Healthcare support
Physical therapist aide
Under close supervision of a physical therapist or physical therapy assistant, perform only delegated, selected, or routine tasks in specific situations. These duties include preparing the patient and the treatment area.
Median pay
$35,240
Growth to 2035
+4%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
6,400
Time to qualify*
1 month
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Physical therapist aide
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Physical therapist aide: 15% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Clean and organize work area and disinfect equipment after treatment.
- Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.
- Instruct, motivate, safeguard, or assist patients practicing exercises or functional activities, under direction of medical staff.
- Confer with physical therapy staff or others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, or coordinating treatment.
- Observe patients during treatment to compile and evaluate data on patients' responses and progress and report to physical therapist.
- Change linens, such as bed sheets and pillow cases.
- Administer active or passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, or heat, light, sound, water, or electrical modality treatments, such as ultrasound.
- Transport patients to and from treatment areas, using wheelchairs or providing standing support.
Also called: Physical Therapist Aide (PTA) · Physical Therapy Aide (PTA) · PT Attendant (Physical Therapy Attendant) · PT Tech (Physical Therapist Technician) · PT Tech (Physical Therapy Technician) · Rehabilitation Aide · Rehabilitation Attendant · Rehabilitation Technician (Rehabilitation Tech)
Outlook and AI
Physical therapist aides held 49,000 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 51,000 by 2035 (+4%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Demand change - share decreases as payer restrictions in the reimbursement of services provided by physical therapist aides dampens demand for the occupation.
Compare with
- Physical therapist aide vs. Physical therapist assistant
- Physical therapist aide vs. Occupational therapy aide
- Physical therapist aide vs. Occupational therapy assistant
- Physical therapist aide vs. Psychiatric technician
- Physical therapist aide vs. Psychiatric aide
- Physical therapist aide vs. Occupational therapist
- Physical therapist aide vs. Respiratory therapist
- Physical therapist aide vs. Medical assistant
- Physical therapist aide vs. Nursing assistant
- Physical therapist aide vs. Massage therapist