Physical therapy is one of the most rapidly expanding sectors of the job market and is set only to increase over the next seven years according to US government numbers.
Physical Therapist Assistant Duties
A Physical Therapist Assistant needs to study an associate degree for two years and in many states in the US to pass a licensing exam. A therapist will assist a Physical Therapist to carry out a treatment plan drawn up for patients who have a disease, disability or have suffered a trauma such as being in a car crash which has given them injuries which affect their mobility.
Physical Therapist Assistants will help patients to regain or maximize their mobility so they can live independent lives despite their disabilities. Massage, aqua therapy and teaching patients how to use equipment such as wheelchairs will be part of their day to day duties.
Physical Therapist Assistant Salary
The US Bureau of Labor figures show a 30 per cent rise in the demand for physical therapist assistant jobs between 2008 and 2018. This is largely due to an aging population and a rise in heart disease.
The demand for therapists is reflected in a physical therapist assistant average salary with an average wage of $48,290 a year or even more depending on which sector assistants choose to work in.
Variations in Physical Therapist Assistant Annual Salary
Salaries vary according to the experience of a therapist, any specialization such as geriatrics or neurology and the state or country which they work in.
Special certifications in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation will also boost a physical therapist assistant salary. Specializing in sports injuries can also boost a physical therapy assistant salary with some assistants earning up to $22 an hour.
There are also variations in a physical therapy assistant salary according across states and countries, depending on the cost of living in any given area.
Highest Physical Therapist Assistant Salary
The maximum earning potential for a physical therapy assistant salary currently is in the field of homecare where the physical therapy assistants travel to people’s homes, particularly in geriatrics, to carry out the therapy.
Physical Therapist Assistants will generally work in clinics, hospitals, private homes or nursing homes so there can be a substantial variation in physical therapist salaries. Other high paying sectors include nursing homes, business and community care facilities for the elderly. At the lower end of the physical therapist assistant salary scale mental health and sports centers tend to pay less.
Physical Therapist Assistant Average Salary
The largest employers of therapy assistants tend to be health practitioners and specialists such a optometrists, speech therapists, and audiologists where a physical therapist assistant salary was found to be between $45,00 and $50,000 per annum depending on experience and specialization.
Increasing a Physical Therapy Assistant Salary
Earning potential will increase as expected with experience but can also be boosted by training in a specialist skill such as massage or CPR. Other therapist assistants will choose to specialize in a field such as sports injuries which can significantly boost a physical therapist assistant salary if working with professional athletes.