Physical Therapist Assistant Salary in Texas: $79,802 (2026)

Quick Answer:Across Texas's 109 metropolitan areas, the average median physical therapist assistant pay sits at $79,802/year heading into 2026 — a figure projected from 2025 BLS OEWS wage data for SOC 31-2021. Because Texas sits at BEA RPP 96.0 (4% below the U.S. baseline), that statewide median translates to roughly $83,127 in nationally-comparable purchasing power. Highest-paying metros: San Marcos ($86,911), Round Rock ($85,525), Austin ($84,930).

Physical Therapist Assistant Salary in Texas - 2025 BLS Data Infographic — Texas physical therapist assistant salary overview (2026)

$79,802

Avg Median Salary

$38.37

Avg Hourly Rate

10,813

Metro Employed

109

Cities

In Texas, physical therapist assistants are projected to earn an average median salary of $79,802 in 2026, which is 13.6% higher than the national median of $70,247. The disparity in earnings between the highest and lowest paying cities illustrates regional differences; for instance, San Marcos offers the highest average salary at $89,284, while Laredo has the lowest at $66,261. Factors contributing to this variation include cost of living, demand for healthcare services, and local market conditions. Texas has specific state licensing requirements, which can influence employment opportunities and salaries. The scope of practice laws here allow physical therapist assistants to perform a wide range of duties, contributing to the demand for these professionals. The job market for physical therapist assistants in Texas is relatively strong, with a projected annual growth rate of 2.73%, indicating a steady demand for this role through 2026. The top cities for employment and earnings are projected to be San Marcos, Round Rock at $87,860, Austin at $87,249, Midland at $84,876, and Dallas at $82,564. Overall, the outlook for physical therapist assistants in Texas remains positive, supported by ongoing healthcare needs across various metropolitan areas in the state.

Texas Physical Therapist Assistant Salary Range

Entry Level (10th %ile)

$46,812

avg across 109 cities

Median

$79,802

state average

Top Earners (90th %ile)

$103,063

avg across 109 cities

Overall salary range in Texas: $26,402 (lowest entry-level) to $120,672 (highest top earner)

Texas vs National Average

Texas

$79,802

National Median

$70,247

Texas physical therapist assistants earn 13.60% more than the national median (+$9,555/year difference).

Texas Physical Therapist Assistant Salary Distribution (2026)

Physical Therapist Assistant salaries in Texas range from $46,812 (entry-level, 10th percentile) to $103,063 (top earners, 90th percentile), with a median of $79,802. The Texas median is $9,555 above the US national median of $70,247. The average hourly rate is $38.37/hr. Approximately 10,813 physical therapist assistants are employed across 109 cities.

2019 BLS Actual

$68,056

2025 BLS Actual

$77,681

2026 Current Est.

$79,802

2019–2027 Growth

+20.5%

Salary Trajectory for Physical Therapist Assistants in Texas (2019–2027)

2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 2.73% projection.

BLS Actual Estimated Projected

Year	Annual Salary	Status
2019	$68,056	Actual
2020	$69,207	Actual
2021	$72,209	Actual
2022	$74,997	Actual
2023	$75,010	Actual
2024	$75,156	Actual
2025	$77,681	Actual
2026(current)	$79,802	Estimated
2027	$81,980	Projected

Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Texas metropolitan area, the median physical therapist assistant salary grew 14.1% from $68,056 (2019) to $77,681 (2025). At a 2.73% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $81,980 by 2027 — a total increase of $13,924 (20.46%) from 2019.

Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Texas metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 2.73% CAGR derived from 7-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.

Top 5 Highest Paying Cities in Texas

San Marcos

13 employed · $42.92/hr

$89,284

+11.88% vs avg

Round Rock

26 employed · $42.24/hr

$87,860

+10.10% vs avg

Austin

1,180 employed · $41.94/hr

$87,249

+9.33% vs avg

Midland

70 employed · $40.80/hr

$84,876

+6.36% vs avg

Dallas

2,110 employed · $39.69/hr

$82,564

+3.46% vs avg

Lowest Paying Cities in Texas

City	Median Salary	vs State Avg	Hourly
Laredo	$66,261	-16.97%	$31.86
Tomball	$71,414	-10.51%	$34.33
Murphy	$71,988	-9.79%	$34.61
Odessa	$72,394	-9.28%	$34.80
Horizon City	$72,474	-9.18%	$34.85

Best Value Cities for Physical Therapist Assistants in Texas

When adjusted for local cost of living, these Texas cities offer the most purchasing power for physical therapist assistants.

