Physical Therapist Assistant Salary by State (2026): PTA Pay Compared Across All 50 States

Physical therapist assistant salary by state varies meaningfully across the U.S. The national median for Physical Therapist Assistants sits at $70,247, but state-by-state pay across the 52 states tracked here ranges widely — from $30,859 in Puerto Rico to $86,199 in California. That spread reflects state-level cost of living, state PT supervision rules for PTAs, PT Compact membership status, the regional density of outpatient ortho clinic chains versus SNFs, the strength of home-health per-visit pay structure, and the distribution of APTA Advanced Proficiency credentials by state.

This page compares the average physical therapist assistant salary by state across 1684+ metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas — drawing on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for SOC 31-2021. If you are a working PTA evaluating relocation, a CAPTE-accredited program graduate planning your first outpatient or SNF job, or a rehab agency manager benchmarking pay across states, the state-level comparison below is the central reference point.

How PTA Salary by State Is Measured

The BLS reports state-level PTA salary through three numbers:

• Annual median (50th percentile) — used to rank state-level pay in the table below.
• Annual mean (average) — typically runs 3–6% above median; states with strong home-health per-visit pay and outpatient ortho productivity bonus structures show wider mean-median spreads.
• Percentile distribution (P10 / P25 / P75 / P90) — P10 reflects entry-level PTAs at SNFs or community outpatient clinics; P90 reflects senior PTAs at outpatient ortho clinics, home-health PTAs on high-volume per-visit pay, APTA Advanced Proficiency (APP) credentialed PTAs, and lead PTAs at large rehab agencies.

The state-comparison table below applies BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) adjustment so both nominal pay and real purchasing power are visible.

1. PT Compact Membership and State Licensure

The PT Compact (which includes PTAs) is enacted in 30+ states. Membership status shapes state-level PTA pay:

• PT Compact member states — Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Arizona, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, Missouri, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Louisiana, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Washington, West Virginia, New Hampshire, Maine, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Ohio, and others. Compact members allow PTAs to practice across member-state lines under a compact privilege, widening supply for low-cost states.
• Non-compact states — California, New York, Connecticut, Hawaii, Alaska, Vermont, Wisconsin, and others. PTAs entering these states need separate state licensure (NPTE-PTA exam + state application), supporting higher base pay floors.
• State PT supervision rules — most states allow general supervision (PT does not need to be on-site during PTA treatment), expanding the settings PTAs can independently cover. A few states require direct on-site supervision in specific settings, compressing PTA pay there.

2. State Cost of Living and Outpatient Ortho Chain Density

State cost of living and outpatient ortho chain concentration drive state-level PTA pay:

• High-cost / high-pay states — California, Texas, New Jersey, Connecticut, Nevada, Washington, Hawaii, Alaska lead nominal PTA pay rankings.
• State income tax variation — PTAs in Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Nevada, Washington, Wyoming, South Dakota, Alaska, and New Hampshire keep more of every dollar.
• State outpatient ortho chain density — Athletico, ATI Physical Therapy, Select Medical (Select Rehab), FYZICAL, Drayer, Confluent, Ivy Rehab, Physio Inc, Bardavon compete aggressively for PTA talent in major metros. States with strong outpatient ortho chain density (Texas, Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio) show structured chain-driven pay floors.

3. State Demand-Supply Dynamics for PTAs

State-level PTA pay reflects the demand-supply balance:

• State SNF concentration — Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, Michigan have high SNF concentration. SNF rehab chains (Aegis Therapies, Genesis Rehab, Encompass Health, Powerback Rehab, Reliant Rehabilitation, Ensign Group) compete for PTA talent.
• State home-health volume — Florida, Texas, California, Pennsylvania, Ohio have dense home-health agency networks supporting home-health PTA per-visit pay above outpatient baseline.
• State HPSA concentration — rural shortage states routinely offer $5,000–$15,000 sign-on bonuses plus federal student-loan repayment through the NHSC for PTAs willing to anchor critical-access rehab coverage.
• State academic medical center density — Massachusetts, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Texas, North Carolina, California, Ohio concentrate AMCs supporting upper-percentile inpatient-rehab PTA pay.
• State CAPTE-accredited program density — Texas, Florida, California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina host multiple Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) accredited PTA programs, supporting graduate pipeline.

4. APTA Advanced Proficiency Credentials by State

APTA Advanced Proficiency Pathways (APP) credentials shape state-level upper-percentile PTA pay:

• APTA APP — Musculoskeletal — most common APP; cluster at ortho-focused outpatient markets.
• APTA APP — Geriatric — cluster at SNF-heavy states (FL/PA/TX/OH/IN/TN).
• APTA APP — Neurologic — cluster at stroke center and academic medical center states.
• APTA APP — Cardiovascular and Pulmonary, Pediatric, Oncology, Wound Management, Acute Care — niche credentials at corresponding state markets.
• External specialty credentials — wound care (CWS, WCC), vestibular rehab, lymphedema (CLT), aquatic therapy — each commands above-base pay.

How to Compare PTA Salary by State Effectively

When comparing the average physical therapist assistant salary by state, work through this checklist:

• Verify PT Compact membership — if you plan travel-PTA work or relocation, compact status matters substantially.
• Compare nominal and real (cost-adjusted) pay together — a state with the highest nominal median can have lower real purchasing power if its cost of living is higher.
• Check state income tax — PTAs in Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Nevada, Washington, Wyoming, South Dakota, Alaska, and New Hampshire keep more of every dollar.
• Compare percentile distribution, not just median — states with strong home-health per-visit pay and outpatient ortho productivity bonus density show wider P75–P90 spreads.
• Factor in setting mix — SNF-heavy states have PTA distributions skewed toward SNF baseline; outpatient ortho chain states support upper percentiles.
• Consider PTA-to-DPT bridge path — many experienced PTAs pursue DPT bridge to the higher-paid PT SOC code.

2026 State-Level PTA Salary Outlook

PTA pay has grown at a compound annual rate of 2.73% nationally over the past five years — driven by sustained outpatient demand, expansion of home-health and SNF rehab volume, growing outpatient ortho chain consolidation, and structural rehabilitation workforce growth supporting an aging U.S. population. States with rapid outpatient ortho chain expansion (Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia), states with rapidly growing home-health markets (California, Florida, Texas, Arizona), and rural shortage states using NHSC loan repayment to recruit are seeing the fastest state-level pay growth through 2026. The BLS projects Physical Therapist Assistants employment growth at 19% through 2033 — much faster than average — keeping strong upward pressure on state-level wages.

Browse the state-by-state comparison table below to see the $70,247-baseline state ranking, top 10 and bottom 10 states by projected median, regional groupings (Northeast / Midwest / South / West), and direct links to per-state pages for deeper city-level breakdown.