How much does a PT aide make?
a year · about $17 an hour
A typical PT aide in the United States makes $35,240 a year, about $17 an hour, below a typical US worker ($50,980) (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
A PT aide wipes down a treatment table, lays out equipment and clean linens, and helps patients get to and from the therapy area. Between visits, they may answer phones, book appointments, order supplies, or fill out insurance forms.
Did you know? Surprise: a U.S. PT aide may book appointments and fill out insurance forms—not just set up exercise equipment.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $25,360 and $47,780How do you become one?
In the United States, finish high school or earn a GED, then apply; new PT aides usually learn on the job for about one week to one month. No state license is required, and BLS does not give a minimum starting age for this job.
School needed: High school plus some training
Good for people who like helping and teaching and building and doing
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, PT aide pay can differ with experience, location, and employer: BLS data show different pay across clinics, hospitals, and care homes. Aides do not need a state license, but work hours and evening or weekend shifts can change total earnings.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Washington ($39,500), lowest in Louisiana ($22,460).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25,360 | $35,240 | $47,780 | about 48,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $39,500 | about 760 |
| California | $38,330 | about 7,000 |
| Massachusetts | $37,440 | about 1,000 |
| Ohio | $37,220 | about 760 |
| Wisconsin | $36,820 | about 840 |
Official definition: 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.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/print/physical-therapist-assistants-and-aides.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/31-2022.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY