the United States median in an offer.
What does Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA add to this PTA comparison?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA reports $82,140 for Physical Therapist Assistants in BLS OEWS May 2025. The PTA median gap between the United States and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA is
What does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN add to this PTA comparison?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN reports $72,230 for Physical Therapist Assistants in BLS OEWS May 2025. The PTA median gap between the United States and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $3,850 on this annual basis. A PTA candidate moving between these markets still has to weigh the work and schedule. For PTA in the United States, this the United States comparison does not measure living costs, commuting distance or relocation expense.
Which published industries help you read PTA pay?
For PTA, Home Health Care Services, NAICS 621600, reports a national median of $80,050. For PTA, Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities), NAICS 623100, reports a national median of $77,440. These Physical Therapist Assistants estimates are national, not industry pay rates for the United States. Top-coded industry medians are not placed in this numeric PTA ranking. Use the PTA setting and duties to decide whether that industry comparison belongs in your brief.
What changed between releases for PTA in the United States?
PTA in the United States had a annual median of $65,510 in BLS OEWS May 2024. The BLS OEWS May 2025 median for the same PTA mapping is $68,380. Subtracting those two the United States medians gives $2,870 more in reported pay. That PTA comparison is not a forecast, an inflation adjustment or a promised raise.
What belongs beside base pay in your PTA offer?
PTA wages in the United States include base rates and guaranteed or production pay under the BLS definition. Price the PTA shift separately when you discuss differentials or extra cover. For this PTA brief, overtime, shift differentials and on-call pay sit outside the OEWS wage. A non-production sign-on payment for PTA is also outside that the United States figure. We discuss those PTA terms without inventing an amount to add.
What else should you ask about this pay table?
PTA maps to SOC 31-2021, Physical Therapist Assistants. The the United States annual median is $68,380. For PTA in the United States, the occupation is a direct match to this title.
Does the United States publish a separate wage for PTA?
PTA maps to SOC 31-2021, Physical Therapist Assistants. The the United States annual median is $68,380. For PTA in the United States, the occupation is a direct match to this title.
Where should you place a PTA offer inside the the United States band?
The published annual P25 to P75 band for PTA in the United States is $59,820 to $78,680. That PTA band spans
Can the PTA figure in the United States stand in for the whole package?
PTA pay in this the United States table is not total compensation. For PTA in the United States, shift differential, on-call pay and non-production sign-on payments are excluded by the OEWS definition. For PTA in the United States, write those terms separately before comparing offers.
Which markets can you compare with the United States for PTA?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN have published rows for Physical Therapist Assistants. For PTA in the United States, they are employment-based comparison markets, not a claim about nearest locations. Each linked PTA table names its own area and SOC.
Is the PTA change in the United States a forecast?
PTA in the United States had a annual median of $65,510 in BLS OEWS May 2024. The BLS OEWS May 2025 median for the same PTA mapping is $68,380. Subtracting those two the United States medians gives $2,870 more in reported pay. That PTA comparison is not a forecast, an inflation adjustment or a promised raise.
The PTA national comparison markets use published employment, not geographic proximity. Read the geography and wage definitions.
BLS occupation: Physical Therapist Assistants.
The published occupation matches Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA). BLS wages are not a specific employer offer.
What does this occupation pay nationally?
BLS publishes five national pay points for Physical Therapist Assistants, SOC 31-2021, in BLS OEWS May 2025: the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles. The range bar and table below show each published point. Percentiles describe the spread of pay across workers, not experience levels. Read the median as a midpoint, not an offer for your vacancy.
