Physical Therapist Aide salary in the U.S.
Physical Therapist Aides in the U.S. earn a median of $35,240 a year ($16.94 an hour), based on BLS data for 48,150 workers.
Pay ranges from $25,360 for the lowest-paid 10% to $47,780 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $36,430, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for physical therapist aides in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $25,360 | $12.19 |
| 25th percentile | $30,410 | $14.62 |
| Median | $35,240 | $16.94 |
| 75th percentile | $38,810 | $18.66 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $47,780 | $22.97 |
| Average (mean) | $36,430 | $17.52 |
Half of physical therapist aides earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $2,936.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,468.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,355.38 |
| Weekly | $677.69 |
| Hourly | $16.94 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Physical Therapist Aide salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $55,760 | 110 |
| Minnesota | $42,330 | 150 |
| Colorado | $41,970 | 360 |
| New Hampshire | $40,460 | 130 |
| Maine | $39,660 | 90 |
| Washington | $39,500 | 760 |
| District of Columbia | $38,950 | 30 |
| Montana | $38,950 | 110 |
| California | $38,330 | 7,330 |
| North Dakota | $37,680 | 120 |
| Massachusetts | $37,440 | 1,020 |
| Ohio | $37,220 | 760 |
| Wisconsin | $36,820 | 840 |
| Illinois | $36,650 | 680 |
| Oregon | $36,060 | 1,090 |
| Connecticut | $35,770 | 520 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,520 | 1,200 |
| Kentucky | $35,490 | 160 |
| New York | $35,380 | 4,950 |
| Arizona | $35,260 | 1,340 |
| Florida | $35,140 | 1,210 |
| Indiana | $35,100 | 860 |
| West Virginia | $34,840 | 170 |
| Maryland | $34,780 | 830 |
| North Carolina | $34,760 | 1,050 |
| New Jersey | $34,430 | 2,230 |
| Delaware | $34,060 | 300 |
| Hawaii | $33,810 | 60 |
| Virginia | $33,390 | 1,260 |
| South Carolina | $33,280 | 370 |
| New Mexico | $31,990 | 240 |
| Nevada | $31,970 | 900 |
| Texas | $31,590 | 5,710 |
| South Dakota | $31,330 | 70 |
| Rhode Island | $31,200 | 280 |
| Georgia | $30,550 | 1,200 |
| Wyoming | $30,470 | 240 |
| Tennessee | $30,320 | 710 |
| Arkansas | $29,450 | 160 |
| Michigan | $29,350 | 1,810 |
| Missouri | $29,250 | 750 |
| Utah | $29,150 | 1,130 |
| Iowa | $29,120 | 390 |
| Idaho | $28,660 | 540 |
| Nebraska | $28,080 | 670 |
| Oklahoma | $27,630 | 370 |
| Mississippi | $27,370 | 270 |
| Alabama | $27,290 | 750 |
| Kansas | $25,280 | 440 |
| Louisiana | $22,460 | 1,380 |
Best-paying metro areas for physical therapist aides
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Abilene, TX | $49,790 | 70 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $46,460 | 400 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $44,440 | 680 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $43,300 | 330 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $42,520 | 150 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $42,230 | 80 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | $40,460 | 50 |
| Fresno, CA | $40,350 | 240 |
| Toledo, OH | $40,160 | 30 |
| Columbus, OH | $39,990 | 250 |
| Madison, WI | $39,420 | 90 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $39,210 | 100 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $38,980 | 330 |
| Anchorage, AK | $38,930 | 70 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $38,810 | 340 |
Metro areas with the most physical therapist aides
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 6,030 | $35,320 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 2,720 | $37,280 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,280 | $33,060 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,070 | $35,010 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 990 | $35,570 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 990 | $32,240 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 840 | $37,440 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 800 | $28,570 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 760 | $37,850 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 740 | $38,440 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 720 | $33,570 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 700 | $34,780 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 680 | $44,440 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 650 | $31,980 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 590 | $36,200 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Therapist Assistant | $68,380 | $32.88 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | $72,300 | $34.76 |
| Occupational Therapy Aide | $39,160 | $18.83 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $35,800 | $17.21 |
| Nursing Assistant | $42,260 | $20.32 |
| Medical Assistant | $45,690 | $21.97 |
| Dental Assistant | $48,070 | $23.11 |
| Phlebotomist | $45,230 | $21.75 |
| Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers | $38,150 | $18.34 |
| Healthcare Support Workers, All Other | $48,430 | $23.28 |
| Massage Therapist | $58,450 | $28.10 |
| Medical Equipment Preparer | $47,700 | $22.93 |
| Orderly | $38,290 | $18.41 |
| Medical Transcriptionist | $40,410 | $19.43 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 31-2022. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a physical therapist aide make in the U.S.?
The median salary for physical therapist aides in the U.S. is $35,240 a year, or $16.94 an hour. Pay ranges from $25,360 for the lowest-paid 10% to $47,780 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid physical therapist aides make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of physical therapist aides in the U.S. earn at least $47,780 a year. The top 25% earn $38,810 or more.
What is the starting pay for physical therapist aides in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $25,360 a year, and a quarter of physical therapist aides earn $30,410 or less.
How many physical therapist aides work in the U.S.?
About 48,150 physical therapist aides are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.