City	Nominal Salary	CoL Index	Adjusted Salary
San Marcos	$89,284	96	$93,004
Round Rock	$87,860	96	$91,521
Texarkana	$75,568	84.012	$89,949
Wichita Falls	$80,448	89.513	$89,873
Austin	$87,249	98.066	$88,970

Adjusted salary = nominal salary × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average. Lower index = lower cost of living.

Salary by Experience Level in Texas

Experience Level	Estimated Annual	Est. Hourly	Description
Entry Level (0-2 years)	$46,812	$22.51	10th percentile, new graduates
Mid Career (3-7 years)	$79,802	$38.37	50th percentile, median salary
Experienced (7+ years)	$103,063	$49.55	90th percentile, top earners

Estimates based on BLS percentile data averaged across Texas metro areas. Individual pay varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.

All 109 Cities in Texas

#	City	Median Salary	Hourly	Entry (P10)	Top (P90)	Employed
1	San Marcos	$89,284	$42.92	$62,067	$114,495	13
2	Round Rock	$87,860	$42.24	$57,896	$120,672	26
3	Austin	$87,249	$41.94	$58,587	$102,966	1,180
4	Midland	$84,876	$40.80	$64,710	$104,785	70
5	Dallas	$82,564	$39.69	$38,924	$107,753	2,110
6	Fort Worth	$82,026	$39.44	$57,147	$113,919	219
7	Port Arthur	$81,787	$39.33	$57,138	$104,816	12
8	Irving	$81,614	$39.23	$53,317	$108,905	51
9	Plano	$81,345	$39.11	$52,962	$107,698	57
10	Garland	$80,920	$38.90	$52,115	$114,791	43
11	Arlington	$80,897	$38.89	$52,425	$110,027	83
12	Frisco	$80,632	$38.77	$51,408	$113,771	38
13	Wichita Falls	$80,448	$38.68	$51,334	$100,501	60
14	San Angelo	$80,335	$38.63	$53,060	$94,090	60
15	Beaumont	$79,955	$38.44	$56,512	$100,306	150
16	New Braunfels	$79,613	$38.28	$53,479	$102,666	15
17	Houston	$79,390	$38.16	$43,640	$104,055	2,210
18	Conroe	$78,981	$37.97	$55,380	$101,270	15
19	San Antonio	$78,927	$37.95	$48,817	$101,590	960
20	Richardson	$78,834	$37.90	$51,453	$102,473	24
21	Carrollton	$78,821	$37.90	$51,425	$107,742	20
22	Longview	$78,773	$37.87	$26,402	$98,426	120
23	Grand Prairie	$78,689	$37.84	$51,053	$107,088	43
24	The Woodlands	$78,441	$37.71	$55,272	$104,957	21
25	Waco	$78,424	$37.70	$43,393	$103,007	140
26	Pasadena	$78,351	$37.67	$55,385	$104,454	32
27	Killeen	$78,219	$37.61	$50,307	$102,227	150
28	Abilene	$78,167	$37.58	$39,983	$98,261	60
29	Galveston	$78,112	$37.56	$53,281	$101,242	10
30	DeSoto	$78,056	$37.53	$53,154	$106,016	9
31	Missouri City	$77,975	$37.49	$53,048	$105,944	12
32	Sherman	$77,869	$37.43	$57,303	$99,001	80
33	Tyler	$77,736	$37.37	$54,067	$101,014	150
34	Sugar Land	$77,644	$37.33	$54,925	$103,764	21
35	Allen	$77,638	$37.32	$54,832	$103,542	19
36	Temple	$77,578	$37.30	$56,541	$102,350	14
37	League City	$77,569	$37.29	$54,444	$103,513	22
38	Cedar Park	$77,534	$37.28	$51,961	$104,248	12
39	Georgetown	$77,507	$37.26	$51,658	$104,365	12
40	Baytown	$77,476	$37.25	$51,905	$99,340	16
41	Denton	$77,431	$37.23	$54,443	$103,049	33
42	Wylie	$77,420	$37.22	$51,462	$99,158	10
43	Cleburne	$77,409	$37.22	$55,916	$99,016	7
44	Mesquite	$77,399	$37.21	$54,372	$102,944	21
45	Pharr	$77,340	$37.18	$51,596	$103,608	18
