A typical physical therapy assistant earns a median figure of $45,952 per year in the United States. This annual salary amount is current as of November 2011 and is calculated from an analysis of thousands of statistical data collected from thousands of Human Resources departments of various companies and institutions which hire physical therapy assistants. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the typical annual salary is the average figure of $48,590 in 2009. A much higher figure is expected for 2011. Just like in all professions, many aspects, such as the number of years in the profession, level of experience, accredited physical therapy assistant training programs attended, age, and the geographical location of the place of employment, will make a significant impact on the physical therapy assistant salary.

$46,000 median salary

A five-year experience will then bump up the hourly salary rate to this range: from $17.43 to $24.15 per hour. If you have worked as a physical therapy assistant for up to ten years, then a subsequent rise in hourly rate is expected. A typical salary range of $20.41 to $32.78 per hour can be offered.

Alternate job titles for a physical therapy assistant include Physical Therapy Assistant, Physical Therapy Technician, Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant, and Certified Physical Therapist Assistant. The usual job description entails assisting a physical therapist perform within the milieu of physical therapy offices or physical therapy locations. The physical therapy assistant helps a physical therapist with a patient’s activities to induce rehabilitation, lessen pain, and enhance mobility. Reporting to a physical therapist for supervision is normally done. Moreover, the job function necessitates an associate’s degree from an accredited physical therapy assistant program and subsequent licensure qualifications. Sometimes, physical therapy internships are incorporated in the associate training programs. Further training, specializations, and certification will increase the salary of the physical therapy assistant. Training and certification programs include Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Certified Athletic Trainers, and Basic Life Support.

Becoming a physical therapy assistant can happen in two ways: one is by being trained while on the job or by completing an associate degree program. Most states compel licensure examinations for physical therapy assistants before they can be allowed to work. Job opportunities are usually present in locations such as hospitals, clinics, or orthopedic-based centers. It is also recommended by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics to expect more job prospects in rural settings since many of the physical therapists in the United States work in urban or suburban areas.

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics gives a positive employment growth to the physical therapy assistant sector because of the growing demand for this type of service. Competition for job prospects, and ultimately salary expectations, is also rising. As a matter of fact, a projected employment increase is expected from 2008 to 2018. An increase of up to 35 percent is projected, which is quite an impressive figure compared to other professions in the health care field. This may be due in part to the rise in number of the elderly sector of the population. The elderly are the ones who are vulnerable to numerous debilitating and chronic conditions that usually call for physical therapeutic services. Moreover, since they are older people, not only do they need an actual physical therapist, they will also need the presence of an aide in the person of a physical therapy assistant. It is also of particular note that the current generation has relied enormously on fast foods and the convenience of automated equipment inside their homes which lead to unhealthy, sedentary lifestyles. These factors combine to end up with an alarmingly large part of the population being afflicted by cardiac problems, which usually require physical rehabilitation as part of the treatment regimen.

The rising demand for employment of physical therapy assistant is also a direct impact of many physical therapists who opt to simply hire more physical therapy assistants or aides to minimize the exorbitant costs of their physical therapy services. Once a certain patient has been completely evaluated and the right treatment plan has been designed by the physical therapist, then the physical therapy assistant can just perform all the other parts of the treatment program while being supervised by the physical therapist.

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