- P10 to P90 published range
- P25 to P75 middle range
- P50 median
| Point | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,750 |
| 25th percentile | $59,820 |
| Median | $68,380 |
| 75th percentile | $78,680 |
| 90th percentile | $89,510 |
| Mean (average) | $68,730 |
For Physical Therapist Assistants in the United States, BLS reports a median of $68,380; the middle half of workers earned between $59,820 and $78,680 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
- P10 to P90 published range
- P25 to P75 middle range
- P50 median
| Point | Hourly wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $22.96 |
| 25th percentile | $28.76 |
| Median | $32.88 |
| 75th percentile | $37.83 |
| 90th percentile | $43.04 |
| Mean (average) | $33.04 |
For Physical Therapist Assistants in the United States, BLS reports a median of $32.88; the middle half of workers earned between $28.76 and $37.83 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What BLS wages include and exclude
Included
- Base rates
- Commissions
- Cost-of-living allowances
- Deadheading pay
- Guaranteed pay
- Hazard pay
- Incentive pay
- Longevity pay
- Over-the-road pay (Mileage)
- Piece rates
- Portal-to-portal rates
- Production bonuses
- Tips
Excluded
- Attendance bonuses
- Back pay
- Clothing allowances
- Discount
- Draw
- Holiday bonus
- Holiday premium pay
- Jury duty pay
- Meal and lodging payments
- Merchandise discounts
- Non-production bonuses
- On-call pay
- Overtime pay
- Perquisites
- Profit-sharing payments
- Relocation allowances
- Severance pay
- Shift differentials
- Stock bonuses
- Tool/equipment allowances
- Tuition repayment
- Uniform allowance
- Weekend premium pay
- Year-end bonuses
Employment: 112,430 jobs nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, BLS OEWS May 2025. SOC 31-2021 Physical Therapist Assistants, United States. BLS page for this occupation. CSV
How has published pay changed since the last BLS release?
These are separate BLS estimates, not a wage growth forecast. Survey coverage and area boundaries can change. The table places the published median for Physical Therapist Assistants in United States from BLS OEWS May 2024 next to BLS OEWS May 2025. A top-coded value is a floor, not an exact median.
| Pay basis | BLS OEWS May 2024 | BLS OEWS May 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| annual | $65,510 | $68,380 |
| hourly | $31.50 | $32.88 |
Prior release: 2024-05, published 2025-04-02. Current release: 2025-05, published 2026-05-15. A top-coded value is a floor, not an exact median.
What does this pay include, and what does it leave out?
OEWS counts base rates, guaranteed pay and production incentives. It describes pay reported for employees, not an offer for this vacancy. Benefits and self-employed earnings are outside these wage estimates. Compare the regular pay for the duties you need covered.
A BLS occupation can include different settings, shifts and levels; it does not price your exact schedule.
Overtime, shift differentials and on-call pay are excluded. If this job has a call rota or extra shifts, spell out those payments rather than treating the BLS median as the whole package.
Meal and lodging payments and relocation allowances are excluded. A travel per diem for those costs is not part of this wage. Keep it separate from the pay comparison.
Non-production bonuses are excluded. A sign-on or retention payment that is not tied to production should be discussed separately. BLS does not publish an amount to add for that payment.
BLS pay definitions. These notes do not add an estimated bonus or premium.
How does clinical pay compare with management pay here?
These duties map to different BLS occupations. A manager's median is not a promised raise for a clinician. Read the mapping on each page. Each link below opens a related occupation with its own SOC code, published percentiles and source line. Compare the duties before comparing medians, because a title change can mean a different occupation.
Which metro areas publish pay for this occupation?
This table lists every metro area where BLS published a median for Physical Therapist Assistants in BLS OEWS May 2025. Each row shows the median, the middle half of pay from the 25th to the 75th percentile, employment and the location quotient. Metros without a published median are left out rather than estimated.
