Job Opportunities for Physical Therapist Assistants

Long-Term Job Outlook, Plus Common Work Environments & Specialties for PTAs

If you’re looking for a career where you can make a real difference for people recovering from injury, illness, or surgery, becoming a physical therapist assistant (PTA) could be an excellent choice. PTAs work closely with physical therapists to help all types of patients improve their strength, mobility, and daily functioning—from athletes returning to sports to stroke patients working to regain their independence.

Before you commit to training for a new career, it’s always smart to think about the job opportunities you’ll have available after you graduate. Fortunately for anyone training to become a PTA, the job market for PTAs

In this article, we’ll provide a thorough overview of available job opportunities for PTAs—including the overall long-term outlook, common work environments, and a few of the most popular specialties.

Still trying to decide if a career as a PTA is right for you? Check out our newly updated guide on how to become a physical therapist assistant.

Job Outlook for Physical Therapist Assistants

The long-term job outlook data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Services (BLS) can offer insights into how many job opportunities are likely to be available in a certain field in the coming years. According to the BLS, as of May 2023, physical therapist assistants were projected to see a 25% increase in overall employment between 2023 and 2033. (That’s over six times higher than the average 4% job growth rate among all careers!)

Thanks to an aging baby-boom population, and an increasing focus on less-invasive treatment methods like physical therapy as a first option, demand for physical therapy services—and job opportunities for PTAs—should remain high for years to come.

Salary Opportunities for Physical Therapist Assistants

With PTAs in high demand, becoming a physical therapist assistant comes with the potential to earn a stable living in a thriving job market. According to the BLS, as of May 2023, the average annual salary* for PTAs across the country is $64,080 per year—substantially higher than the $48,060 average among all occupations. However, you should keep in mind that salary* is often dependent on education, location, and experience.

Considering you could finish a physical therapist assistant program in less than two years, earning your PTA degree has the potential to upgrade your earning power—without having to spend several years in school before starting your career.

Common Work Environments for PTAs

Physical therapist assistants can find employment in several different settings. Let’s review some of the most common work environments where PTAs can find job opportunities—including what to expect from each environment and some of the perks they may offer.

Outpatient Clinics & Rehabilitation Centers

Physical therapy clinics and rehabilitation centers are among the most common workplaces for PTAs. These facilities may offer general physical therapy to a wide range of patients, or be focused on a specific area of care—like orthopedics, neurology, women’s health, or many others.

Many outpatient clinics are open fairly standard business hours and closed on weekends,  which makes them a good fit for PTAs who prefer a more structured environment and predictable schedule versus the occasional intense pace of working in a hospital.

Hospitals

Many hospitals also employ PTAs to help treat patients who have recently undergone surgery or suffered a stroke, among many other medical conditions. PTAs in hospitals typically work as part of a larger multidisciplinary team consisting of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, as well as their supervising physical therapist.

Hospitals are often a faster-paced working environment than outpatient clinics and may require working shifts outside of standard business hours. Many hospital PTAs find it exciting to work with such a wide variety of patients and healthcare providers, and they may have access to more advanced technologies and treatment devices.

Home Healthcare Services

Home healthcare PTAs travel to their patients to work with them in the comfort and familiarity of their own homes. While they perform most of the same duties as PTAs in traditional therapeutic settings, they may need to deal with distractions, space limitations, or other factors that come with working in patients’ homes.

PTAs who work in home healthcare enjoy lots of variety in their work and can form long-term relationships with patients and their families—you’ll be visiting them regularly in their homes, after all! Home healthcare PTAs may also have more options for part-time work or flexible scheduling compared to traditional PT clinics.

Nursing Homes and Skilled Nursing Facilities

Nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities are another setting with many job opportunities for PTAs. The elderly patients these facilities serve often require physical therapy to help with chronic conditions, mobility challenges, and maintaining their quality of life.

PTAs who work in nursing homes can form close relationships with their patients since they often provide ongoing care for long-term conditions. Working with elderly patients can also come with a more predictable routine and a somewhat slower pace than you might find in a bustling hospital or outpatient clinic.

Popular Subspecialties for Physical Therapist Assistants

PTAs who pursue additional training and education may have greater access to job opportunities at physical therapy facilities that focus on specific patient populations. The eight Advanced Proficiency Pathways from the American Physical Therapy Association offer some great insights into the available specialties for PTAs. Let’s take a look at a couple of the most popular choices:

Orthopedic Physical Therapy

If you want to help everyone from elite athletes to joint-replacement patients rebuild their strength and mobility, orthopedic physical therapy offers many opportunities for PTAs who want to advance their skills and careers. Orthopedic PTAs usually work in outpatient clinics or rehabilitation facilities.

Geriatric Physical Therapy

For PTAs interested in helping older patients live with dignity and maintain their independence, geriatric physical therapy is another common specialization. It most commonly applies to PTAs working in nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities, though it’s also a useful skill set for hospital PTAs who are likely to treat elderly patients.

Neurologic Physical Therapy

Neurologic PTAs treat patients working to recover from conditions like stroke or traumatic brain injury or manage long-term conditions like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, or cerebral palsy. If you’re drawn to the idea of helping these particularly vulnerable patients manage their symptoms and maximize their quality of life, neurological physical therapy could be the subspecialty for you. Neurologic PTAs may work in hospitals or dedicated rehabilitation centers—either inpatient or outpatient.

Pediatric Physical Therapy

Pediatric PTAs work with children who are recovering from injuries, or those dealing with chronic conditions or developmental disabilities. Many PTAs find working with children to be extremely rewarding—physical therapy can help children reach their full potential and overcome obstacles that may otherwise cause challenges in school or in their social lives.

Pediatric physical therapy can happen in traditional outpatient PT settings, and also in school environments, particularly for special education students. Because physical therapy for children often takes the form of play, pediatric PTAs may have less physically demanding work compared to some other specialties.

These are just a few of the specialized fields that offer job opportunities for physical therapist assistants. If you’re looking for more details on specific career paths for PTAs, check out our list of the top 8 PTA jobs.

 

Start Your PTA Journey at Provo College

Becoming a PTA comes with some amazing perks—the chance to make a difference every day, the potential to achieve financial independence, and a variety of job opportunities in several practice settings and subspecialties. If you’re craving a career with a sense of purpose and a stable long-term outlook, becoming a physical therapist assistant could be the right choice for you.

If you’re considering a career as a physical therapist assistant, the PTA program at Provo College is designed to help you prepare for a successful transition from the classroom to the physical therapy clinic. With a career-focused curriculum and realistic training environments that simulate real PT clinics, you’ll develop the knowledge and skills you need to shine as a PTA.

And like all Provo College graduates, you’ll also have ongoing access to a Career Services team that can help you find job openings, polish your resume, and practice your interview skills.

Still, looking into the different possibilities for your healthcare career? Explore the rest of our nursing and healthcare training programs.