Physical Therapy Technicians

Median Salary: $23,900

Many physical therapy technicians across the country share a handful of important professional attributes. For example, integrity, attention to detail, and self control can be critical for success in the industry, especially when mixed with career training. Around 44,160 people were employed as physical therapy technicians nationwide in 2009. With that much workplace competition, it's crucial to build on these traits and receive good training, particularly if you're looking to advance in the field.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual income for physical therapy technicians in the U.S. was $23,900 in 2009, which works out to a median hourly wage of $11.50. Of course, income can vary with training and by location. Below, you'll find more data about physical therapy technicians, including wages and job density for metropolitan areas all over the country.

Physical therapy technicians should be skilled in:

  • Oral Expression
  • Oral Comprehension
  • Speech Clarity
  • Written Comprehension
  • Written Expression

Different people go into different careers; physical therapy technicians are typically:

  • Social
  • Realistic

Working as a physical therapy technician requires knowledge in subjects like:

  • Customer and Personal Service
  • English Language
  • Therapy and Counseling
  • Public Safety and Security
  • Medicine and Dentistry

Related Occupations

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Below, you'll see links to more information on the top cities for this occupation (based on the number of people employed as physical therapy technicians). Note: "Job density" refers to the proportion of physical therapy technicians in each city as compared to the national average.