| Metro area | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95,920 | $81,790 to $101,310 | 1,040 | 0.60 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $84,930 | $77,830 to $92,560 | 1,180 | 1.26 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82,140 | $77,620 to $89,940 | 3,730 | 0.82 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $80,430 | $70,290 to $81,920 | 1,860 | 0.95 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $80,370 | $64,080 to $91,410 | 2,110 | 0.72 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $78,790 | $60,960 to $91,100 | 1,340 | 0.59 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $77,280 | $60,510 to $85,940 | 2,210 | 0.93 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $76,830 | $64,410 to $84,420 | 960 | 1.18 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $75,620 | $66,600 to $83,200 | 3,220 | 0.47 |
| Northern New Jersey market: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ. Shared metro, not New Jersey-only. | $75,620 | $66,600 to $83,200 | 3,220 | 0.47 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $74,730 | $58,540 to $81,330 | 1,370 | 0.66 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $72,530 | $65,710 to $72,830 | 3,420 | 1.68 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $72,230 | $61,930 to $75,870 | 3,520 | 1.08 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $71,540 | $62,460 to $79,070 | 1,650 | 0.79 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $71,110 | $62,870 to $75,610 | 930 | 0.91 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $70,170 | $62,780 to $76,480 | 1,340 | 1.28 |
| Columbus, OH | $69,480 | $59,720 to $79,380 | 1,100 | 1.37 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $69,050 | $61,040 to $79,030 | 1,040 | 1.31 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $67,890 | $64,180 to $79,270 | 390 | 0.73 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $65,820 | $61,130 to $74,680 | 1,100 | 1.14 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $65,580 | $61,430 to $76,840 | 880 | 1.10 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $65,450 | $36,610 to $81,970 | 1,120 | 0.74 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $65,170 | $60,730 to $77,340 | 930 | 1.17 |
| Cleveland, OH | $64,800 | $60,700 to $75,790 | 1,280 | 1.71 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $64,720 | $61,190 to $77,820 | 1,440 | 0.84 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $62,220 | $39,310 to $64,800 | 1,880 | 1.36 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $58,850 | $26,360 to $66,590 | 1,060 | 2.17 |
How do you find pay for a state or nonmetro area?
Choose a state, metro or nonmetropolitan area below to open the published figures for Physical Therapist Assistants. If BLS did not publish a median, the guide shows the state or national estimate with a clear fallback label. It does not create a salary page for that missing combination. Every area page names its source row.
Does this pay differ by healthcare industry?
National industry estimates for Physical Therapist Assistants, SOC 31-2021. Industry names are the names published by BLS. These are not local industry wages. Each row uses the pay basis BLS published for that industry, from the 10th to the 90th percentile, with employment. Cells BLS did not publish stay blank rather than estimated.
| Industry / NAICS | Basis | P10 | P25 | Median | P75 | P90 | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | annual | $41,010 | $55,950 | $62,970 | $73,490 | $84,840 | 6,570 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | annual | $39,480 | $56,150 | $62,990 | $74,810 | $80,770 | 50,830 |
| Outpatient Care Centers NAICS 621400 | annual | $47,000 | $61,350 | $70,920 | $84,770 | $105,030 | 1,330 |
| Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories NAICS 621500 | annual | $52,040 | $61,310 | $68,230 | $74,250 | $78,060 | 30 |
| Home Health Care Services NAICS 621600 | annual | $59,110 | $68,230 | $80,050 | $91,750 | $102,080 | 14,030 |
| Hospitals NAICS 622000 | annual | $50,710 | $61,160 | $67,620 | $78,030 | $84,990 | 22,280 |
| Nursing and Residential Care Facilities NAICS 623000 | annual | $62,420 | $69,050 | $76,980 | $83,510 | $93,650 | 13,500 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) NAICS 623100 | annual | $62,420 | $70,110 | $77,440 | $84,130 | $93,940 | 11,820 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities NAICS 623200 | annual | $57,580 | $60,980 | $64,250 | $73,660 | $85,150 | 230 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly NAICS 623300 | annual | $62,600 | $67,470 | $74,260 | $79,600 | $90,890 | 1,280 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, BLS OEWS May 2025. National industry-specific estimates. A value marked “or more” is top-coded.
