Working in physical therapy is a highly rewarding career both financially and in personal satisfaction. Physical therapy salaries make it one of the most financially rewarding careers in the USA. Even a physical therapist assistants salary is an above average salary.
The average salary for physical therapist professionals working in the USA breaks down as below:
繚 Salaries - $49,613 to $79,734 per year.
繚 Bonuses - $196 to $5,150 per year.
繚 Profit Sharing - $201 to $6550 per year.
繚 Total Compensation - $51,508 to $88,094 per year.
繚 The Average Salary for Physical Therapist - $74,431
As you can see there is a disparity in pay within the field, highly dependent on experience, location, and size of organizations. The highest pay ranges are normally found within large metropolitan areas.
The disparity in salary between major metropolitan areas is not great. This can be seen in this comparison of 6 major cities in the USA:
繚 Pittsburgh: $49,258-$78,993
繚 Seattle: $51,064-$82,802
繚 New York City: $49,117-$80,408
繚 Chicago: $50,485-$77,021
繚 Houston: $52,534-$91,960
繚 Atlanta: $49,316-$78,534
With salary ranges in most metro areas being similar your decision should be based upon where you would enjoy living the most. Salaries in all areas of the country are excellent. The only city which is strikingly higher in our example is Houston where the average salary range of a physical therapist starts slightly higher and extends almost $10,000 higher on the upper end.
Experience Brings Financial Reward
Experience plays a major role in determining your compensation package, also. The following information shows the significance of experience in determining compensation:
繚 Starting Salary: $48,487 - $67,666 (Less than 1 year experience.)
繚 1-4 Years Experience: $49,110-$73,431
繚 5-9 Years Experience: $52,788-$83,614
繚 10-19 Years Experience: $55,138-$90,735
繚 20+ Years Experience: $55,620-$91,413
As you can see, with the upper end salary limits you can increase in pay by almost $23,000 over the course of your first 10 years in the profession. The increase in pay tends to flatten in the later years, which is common in most professions.
Physical Therapy Assistants Salary Compared to a Physical Therapist
If you are seeking a career in Physical Therapy without the grueling educational requirements of a Physical Therapist you can consider becoming a Physical Therapist Assistant. A Physical Therapy Assistant still commands a high salary, but not to the levels of a Physical Therapist. Following is the ranges you will find for a Physical Therapist Assistants Salary:
繚 Hourly Rate: $15.56-$30.07
繚 Annual Salary: $31,796-$63,768
As you can see from these figures there is approximately a $20,000 per year difference in the pay ranges of a therapist and their assistants. The difference in educational requirements is vast. Where a therapist spends nearly as many years of training as a medical Doctor, in some states a Physical Therapy Assistant can be licensed after only receiving a two-year associates degree. Many of the classes you will take to become an assistant will also apply to becoming a therapist, making this an ideal stepping stone career.
Where You Live Is Important for a Physical Therapy Assistant
The pay ranges between major cities is starkly different when it comes to this career choice. Where we see very little difference for Therapists, the comparison for Assistants is dramatic as seen below:
繚 Pittsburgh: $14.62-$27.17
繚 Houston: $11.74-$45.96
繚 Chicago: $11.89-$32.98
繚 New York City: $21.92-$44.04
Houston once again has the highest top end pay, but surprisingly has the lowest pay for an assistant, also. New York City on the other hand has a very high range for all jobs making it a very desirable career within the area.
Years of experience play a more minor role in determining the assistants salary as seen in the following information:
繚 Starting Salary - Less than 1 year experience: $10.82-$25.42
繚 1-4 Years Experience: $14.84-$28.70
繚 5-9 Years Experience: $17.63-$31.42
繚 10-19 Years Experience: $18.51-$31.71
繚 20+ Years Experience: $21.36-$30.79
With all of these numbers spinning in our head you may be wondering which way to proceed with your career in Physical Therapy. It is important you do not let only Physical Therapy Salaries guide your decision but let your passion determine your path. Are you willing to put in the additional years? Are you prepared for the more intensive studies?
If your answer is "YES, I am ready for the challenge" then the knowledge the average salary is much higher should be comforting. If your answer is "NO", then you should be excited to know the financial rewards of becoming a therapist assistant are still outstanding. In both positions, Physical Therapy Salaries far exceed most other opportunities in your community.
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