Alabama
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Birmingham 270 $23,500 $11.30 $27,000 $13.00 64.2%
Mobile 90 $21,500 $10.30 $24,500 $11.80 49.7%
Montgomery 60 $18,000 $8.70 $21,600 $10.40 15.4%
Arizona
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Phoenix 650 $24,200 $11.60 $29,100 $14.00 8.6%
Prescott 40 $24,200 $11.60 $27,900 $13.40 125.4%
Tucson 110 $26,500 $12.70 $31,400 $15.10 -9.2%
Arkansas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Fayetteville 60 $21,100 $10.20 $23,200 $11.20 -15.7%
Little Rock 150 $19,600 $9.40 $22,900 $11.00 34.6%
California
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bakersfield 120 $23,200 $11.10 $25,800 $12.40 33.1%
Chico 80 $24,000 $11.50 $28,200 $13.60 256.8%
Fresno 160 $24,900 $12.00 $29,300 $14.10 43.8%
Los Angeles (Area) 2,290 $26,800 $12.90 $32,000 $15.40 26.6%
Merced 50 $22,100 $10.60 $24,100 $11.60 165.4%
Modesto 60 $27,800 $13.40 $31,800 $15.30 13.9%
Oakland 250 $28,700 $13.80 $37,200 $17.90 -24.6%
Oxnard 320 $26,200 $12.60 $32,600 $15.70 218.9%
Redding 70 $23,200 $11.20 $32,600 $15.70 234%
Riverside 500 $26,100 $12.60 $31,100 $15.00 24%
Sacramento 260 $23,600 $11.30 $26,700 $12.80 -10.7%
Salinas 70 $32,400 $15.60 $38,500 $18.50 28.7%
San Diego 490 $21,300 $10.20 $25,500 $12.30 12.7%
San Francisco (Area) 480 $27,700 $13.30 $35,500 $17.10 -27.8%
San Francisco (City) 230 $26,600 $12.80 $33,800 $16.30 -31.1%
San Jose 280 $33,200 $16.00 $40,500 $19.50 -7.1%
San Luis Obispo 80 $22,100 $10.60 $24,100 $11.60 136.1%
Santa Barbara 60 $23,700 $11.40 $30,600 $14.70 9.8%
Santa Rosa NA $30,200 $14.50 $35,800 $17.20 NA
Stockton 80 $23,600 $11.30 $27,400 $13.20 9.8%
Vallejo 50 $28,100 $13.50 $30,700 $14.80 31.1%
Visalia 30 $22,500 $10.80 $25,800 $12.40 -21.6%
Colorado
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boulder NA $28,400 $13.70 $33,500 $16.10 NA
Denver 250 $28,600 $13.70 $34,300 $16.50 -39.6%
Fort Collins NA $20,700 $9.90 $25,400 $12.20 NA
Connecticut
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bridgeport 140 $32,300 $15.50 $39,500 $19.00 82.8%
Hartford 130 $23,900 $11.50 $31,400 $15.10 -31.4%
New Haven 130 $23,200 $11.10 $26,400 $12.70 38.8%
District of Columbia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Washington (Area) 630 $25,000 $12.00 $30,200 $14.50 -10.4%
Florida
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bradenton NA $21,600 $10.40 $25,300 $12.20 NA
Cape Coral 40 $23,200 $11.10 $26,600 $12.80 -44.4%
Deltona NA $27,500 $13.20 $29,900 $14.40 NA
Jacksonville 80 $23,400 $11.20 $26,900 $12.90 -61.8%
Miami (Area) 1,360 $24,100 $11.60 $27,600 $13.30 53.8%
Ocala 30 $21,800 $10.50 $24,100 $11.60 3.6%
Orlando 140 $23,300 $11.20 $26,200 $12.60 -57.1%
Palm Bay 40 $23,400 $11.20 $27,300 $13.10 -34.6%
Pensacola 30 $21,000 $10.10 $23,400 $11.20 -35.5%
Port St. Lucie 30 $24,500 $11.80 $28,600 $13.70 -21.9%
Tallahassee 50 $23,700 $11.40 $26,800 $12.90 -15.7%
Tampa 230 $24,000 $11.50 $27,700 $13.30 -39.9%
Georgia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Athens 40 $16,900 $8.10 $21,400 $10.30 40.5%
Atlanta 290 $25,600 $12.30 $33,000 $15.80 -62.7%
Augusta 60 $20,900 $10.10 $24,700 $11.90 -8.3%
Brunswick NA $17,600 $8.50 $28,200 $13.60 NA
Gainesville 40 $27,400 $13.20 $30,800 $14.80 72.5%
Savannah 50 $22,400 $10.80 $23,800 $11.40 -1.5%
Hawaii
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Honolulu 60 $30,800 $14.80 $35,300 $17.00 -55.9%
Idaho
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boise City 190 $25,100 $12.10 $29,200 $14.10 109.8%
Coeur d'Alene 60 $21,600 $10.40 $24,100 $11.60 209.5%
Idaho Falls NA $19,900 $9.60 $22,500 $10.80 NA
Illinois
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Chicago (Area) 2,010 $24,000 $11.50 $28,400 $13.70 21.9%
Peoria NA $28,900 $13.90 $32,200 $15.50 NA
Rockford 60 $29,300 $14.10 $35,800 $17.20 25.7%
Indiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Evansville 90 $28,800 $13.80 $42,400 $20.40 56.8%
Indianapolis NA $19,600 $9.40 $21,700 $10.40 NA
Lafayette 40 $21,000 $10.10 $25,000 $12.00 31.1%
South Bend 40 $28,300 $13.60 $39,000 $18.80 -15.1%
Iowa
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Davenport NA $25,200 $12.10 $30,300 $14.60 NA
Des Moines 40 $30,200 $14.50 $32,900 $15.80 -66.3%
Sioux City NA $22,800 $11.00 $27,100 $13.00 NA
Kansas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Topeka 50 $20,800 $10.00 $24,600 $11.80 27.8%
Wichita 90 $22,900 $11.00 $27,600 $13.30 -10.4%
Kentucky
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lexington 60 $23,900 $11.50 $29,200 $14.00 -29%
Louisville 230 $21,100 $10.10 $25,500 $12.30 13.6%
Louisiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Alexandria 30 $25,000 $12.00 $32,600 $15.70 48.2%
Baton Rouge 190 $20,200 $9.70 $22,500 $10.80 51.2%
Houma 40 $21,000 $10.10 $25,900 $12.40 29.9%
Lafayette 90 $18,000 $8.70 $19,500 $9.40 83.7%
Lake Charles 40 $23,400 $11.30 $26,000 $12.50 21.3%
Monroe 30 $16,200 $7.80 $20,100 $9.70 29.9%
New Orleans 240 $24,100 $11.60 $28,000 $13.50 36.7%
