Job Outlook and Salaries for Physical Therapy Assistants
Posted in Physical Therapist about 1 month ago, 0 replies
Physical therapy assistants work under the supervision of a physical therapist and assist patients with individual treatment and rehabilitation programs which can include exercise, balance training, massage and therapies such as electrical stimulation and lumbar traction. They often monitor and report on a patient’s progress, and sometimes help design treatment strategies and programs.
The job outlook for physical therapy assistants is very good according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2011, roughly 65,960 people were employed as physical therapy assistants. That number is expected to climb to 85,000 by 2018, an increase of about 30 percent.
The aging population is one of several factors driving the growth of opportunities for physical therapy assistants. Elderly people often require physical therapy after suffering strokes or heart attacks, and many have degenerative diseases and conditions that are treated with physical therapy. As the baby-boom generation grows older, the need for physical therapy assistants will increase.
As health care costs rise, insurance companies are expected to limit coverage for physical therapy. Patients who work with physical therapy assistants will have more access to less costly care than those who are treated exclusively by a physical therapist.
Advances in medical technology will increase the survival rate of patients who have suffered severe injuries. Those patients will also boost the demand for physical therapy assistants.
Physical therapy assistants are generally required to graduate from a two-year associate degree program. In most cases, they must pass a National Association of Physical Therapists exam in order to obtain a license or certification. They may also need to pass specific state exams, and are usually required to continue their education to maintain their professional credentials.
Nationally, the average annual salary for a physical therapy assistant is $49, 810, and the average hourly wage is $23.95. However, salaries and wages vary significantly according to work setting and geographical location.
Physical therapy assistants who work in a doctor’s office or a hospital earn an average of $47,000 a year while those work in nursing care facilities average about $53,600 annually. Physical therapy assistants who provide home care earn an average yearly income of $59,520.
Texas currently has the highest paying jobs for physical therapy assistants, and the average salary in the Lone Star state is $62,440. In Florida, Connecticut and California, physical therapy assistants earn an average of more than $55,000 annually.
As with many professions, there is also a significant difference between average salaries in urban and rural areas. In the Sherman-Dennison Metropolitan Region of Texas physical therapy assistants earn an average of $79,130 a year, while in rural areas of Michigan the average annual income is $36,510.
As of 2010, Ohio, California and Texas had the highest numbers of physical therapy assistant jobs, followed by Pennsylvania and Florida.
One potential problem for those who plan to pursue a career as a physical therapy assistant is the competition for jobs which is expected to increase over the next decade.
The job outlook for physical therapy assistants is very good according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2011, roughly 65,960 people were employed as physical therapy assistants. That number is expected to climb to 85,000 by 2018, an increase of about 30 percent.
The aging population is one of several factors driving the growth of opportunities for physical therapy assistants. Elderly people often require physical therapy after suffering strokes or heart attacks, and many have degenerative diseases and conditions that are treated with physical therapy. As the baby-boom generation grows older, the need for physical therapy assistants will increase.
As health care costs rise, insurance companies are expected to limit coverage for physical therapy. Patients who work with physical therapy assistants will have more access to less costly care than those who are treated exclusively by a physical therapist.
Advances in medical technology will increase the survival rate of patients who have suffered severe injuries. Those patients will also boost the demand for physical therapy assistants.
Physical therapy assistants are generally required to graduate from a two-year associate degree program. In most cases, they must pass a National Association of Physical Therapists exam in order to obtain a license or certification. They may also need to pass specific state exams, and are usually required to continue their education to maintain their professional credentials.
Nationally, the average annual salary for a physical therapy assistant is $49, 810, and the average hourly wage is $23.95. However, salaries and wages vary significantly according to work setting and geographical location.
Physical therapy assistants who work in a doctor’s office or a hospital earn an average of $47,000 a year while those work in nursing care facilities average about $53,600 annually. Physical therapy assistants who provide home care earn an average yearly income of $59,520.
Texas currently has the highest paying jobs for physical therapy assistants, and the average salary in the Lone Star state is $62,440. In Florida, Connecticut and California, physical therapy assistants earn an average of more than $55,000 annually.
As with many professions, there is also a significant difference between average salaries in urban and rural areas. In the Sherman-Dennison Metropolitan Region of Texas physical therapy assistants earn an average of $79,130 a year, while in rural areas of Michigan the average annual income is $36,510.
As of 2010, Ohio, California and Texas had the highest numbers of physical therapy assistant jobs, followed by Pennsylvania and Florida.
One potential problem for those who plan to pursue a career as a physical therapy assistant is the competition for jobs which is expected to increase over the next decade.
submitted by Tony in Raleigh, NC