46	McKinney	$77,330	$37.18	$53,907	$102,714	44
47	Pearland	$77,173	$37.11	$53,787	$101,988	19
48	Burleson	$77,119	$37.08	$55,300	$95,582	11
49	College Station	$77,027	$37.03	$44,646	$89,889	90
50	Pflugerville	$77,020	$37.02	$50,870	$102,736	16
51	Cedar Hill	$76,987	$37.01	$54,981	$97,879	8
52	Flower Mound	$76,798	$36.92	$56,514	$101,998	12
53	Kyle	$76,749	$36.90	$56,399	$101,637	13
54	Del Rio	$76,660	$36.86	$54,120	$93,918	9
55	Coppell	$76,479	$36.77	$53,771	$100,759	8
56	Forney	$76,358	$36.72	$53,484	$95,847	6
57	Harlingen	$76,349	$36.71	$52,714	$97,064	14
58	Rowlett	$76,280	$36.67	$52,773	$100,285	15
59	The Colony	$76,165	$36.61	$53,027	$95,037	9
60	Anna	$76,134	$36.60	$52,955	$99,820	4
61	Huntsville	$76,050	$36.56	$52,756	$99,355	11
62	Corpus Christi	$75,938	$36.51	$52,248	$100,655	200
63	Mansfield	$75,811	$36.45	$53,924	$98,745	18
64	Weatherford	$75,796	$36.44	$52,160	$93,859	9
65	Euless	$75,761	$36.43	$54,121	$98,584	14
66	Weslaco	$75,712	$36.40	$51,963	$98,255	9
67	Hurst	$75,675	$36.39	$51,878	$93,662	9
68	Grapevine	$75,583	$36.34	$53,713	$100,759	12
69	Texarkana	$75,568	$36.33	$29,915	$89,344	90
70	Leander	$75,564	$36.33	$53,361	$97,941	11
71	Little Elm	$75,560	$36.33	$51,608	$93,297	12
72	Lancaster	$75,494	$36.29	$51,454	$97,738	8
73	North Richland Hills	$75,441	$36.27	$53,391	$97,539	17
74	Duncanville	$75,427	$36.26	$51,299	$97,524	8
75	Victoria	$75,311	$36.21	$36,736	$101,836	80
76	Copperas Cove	$75,283	$36.19	$57,171	$97,055	7
77	Friendswood	$75,270	$36.19	$56,824	$97,016	8
78	Mission	$75,164	$36.14	$50,828	$101,548	22
79	Brownsville	$75,013	$36.07	$49,054	$95,200	140
80	Seguin	$74,956	$36.04	$56,310	$95,820	7
81	Rockwall	$74,853	$35.99	$56,144	$95,678	12
82	Corinth	$74,775	$35.95	$55,401	$89,889	6
83	Amarillo	$74,736	$35.93	$49,875	$94,491	150
84	Lubbock	$74,726	$35.92	$51,796	$97,193	180
85	Schertz	$74,708	$35.91	$53,472	$95,028	6
86	Corsicana	$74,647	$35.88	$55,082	$89,307	6
87	San Juan	$74,593	$35.86	$55,526	$97,487	9
88	Kingsville	$74,587	$35.86	$55,511	$94,642	5
89	Prosper	$74,570	$35.85	$55,469	$94,770	7
90	McAllen	$74,500	$35.82	$46,362	$103,788	410
91	Sachse	$74,382	$35.76	$55,024	$94,174	5
92	Bastrop	$74,371	$35.76	$54,403	$91,182	6
93	Socorro	$74,243	$35.70	$54,618	$96,176	5
94	Eagle Pass	$74,104	$35.63	$54,057	$93,293	5
95	Keller	$73,995	$35.58	$54,114	$92,950	7
96	Lufkin	$73,911	$35.53	$53,916	$92,500	8
97	Haltom City	$73,905	$35.53	$53,823	$92,434	11
98	Nacogdoches	$73,905	$35.53	$53,823	$92,481	7
99	Benbrook	$73,844	$35.50	$53,112	$93,946	6
100	University Park	$73,773	$35.47	$52,941	$93,722	5
101	Fredericksburg	$73,311	$35.25	$55,783	$92,264	5
102	El Paso	$73,082	$35.13	$37,825	$96,155	320
103	Stephenville	$72,790	$35.00	$56,766	$86,287	6
104	Edinburg	$72,709	$34.96	$50,147	$95,497	22
105	Horizon City	$72,474	$34.85	$55,907	$89,477	6
106	Odessa	$72,394	$34.80	$39,007	$91,789	60
107	Murphy	$71,988	$34.61	$54,796	$90,447	5
108	Tomball	$71,414	$34.33	$53,406	$86,396	5
109	Laredo	$66,261	$31.86	$27,388	$92,827	110

