|
|
The salary for the PTA who works in a school district will be significantly different than the salary that’s experienced for the PTA who works in a hospital or clinic.
What is the Average Physical Therapy Assistant Salary?
Individuals who have the minimum of an associate’s degree in this field can expect an hourly rate of around $16 an hour to start. This comes to around $34,000 a year. The physical therapist assistant salary for individuals with the same level of education who have more than three years of experience can expect an hourly rate from $22 to $24 an hour.
Many PT assistants will work in this position while also pursuing an advanced education that leads to certification as a licensed physical therapist.
To qualify for the position of the PTA, most employers will require an applicant to have an associate’s degree in this field, however, there are certificate and diploma programs available. During a degree program a student will get a more in-depth look at this career field while also experiencing a significantly longer internship at a local medical facility. The length of an internship can vary from school to school, but is typically six months.
During an internship the student will work with different populations of patients who require varying degrees of care. An internship will also help students to decide on a specialty area, by allowing them to experience firsthand what the position of the PTA is like. A certificate program will usually offer internships that are two to four weeks in length.
The average wage for the individual who has completed a certificate program and has less than one year of experience in the field is around $30,000. Individuals who have completed a certificate program and who have four to five years of experience can expect an annual salary that ranges from $34,000 to $44,000. Individuals at this education level who have six to ten years of experience can make an average salary of $48,000 to $52,000.
Statistics have shown that gender can also play a role in determining the physical therapist assistant salary. The average annual wage for women in this field ranges from $36,000 to $50,000, while the average annual wage for a male ranges from $34,000 to $54,000.
How to Increase the Physical Therapy Assistant Salary
Individuals who are interested in increasing their hourly rate can acquire additional certifications in the healthcare field, such as CPR, First Aid and Basic life support certification. Each type of certification can help to increase the hourly rate by two to three dollars an hour.
PTAs are healthcare professionals who use physical treatment procedures to assist patients with improving their mobility and motor functions, while also helping to alleviate pain that’s caused by an injury or disease. Over half of PTAs will work in ambulatory healthcare services while thirty percent will work in hospitals and twenty percent will work in residential care facilities or nursing homes. Usually, the higher physical therapy assistant salary can be found through ambulatory care services or hospitals, with nursing homes and residential care facilities providing the lower salary for this field.
The position of the PTA is one of the fastest growing healthcare positions in the nation. The projected growth rate is forty-five percent in the next six years. The increase in the demand for this position is due to the rapid development of therapy in conjunction with traditional medical treatment.
For the last two years, the average annual salary for the PTA has risen from $46,000 to $48,000. However, not all PTAs will make the same amount.
Experience is one of the biggest factors that will affect the salary for this position. After an individual obtains the initial certification for this field, they can choose to return to school to specialize in a particular area of medicine. Popular areas of specialization will include massage therapy, musculoskeletal therapy, pediatric care and geriatric care.
There are also certain industries that will offer a higher salary because they will require the assistant to have more specialized skills, although this is not always the case.
The highest paying states for this position are primarily located on the west coast; however, there are states all over the country that can offer competitive annual salaries. Some of the highest paying states will include Nevada, California and Texas. Texas can offer experienced PTAs and annual salary of $56,000, with California offering an annual salary of $50,000 and Nevada offering a yearly salary of $54,000. Some of the lower paying states will include Virginia, Utah and Alaska.
Lastly, in order to be successful in this career, an individual will really need to make a commitment to obtaining a degree, in order to experience advancement opportunities and the higher salary for this position.
|
|
|