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.
- O*NET-SOC code
31-2021.00 - Preparation Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Wages
Median annual wage, U.S.$68,380
Employment, U.S.112,430
Median hourly wage$32.88
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $47,750 | $59,820 | $68,380 | $78,680 | $89,510 |
By state (51)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2,700 | $61,430 | 1.77 |
| Alaska | 110 | $77,640 | 0.45 |
| Arizona | 2,010 | $64,650 | 0.86 |
| Arkansas | 1,620 | $64,520 | 1.72 |
| California | 9,400 | $83,110 | 0.71 |
| Colorado | 1,350 | $64,810 | 0.65 |
| Connecticut | 980 | $75,880 | 0.80 |
| Delaware | 340 | $74,610 | 0.98 |
| District of Columbia | 40 | $63,400 | 0.08 |
| Florida | 9,870 | $72,530 | 1.37 |
| Georgia | 2,620 | $72,800 | 0.74 |
| Hawaii | 250 | $67,510 | 0.56 |
| Idaho | 560 | $61,020 | 0.90 |
| Illinois | 4,890 | $65,240 | 1.11 |
| Indiana | 2,830 | $65,280 | 1.22 |
| Iowa | 1,060 | $61,030 | 0.94 |
| Kansas | 1,300 | $64,500 | 1.25 |
| Kentucky | 2,580 | $61,480 | 1.78 |
| Louisiana | 1,670 | $65,370 | 1.19 |
| Maine | 410 | $66,250 | 0.88 |
| Maryland | 1,430 | $77,670 | 0.72 |
| Massachusetts | 2,640 | $79,460 | 1.00 |
| Michigan | 4,520 | $61,670 | 1.42 |
| Minnesota | 1,230 | $66,770 | 0.58 |
| Mississippi | 1,150 | $61,770 | 1.37 |
| Missouri | 2,490 | $63,770 | 1.18 |
| Montana | 250 | $62,650 | 0.67 |
| Nebraska | 980 | $61,370 | 1.33 |
| Nevada | 560 | $75,520 | 0.50 |
| New Hampshire | 500 | $71,440 | 1.02 |
| New Jersey | 1,810 | $78,440 | 0.58 |
| New Mexico | 700 | $62,280 | 1.11 |
| New York | 3,620 | $64,100 | 0.52 |
| North Carolina | 3,280 | $67,540 | 0.92 |
| North Dakota | 120 | $63,520 | 0.38 |
| Ohio | 7,040 | $63,820 | 1.75 |
| Oklahoma | 2,380 | $59,480 | 1.93 |
| Oregon | 890 | $73,180 | 0.63 |
| Pennsylvania | 4,270 | $62,580 | 0.97 |
| Rhode Island | 420 | $68,640 | 1.15 |
| South Carolina | 1,870 | $70,500 | 1.12 |
| South Dakota | 300 | $49,310 | 0.89 |
| Tennessee | 3,390 | $62,500 | 1.43 |
| Texas | 10,510 | $78,000 | 1.03 |
| Utah | 970 | $61,980 | 0.77 |
| Vermont | 100 | $71,600 | 0.46 |
| Virginia | 3,370 | $73,760 | 1.13 |
| Washington | 2,150 | $66,450 | 0.84 |
| West Virginia | 980 | $60,430 | 1.93 |
| Wisconsin | 1,650 | $64,080 | 0.78 |
| Wyoming | 240 | $63,550 | 1.17 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
| # | Occupation | Job Zone | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Athletic Trainers | 5 | 0.977 |
| 2 | Physical Therapists | 5 | 0.975 |
| 3 | Occupational Therapy Assistants | 3 | 0.974 |
| 4 | Occupational Therapy Aides | 3 | 0.973 |
| 5 | Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 3 | 0.969 |
| 6 | Registered Nurses | 4 | 0.968 |
| 7 | Physical Therapist Aides | 1-2 | 0.967 |
| 8 | Critical Care Nurses | 4 | 0.965 |
| 9 | Exercise Physiologists | 4 | 0.965 |
| 10 | Psychiatric Technicians | 3 | 0.963 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Physical Therapist Assistants, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | Coordination | 0.88 | 0.969 |
| Psychiatric Technicians | Negotiation | 0.88 | 0.963 |
| Psychiatric Aides | Negotiation | 0.76 | 0.944 |
| Animal Trainers | Learning Strategies | 0.76 | 0.941 |
| Endoscopy Technicians | Operation and Control | 1.12 | 0.939 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Physical Therapist Assistants, excluding software Physical Therapist Assistants already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| MEDITECH software | 12 of 20 | 7.2x |
| Epic Systems | 9 of 20 | 6.6x |
| Electronic medical record EMR software | 6 of 20 | 8.7x |
| GE Healthcare Centricity EMR | 5 of 20 | 10.5x |
| Diagnostic and procedural coding software | 3 of 20 | 27.7x |
| Prognosis Innovation Healthcare ChartAccess | 3 of 20 | 23.1x |
| Bizmatics PrognoCIS EMR | 4 of 20 | 10.3x |
| Amkai AmkaiCharts | 3 of 20 | 19.8x |
| Medscribbler Enterprise | 3 of 20 | 19.8x |
| StatCom Patient Flow Logistics Enterprise Suite | 3 of 20 | 19.8x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.25 | 3.88 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 3.25 | 3.88 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 3.25 | 3.75 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.38 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 2.88 | 3.12 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.75 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.62 |
| Science | Essential skill | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.62 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.62 |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.25 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 0.88 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 0.88 |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 1.00 |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 0.88 |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 1.00 |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Customer and Personal Service | 4.52 | 5.24 |
