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.
- Median pay
- $68,380
- Doing it now
- 114,100
- By 2035
- Up 23%
- Usually needs
- Associate's degree
a year
across the country
18,500 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Instruct, motivate, safeguard, and assist patients as they practice exercises or functional activities.
- Confer with physical therapy staff or others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, or coordinating treatment.
- Measure patients' range-of-joint motion, body parts, or vital signs to determine effects of treatments or for patient evaluations.
- Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.
- Fit patients for orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices, such as crutches.
- Train patients in the use of orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices.
- Transport patients to and from treatment areas, lifting and transferring them according to positioning requirements.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- Allied Health and Medical Assisting ServicesSee 57 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Helping and teaching
Hands-on and practical
Organised and precise
Careers like this one
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $68,380 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.