Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

31-2021 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.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
67,550 1.4 % $24.57 $51,110 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $15.40 $19.87 $24.54 $28.96 $34.23
Annual Wage (2) $32,030 $41,320 $51,040 $60,250 $71,200


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 27,000 3.92 $23.77 $49,430
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 16,230 0.31 $23.46 $48,800
Nursing Care Facilities 7,720 0.46 $26.79 $55,720
Home Health Care Services 5,760 0.51 $28.89 $60,090
Offices of Physicians 3,270 0.14 $22.52 $46,840

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 27,000 3.92 $23.77 $49,430
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 2,270 1.03 $25.15 $52,320
Home Health Care Services 5,760 0.51 $28.89 $60,090
Nursing Care Facilities 7,720 0.46 $26.79 $55,720
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 16,230 0.31 $23.46 $48,800

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (8) (8) $36.38 $75,680
Home Health Care Services 5,760 0.51 $28.89 $60,090
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals 220 0.09 $27.86 $57,960
Employment Services 910 0.03 $27.71 $57,630
Management of Companies and Enterprises 220 0.01 $27.22 $56,610


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 4,760 0.46 0.88 $31.81 $66,170
Ohio 4,730 0.95 1.80 $25.25 $52,520
California 4,610 0.33 0.62 $27.54 $57,270
Florida 4,110 0.57 1.09 $27.28 $56,740
Pennsylvania 4,070 0.73 1.39 $21.15 $44,000




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Virginia 680 0.97 1.83 $21.71 $45,150
Ohio 4,730 0.95 1.80 $25.25 $52,520
Alabama 1,620 0.90 1.70 $24.24 $50,410
Tennessee 2,280 0.88 1.66 $24.79 $51,570
Missouri 2,090 0.81 1.53 $23.02 $47,870




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 4,760 0.46 0.88 $31.81 $66,170
New Jersey 970 0.26 0.49 $27.56 $57,330
California 4,610 0.33 0.62 $27.54 $57,270
Connecticut 440 0.28 0.52 $27.53 $57,260
Florida 4,110 0.57 1.09 $27.28 $56,740





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 2,040 0.57 1.08 $23.15 $48,150
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 1,300 0.26 0.49 $25.80 $53,670
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 1,210 0.66 1.26 $22.33 $46,440
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 1,090 0.28 0.54 $26.85 $55,850
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 1,080 0.42 0.81 $30.19 $62,790
Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH 1,060 1.08 2.05 $26.01 $54,100
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 980 0.71 1.34 $28.19 $58,630
St. Louis, MO-IL 980 0.77 1.47 $23.42 $48,700
Pittsburgh, PA 950 0.86 1.62 $19.91 $41,420
Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division 920 0.89 1.69 $21.71 $45,160




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Gadsden, AL 110 3.25 6.17 $25.59 $53,230
New Bedford, MA 170 2.69 5.11 $27.28 $56,750
Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner, MA 110 2.31 4.38 $22.20 $46,180
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL 120 2.24 4.26 $28.54 $59,370
Cumberland, MD-WV 80 2.05 3.89 $25.45 $52,930
Topeka, KS 180 1.71 3.24 $25.78 $53,610
Danville, VA 60 1.67 3.18 $25.39 $52,810
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA 360 1.65 3.13 $24.08 $50,080
Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL 70 1.57 2.97 $25.70 $53,450
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH 150 1.43 2.71 $23.35 $48,570




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 190 0.86 1.64 $38.83 $80,760
Longview, TX 90 0.92 1.74 $36.76 $76,450
Sherman-Denison, TX 40 0.86 1.64 $35.41 $73,650
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 430 0.51 0.98 $35.08 $72,960
Victoria, TX 40 0.75 1.43 $34.98 $72,770
Laredo, TX 90 1.05 1.99 $32.94 $68,510
College Station-Bryan, TX (8) (8) (8) $32.80 $68,220
Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Division 190 0.22 0.41 $32.22 $67,030
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 800 0.39 0.74 $32.09 $66,750
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX (8) (8) (8) $31.54 $65,600

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Ohio nonmetropolitan area 330 1.24 2.36 $21.99 $45,740
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 270 0.72 1.36 $23.56 $49,000
South Illinois nonmetropolitan area 250 1.77 3.36 $19.98 $41,560
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 240 0.87 1.65 $17.81 $37,040
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 200 0.93 1.77 $21.49 $44,700

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
South Illinois nonmetropolitan area 250 1.77 3.36 $19.98 $41,560
Western Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 200 1.53 2.90 $28.17 $58,600
Southwestern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 40 1.45 2.76 $16.02 $33,320
North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 160 1.41 2.68 $25.57 $53,180
Other Ohio nonmetropolitan area 330 1.24 2.36 $21.99 $45,740

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Eastern Texas nonmetropolitan area 140 0.51 0.98 $35.73 $74,320
Gulf Coast Texas nonmetropolitan area 70 0.61 1.16 $33.24 $69,130
Northwestern Texas nonmetropolitan area 130 0.51 0.98 $32.79 $68,200
South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 70 0.59 1.13 $30.43 $63,290
Central Texas nonmetropolitan area 90 0.66 1.26 $30.41 $63,250


About May 2011 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012