According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is a projected 30% growth in employment for physical therapists between 2008 and 2018. This is due to the growing number of people that need physical therapy services, like the large baby boomer generation. This generation is now entering their prime age when heart attacks and strokes are more prevalent, which will at times require cardiac and physical rehabilitation. The reality of this situation is that this will spur the demand for physical therapy assistants in coming years. In fact, there is an even larger projected growth for this occupation, a 35% growth for the same time period. If you’re thinking of entering this field at all, now is the best time to do it as the physical therapy assistant salary is proving to be very competitive.
A physical therapist can have more than one assistant, depending on his workload. A physical therapy assistant works under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist in providing treatment aimed at improving patients’ mobility, relieving pain, and preventing or lessening physical disabilities. They record the patient’s responses to the treatment and report the outcome of each treatment to the physical therapist.
The physical therapy assistant salary is quite competitive compared to other assistant jobs in the healthcare industry. The mean annual salary of a physical therapy assistant is $48,590 as of May 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest 10 percent of employees earned less than $28,580, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $63,830. There are differences in the amount of physical therapy assistant salary due geographical location, varied work settings, and the additional training and education that individuals have aquired.
Physical therapy assistants working in home health care services receive an annual pay of $60,360. Those that are working in nursing care facilities earn $52,700 while those in general medical and surgical hospitals receive $47,000 a year. Physical therapy assistants working in physicians’ offices get paid $44,120 annually, whilst those working in offices of health practitioners are paid $46,910 a year in assistant salary. Most physical therapist assistants work in offices of health practitioners, with approximately 25,030 assistants currently working in this setting. Following not so far behind the health practice are general medical and surgical hospitals with, as of May 2009, around 16,640 assistants in this environment.
As you would expect, employers located in different States pay their therapy assistants a little differently. The States where assistants are paid the highest salary include the States of Texas, California, Nevada, Connecticut, and Florida. In Texas, you can expect to receive around $61,710 in yearly assistant salary. This is the highest out of all the States. The second highest avarage salary is found in California, where assistants can expect to receive around $56,820 annually.
Physical therapy assistants are required by law in most States to hold an associate degree. In 2009, there were 223 post-secondary physical therapy assistant programs which were accredited by The American Physical Therapy Association’s Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. These programs usually last two years to completion, and once you’ve finished this program, you will be awarded an associate’s degree. Most States also require licensure, registration, or certification in order fo you to work in this role. Aside from graduating from an accredited educational program, candidates are also required to pass the National Physical Therapy Exam. Some States even require passing their own additional ‘State’ exams before you can work as a physical therapy assistant. To get more information on the particular requirements of the State where you’re planning to work, we recommend you to call your State’s licensing board immediately for more information.
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