Where is published pay highest and lowest for this occupation?
Highest and lowest published numeric medians for Physical Therapist Assistants, SOC 31-2021. Top-coded medians cannot be ranked exactly and are not placed in this list. The table shows up to ten metros at each end, with employment and location quotient. Location quotient describes employment concentration, not pay. A metro missing here may still publish a capped value.
| Metro | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $97,190 | 400 | 0.49 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95,920 | 1,040 | 0.60 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $88,070 | 160 | 1.35 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $87,330 | 60 | 0.87 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $87,300 | 90 | 0.61 |
| Vallejo, CA | $86,630 | 50 | 0.50 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $85,150 | 100 | 0.71 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $84,930 | 1,180 | 1.26 |
| Salinas, CA | $84,850 | 70 | 0.52 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $84,290 | 570 | 0.73 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $56,020 | 670 | 0.83 |
| Farmington, NM | $54,100 | 60 | 1.78 |
| Dubuque, IA | $51,640 | 50 | 1.10 |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $51,000 | 30 | 1.08 |
| Rapid City, SD | $50,010 | 40 | 0.72 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $49,080 | 120 | 0.92 |
| Mayaguez, PR | $30,950 | 60 | 1.64 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $30,330 | 560 | 1.12 |
| Aguadilla, PR | $29,120 | 90 | 2.52 |
| Ponce, PR | $28,350 | 80 | 1.64 |
How does this pay compare with all wages in each metro?
We divide this occupation's median by the all-occupations median for the same area and pay basis. This is simple arithmetic on BLS rows. It is not a cost-of-living adjustment or a percentile. Location quotient is shown separately. A ratio above one means this occupation's median is higher than the area's all-occupations median.
| Metro | Occupation median | All-occupations median | Median ratio | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $72,520 | $35,830 | 2.02 times | 1.92 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $73,020 | $36,490 | 2.00 times | 1.23 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $88,070 | $47,650 | 1.85 times | 1.35 |
| Sebring, FL | $73,410 | $40,400 | 1.82 times | 1.83 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | $78,310 | $43,210 | 1.81 times | 1.62 |
| El Paso, TX | $71,140 | $39,510 | 1.80 times | 1.31 |
| San Angelo, TX | $78,200 | $43,530 | 1.80 times | 1.69 |
| Salinas, CA | $84,850 | $47,380 | 1.79 times | 0.52 |
| Gadsden, AL | $65,060 | $36,660 | 1.77 times | 6.78 |
| Tyler, TX | $75,670 | $42,650 | 1.77 times | 1.76 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, BLS OEWS May 2025. SOC 31-2021 Physical Therapist Assistants, metropolitan areas listed above. BLS page for this occupation. CSV
What do we see when recruiting for this role?
Read the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) brief alongside the occupation mapping. Required credentials, current duties and the work setting can differ within Physical Therapist Assistants. A BLS wage is a description of surveyed workers, not an offer recommendation. Compare the actual responsibilities and the candidate's preferences before changing the brief.
Qualitative view from our search work. Not BLS data.
What is the median pay for Physical Therapist Assistants?
$68,380 nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025). 50% of workers in this occupation earned less than this and 50% earned more. The median covers every setting BLS surveyed, so it is a midpoint of reported pay, not an offer benchmark for your vacancy. Read the mapping note and the percentile range before you set pay.
How much do the best-paid workers earn?
10% of workers in this occupation earned more than $89,510, and 10% earned less than $47,750.
Is this the pay for Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) exactly?
BLS publishes Physical Therapist Assistants as its own occupation, so this is a direct match. The published occupation matches Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA). BLS wages are not a specific employer offer.
What is the hourly equivalent?
The BLS median hourly wage is $32.88. BLS converts hourly to annual with 2,080 hours a year, so the annual median is $68,380.
Where is the median highest?
Among the metro areas listed on this page, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has the highest published median at $97,190.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimates 112,430 jobs nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).