# Physical Therapist Aides

> Under close supervision of a physical therapist or physical therapy assistant, perform only delegated, selected, or routine tasks in specific situations. These duties include preparing the patient and the treatment area.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/physical-therapist-aides
- SOC code: 31-2022.00
- Career family: Healthcare support
- Median annual pay: $35,240 (10th percentile $25,360, 90th percentile $47,780)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +4.0%
- Openings a year: 6,400
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code SRC)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 62 |
| Investigative (I) | 26 |
| Artistic (A) | 1 |
| Social (S) | 83 |
| Enterprising (E) | 18 |
| Conventional (C) | 49 |

## What you'd do

- Assisting and Caring for Others (importance 100/100)
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 88/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 86/100)
- Getting Information (importance 82/100)
- Handling and Moving Objects (importance 77/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 75/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 75/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 75/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 74/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 72/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Monitoring, Service Orientation, Coordination, Reading Comprehension, Social Perceptiveness, Active Learning, Critical Thinking, Instructing, Speaking

## Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Computers and Electronics, Therapy and Counseling, Psychology, Public Safety and Security, Administrative, Education and Training, Telecommunications, Administration and Management

## Also called

Aide, Outpatient Aide, Outpatient Therapy Aide, Physical Therapist Aide (PTA), Physical Therapy Aide (PTA), Physiotherapy Aide, PT Attendant (Physical Therapy Attendant), PT Tech (Physical Therapist Technician), PT Tech (Physical Therapy Technician), Rehabilitation Aide

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5126) (CIP 5126, 93 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Piedmont Technical College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/piedmont-technical-college-2110) | Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies | $35,288 | $48,358 | $16,369 |
| [Carrington College-Mesa](https://www.collegesref.com/college/carrington-college-mesa-415) | Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies | $30,467 | $34,955 | $9,500 |
| [Central Louisiana Technical Community College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/central-louisiana-technical-community-college-464) | Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies | $21,709 | $27,344 | $9,500 |
| [Northwest Louisiana Technical College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northwest-louisiana-technical-college-1949) | Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies | $21,845 | $23,162 | not reported |
| [Louisiana Delta Community College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/louisiana-delta-community-college-1540) | Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies | $24,088 | $22,738 | $9,500 |
| [Northshore Technical Community College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northshore-technical-community-college-1942) | Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies | not reported | $19,442 | not reported |

## Related careers

- [Physical Therapist Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/physical-therapist-assistants): $68,380 median pay
- [Occupational Therapy Aides](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-therapy-aides): $39,160 median pay
- [Occupational Therapy Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-therapy-assistants): $72,300 median pay
- [Psychiatric Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/psychiatric-technicians): $45,130 median pay
- [Psychiatric Aides](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/psychiatric-aides): $44,910 median pay
- [Occupational Therapists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-therapists): $100,330 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.