| Therapy and Counseling | 4.24 | 3.76 |
| English Language | 4.19 | 3.81 |
| Education and Training | 3.92 | 4.12 |
| Psychology | 3.64 | 5.27 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 3.50 | 3.48 |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.44 | 3.98 |
| Biology | 3.38 | 3.75 |
| Administrative | 2.97 | 3.33 |
| Public Safety and Security | 2.85 | 2.58 |
| Administration and Management | 2.61 | 2.94 |
| Law and Government | 2.57 | 2.39 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 2.48 | 1.84 |
| Mathematics | 2.43 | 2.52 |
| Physics | 2.39 | 2.03 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 2.13 | 1.41 |
| Chemistry | 2.04 | 1.92 |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.96 | 1.43 |
| Communications and Media | 1.94 | 1.80 |
| Geography | 1.90 | 1.64 |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.83 | 1.41 |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.79 | not rated |
| Foreign Language | 1.79 | 1.53 |
| Mechanical | 1.70 | 0.97 |
| Engineering and Technology | 1.48 | not rated |
| Design | 1.34 | 0.72 |
| Building and Construction | 1.31 | not rated |
| Production and Processing | 1.28 | not rated |
| Telecommunications | 1.27 | not rated |
| Transportation | 1.21 | not rated |
| Food Production | 1.06 | not rated |
| History and Archeology | 1.06 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.02 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Oral Expression | 4.12 | 4.12 |
| Oral Comprehension | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.88 | 3.75 |
| Speech Clarity | 3.88 | 3.50 |
| Near Vision | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Written Comprehension | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.25 | 3.62 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Written Expression | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Selective Attention | 3.25 | 3.00 |
| Information Ordering | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Static Strength | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Category Flexibility | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Far Vision | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Trunk Strength | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Visualization | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Extent Flexibility | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Time Sharing | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Originality | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.50 | 2.62 |
| Stamina | 2.50 | 2.62 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 2.38 | 2.38 |
| Control Precision | 2.38 | 2.25 |
| Auditory Attention | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Dynamic Strength | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Memorization | 2.12 | 2.25 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.12 | 1.25 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 2.00 | 2.12 |
| Number Facility | 2.00 | 2.12 |
| Depth Perception | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Rate Control | 2.00 | 1.00 |
| Reaction Time | 2.00 | 1.00 |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.75 | 1.38 |
| Response Orientation | 1.75 | 0.88 |
| Explosive Strength | 1.62 | 0.88 |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.00 | not rated |
| Glare Sensitivity | 1.00 | not rated |
| Night Vision | 1.00 | not rated |
| Peripheral Vision | 1.00 | not rated |
| Sound Localization | 1.00 | not rated |
| Spatial Orientation | 1.00 | not rated |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Microsoft Access hot
- Microsoft Excel hot
- Microsoft Office software hot
- Microsoft Outlook hot
- Microsoft PowerPoint hot
- Microsoft Windows hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- eClinicalWorks EHR software hot
- Arena Health Systems Phys-X
- Beaver Creek Software The THERAPIST
- Billing software
- BioEx Systems Exercise Pro
- Bookkeeping software
- Client caseload management software
- Eazy Application Systems QuickEMR
- Email software
- FileMaker Pro
- Knees Software PT DocTools
- Laboratory information system LIS
- Medical condition coding software
- PhysioTools Tools RG
- Rehab Documentation Company ReDoc Suite
- Scheduling software
- SpectraSoft AppointmentsPRO
- SpectraSoft DocuPRO
- Summit Software CarePoint
- TherAssist
- Video game software
- Virtual reality game software
- dBASE
Where it concentrates
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gadsden, AL | 160 | 6.78 | $65,060 |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | 150 | 5.80 | $68,030 |
| Bay City, MI | 110 | 4.30 | $58,970 |
| Jonesboro, AR | 170 | 3.97 | $62,700 |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | 380 | 3.28 | $59,830 |
| Dothan, AL | 130 | 2.85 | $56,150 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | 330 | 2.78 | $63,820 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 280 | 2.75 | $59,930 |
| Traverse City, MI | 130 | 2.65 | $61,290 |
| Battle Creek, MI | 100 | 2.64 | $66,310 |