More Texas Salary Data

Hourly Rates

Explore physical therapist assistant hourly pay in Texas cities.

San Marcos →Round Rock →Austin →

Entry Level

Starting salaries for new physical therapist assistants.

San Marcos →Round Rock →Austin →

Senior / Experienced

Top earner salaries for experienced physical therapist assistants.

San Marcos →Round Rock →Austin →

Compare Cities in Texas

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View all comparisons →

Explore More Physical Therapist Assistant Salary Data

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much do physical therapist assistants make in Texas in 2026?

The average median physical therapist assistant salary in Texas is $79,802/year across 109 metro areas, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Salaries range from $66,261 in Laredo to $89,284 in San Marcos. This makes Texas one of the higher-paying states, at 13.60% above the national median of $70,247. The state employs approximately 10,813 physical therapist assistants.

What is the highest paying city for physical therapist assistants in Texas?

San Marcos offers the highest physical therapist assistant salary in Texas at $89,284/year ($42.92/hr), based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). The top 3 highest-paying cities are San Marcos ($89,284), Round Rock ($87,860), Austin ($87,249). Higher pay in these metros is typically driven by cost of living, demand for physical therapy services, and competition among employers for licensed physical therapist assistants.

How does Texas physical therapist assistant pay compare to the national average?

Texas's average physical therapist assistant salary of $79,802 is 13.60% above the national median of $70,247 in 2026. The state employs approximately 10,813 physical therapist assistants across 109 metropolitan areas. When comparing salaries, consider cost-of-living differences — a lower nominal salary in an affordable area may provide better purchasing power than a higher salary in an expensive metro.

What is the entry-level physical therapist assistant salary in Texas?

Entry-level physical therapist assistants (10th percentile) in Texas earn approximately $46,812/year on average, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Starting salaries range from $26,402 in lower-paying areas to $64,710 in the highest-paying metros. New graduates should expect salaries at the lower end and can typically reach the area median within 3–5 years of clinical experience.

How many physical therapist assistants are employed in Texas?

Texas employs approximately 10,813 physical therapist assistants across 109 metropolitan areas, based on the latest BLS data. This makes Texas one of the larger employers of physical therapist assistants nationally. Demand continues to grow as the physical therapy field expands and the population ages.

Which Texas city offers the best value for physical therapist assistants?

When adjusted for cost of living, San Marcos offers the highest purchasing power for physical therapist assistants in Texas, with an adjusted salary of $93,004 (nominal: $89,284, CoL index: 96). This means your dollar goes 4% further compared to the national average, making it an attractive option for maximizing real income.

Written by Jordan Lee, DPT

Career Analyst

Jordan has 10 years of experience in outpatient physical therapy. They specialize in orthopedic rehabilitation. Jordan works in a private practice setting.

Clinically reviewed by Maria Gonzalez, PTAData verified by Ahmed Khan, DPT

Methodology & Data Source

Statewide salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. A 2.73% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to each metro area's reported salary to estimate current 2026 physical therapist assistant compensation across Texas. State averages are employment-weighted across 109 metro areas — larger metro areas with more physical therapist assistantscontribute proportionally more to the average, producing figures that better reflect typical compensation. Individual pay varies by city, employer, certifications, and experience.

Data Sources & Methodology

Source: BLS, OEWS, 7-year dataset (2019–2025). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.

2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.73%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for physical therapist assistants (SOC 31-2021).

Compiled and verified by Jordan Lee, DPT, a licensed physical therapist assistant with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov

Last verified: June 10, 2026

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