Physical Therapist Aides Salary
Healthcare Support Occupations · 48K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$35,240
Median hourly
$17
Average annual
$36,430
Typical range
$25,360–$47,780
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Physical Therapist Aides is $35,240 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $17 an hour at a full-time schedule.
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..
Most earn between $25,360 and $47,780 a year. There are roughly 48K people employed as physical therapist aides in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Physical Therapist Aides.
- Hourly
- $16.94
- Daily
- $136
- Weekly
- $678
- Bi-weekly
- $1,355
- Monthly
- $2,937
- Annual
- $35,240
$35,240 a year is around the 50th percentile for Physical Therapist Aidess. The median is $35,240.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Alaska$55,760
- 2Minnesota$42,330
- 3Colorado$41,970
- 4New Hampshire$40,460
- 5Maine$39,660
- 6Washington$39,500
- 7District of Columbia$38,950
- 8Montana$38,950
- 9California$38,330
- 10North Dakota$37,680
- 11Massachusetts$37,440
- 12Ohio$37,220
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Abilene, TX$49,790
- 2Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$46,460
- 3San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$44,440
- 4San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$43,300
- 5Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$42,520
- 6Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$42,230
- 7Manchester-Nashua, NH$40,460
- 8Fresno, CA$40,350
- 9Toledo, OH$40,160
- 10Columbus, OH$39,990
- 11Madison, WI$39,420
- 12Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$39,210
Related job titles
Employers advertise Physical Therapist Aides roles under these titles.
Related occupations
What a Physical Therapist Aides does
- 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.
- 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.
- Perform clerical duties, such as taking inventory, ordering supplies, answering telephone, taking messages, or filling out forms.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Physical Therapist Aides make?
- The median annual wage for Physical Therapist Aides is $35,240 ($17 per hour). Pay ranges from about $25,360 at the 10th percentile to $47,780 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Physical Therapist Aides?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $36,430, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Physical Therapist Aidess the most?
- Alaska has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $55,760.
- Is Physical Therapist Aides a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 48K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a 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..