# Physical Therapist Assistants

> Assist physical therapists in providing physical therapy treatments and procedures. May, in accordance with state laws, assist in the development of treatment plans, carry out routine functions, document the progress of treatment, and modify specific treatments in accordance with patient status and within the scope of treatment plans established by a physical therapist. Generally requires formal training.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/physical-therapist-assistants
- SOC code: 31-2021.00
- Career family: Healthcare support
- Median annual pay: $68,380 (10th percentile $47,750, 90th percentile $89,510)
- Projected growth: Much faster than average, +23.0%
- Openings a year: 18,500
- Typical entry education: Associate's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code SRC)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 58 |
| Investigative (I) | 44 |
| Artistic (A) | 9 |
| Social (S) | 90 |
| Enterprising (E) | 5 |
| Conventional (C) | 46 |

## What you'd do

- Assisting and Caring for Others (importance 100/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 98/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 95/100)
- Performing General Physical Activities (importance 92/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 91/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 91/100)
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 87/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 82/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 81/100)
- Getting Information (importance 80/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Monitoring, Social Perceptiveness, Speaking, Active Learning, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Service Orientation, Writing, Complex Problem Solving

## Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service, Therapy and Counseling, English Language, Education and Training, Psychology, Medicine and Dentistry, Computers and Electronics, Biology, Administrative, Public Safety and Security

## Also called

Assistant, Certified Physical Therapist Assistant (CPTA), Home Care Physical Therapy Assistant, Home Health Physical Therapist Assistant, Home Health Physical Therapy Assistant (Home Health PTA), Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant (LPTA), Licensed Physical Therapy Assistant, Nursing Facility PTA (Nursing Facility Physical Therapy Assistant), Outpatient Physical Therapist Assistant, Per Diem Physical Therapist Assistant (Per Diem PTA)

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

- [Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5108) (CIP 5108, 1,063 colleges)

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

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [University of Connecticut UCONN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-connecticut-uconn-2902) | Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | $38,020 | $79,657 | $19,500 |
| [Ohio State University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ohio-state-university-main-campus-2000) | Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | $45,321 | $73,594 | $19,829 |

## Related careers

- [Physical Therapist Aides](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/physical-therapist-aides): $35,240 median pay
- [Occupational Therapy Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-therapy-assistants): $72,300 median pay
- [Occupational Therapy Aides](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-therapy-aides): $39,160 median pay
- [Psychiatric Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/psychiatric-technicians): $45,130 median pay
- [Respiratory Therapists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/respiratory-therapists): $82,280 median pay
- [Recreational Therapists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/recreational-therapists): $61,960 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.