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.
National median · BLS
$35,240
▲ +2.09%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$36,430
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
48,150
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Physical Therapist Aides
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$25,360
25th
$30,410
Median (50th)
$35,240
75th
$38,810
90th — top pay
$47,780
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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⇄
Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Physical Therapist Aides
BLS projects employment of physical therapist aides to grow 4% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 6,400 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
49,000 → 51,000
+2,000 jobs
Projected change
+4%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
6,400
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: 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. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What physical therapist aides do
Clean and organize work area and disinfect equipment after treatment.
Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.
Instruct, motivate, safeguard, or assist patients practicing exercises or functional activities, under direction of medical staff.
Confer with physical therapy staff or others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, or coordinating treatment.
Observe patients during treatment to compile and evaluate data on patients' responses and progress and report to physical therapist.
Change linens, such as bed sheets and pillow cases.
Administer active or passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, or heat, light, sound, water, or electrical modality treatments, such as ultrasound.
Transport patients to and from treatment areas, using wheelchairs or providing standing support.
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Physical Therapist Aides, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $35,240.