Shreveport 90 $23,300 $11.20 $34,500 $16.60 60.1%
Maryland
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baltimore 490 $24,200 $11.60 $29,600 $14.20 13.9%
Salisbury 30 $22,700 $10.90 $25,500 $12.30 84.9%
Massachusetts
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Barnstable Town 40 $27,100 $13.00 $29,800 $14.30 12.4%
Boston (Area) 420 $29,700 $14.30 $35,200 $16.90 22.8%
Springfield 40 $23,600 $11.30 $27,100 $13.00 -55%
Worcester 60 $30,700 $14.70 $50,700 $24.40 -20.1%
Michigan
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Ann Arbor 90 $27,600 $13.30 $30,200 $14.50 33.4%
Detroit (Area) NA $25,500 $12.30 $31,300 $15.10 NA
Flint 40 $20,000 $9.60 $24,800 $11.90 -8%
Grand Rapids 120 $24,400 $11.70 $28,800 $13.90 -4.4%
Holland NA $28,700 $13.80 $32,200 $15.50 NA
Saginaw NA $20,000 $9.60 $23,700 $11.40 NA
Minnesota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Minneapolis 240 $20,400 $9.80 $30,600 $14.70 -59.2%
Mississippi
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Gulfport NA $23,500 $11.30 $25,900 $12.50 NA
Hattiesburg 70 $19,700 $9.50 $21,700 $10.40 254.7%
Jackson 70 $22,400 $10.80 $26,300 $12.70 -12.7%
Pascagoula 50 $23,000 $11.10 $26,100 $12.60 163%
Missouri
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Joplin 30 $18,600 $9.00 $20,600 $9.90 28.1%
Kansas City 120 $24,300 $11.70 $27,900 $13.40 -64.5%
Springfield 40 $20,500 $9.90 $24,300 $11.70 -32.2%
St. Louis 340 $22,400 $10.80 $28,800 $13.90 -23.4%
Nebraska
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lincoln 140 $18,900 $9.10 $21,600 $10.40 151.2%
Omaha 210 $22,700 $10.90 $24,700 $11.90 36.1%
Nevada
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Las Vegas 220 $22,700 $10.90 $28,800 $13.90 -22.8%
Reno 90 $25,400 $12.20 $30,000 $14.40 32.5%
New Jersey
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Atlantic City 60 $23,600 $11.40 $27,900 $13.40 28.1%
Trenton 90 $22,100 $10.60 $25,100 $12.10 17.2%
New Mexico
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albuquerque 140 $29,200 $14.00 $31,900 $15.30 10.9%
New York
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albany 90 $30,000 $14.40 $33,200 $16.00 -40.8%
Buffalo 150 $26,800 $12.90 $30,300 $14.60 -19.2%
New York (Area) 3,510 $25,400 $12.20 $30,700 $14.80 53%
Poughkeepsie 50 $23,900 $11.50 $26,500 $12.70 -39.3%
Rochester NA $25,100 $12.10 $32,100 $15.40 NA
Syracuse 100 $26,400 $12.70 $29,800 $14.30 0%
Utica 80 $24,700 $11.90 $26,800 $12.90 84.9%
North Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Charlotte 90 $25,700 $12.30 $29,000 $14.00 -69.5%
Durham 40 $28,000 $13.50 $31,800 $15.30 -55.3%
Fayetteville 40 $19,400 $9.30 $23,300 $11.20 -17.8%
Greensboro 70 $25,600 $12.30 $30,100 $14.50 -39.9%
Winston-Salem 110 $25,600 $12.30 $29,500 $14.20 55.9%
North Dakota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bismarck 40 $20,700 $10.00 $25,900 $12.50 111.2%
Ohio
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Akron 60 $24,400 $11.70 $29,200 $14.00 -45.9%
Canton 30 $26,000 $12.50 $29,500 $14.20 -44.7%
Cincinnati 250 $23,500 $11.30 $27,300 $13.10 -25.1%
Cleveland 240 $25,200 $12.10 $28,500 $13.70 -29.3%
Columbus 160 $19,500 $9.40 $24,300 $11.70 -48.8%
Dayton 50 $22,400 $10.80 $24,800 $11.90 -60.7%
Toledo 110 $23,800 $11.40 $30,000 $14.40 8.6%
Youngstown 60 $28,200 $13.60 $35,600 $17.10 -18.9%
Oklahoma
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lawton 60 $18,000 $8.70 $20,500 $9.90 299.7%
Oklahoma City 310 $18,600 $8.90 $21,900 $10.50 60.1%
Tulsa 130 $23,800 $11.40 $27,100 $13.00 -8%
Oregon
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bend 70 $22,900 $11.00 $25,900 $12.50 247%
Eugene 30 $22,700 $10.90 $25,700 $12.30 -30.5%
Medford 30 $21,000 $10.10 $26,800 $12.90 21.9%
Portland 360 $25,700 $12.40 $28,800 $13.90 8.3%
Salem 30 $26,700 $12.80 $31,500 $15.20 -32.5%
Pennsylvania
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Allentown 110 $25,700 $12.40 $30,200 $14.50 2.1%
Altoona 50 $28,200 $13.60 $31,300 $15.10 138.2%
Erie 50 $24,000 $11.50 $26,500 $12.70 24%
Harrisburg 90 $26,000 $12.50 $29,300 $14.10 -9.8%
Lancaster 70 $27,700 $13.30 $33,500 $16.10 -8.3%
Philadelphia (Area) 1,220 $26,100 $12.50 $31,900 $15.30 50.9%
Pittsburgh 430 $24,500 $11.80 $28,900 $13.90 14.8%
Reading 50 $26,500 $12.80 $29,500 $14.20 -10.4%
Scranton 90 $22,000 $10.60 $25,100 $12.10 3.8%
York 30 $28,100 $13.50 $30,600 $14.70 -46.4%
Rhode Island
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Providence 120 $25,300 $12.20 $28,700 $13.80 -37%
South Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Charleston 120 $25,800 $12.40 $29,600 $14.20 26%
Columbia NA $20,400 $9.80 $23,600 $11.30 NA
Greenville 40 $25,300 $12.20 $35,900 $17.20 -58.6%
Spartanburg 40 $23,200 $11.20 $43,300 $20.80 2.7%
South Dakota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Sioux Falls 50 $23,400 $11.20 $25,600 $12.30 1.5%
Tennessee
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Chattanooga NA $19,800 $9.50 $22,500 $10.80 NA
Jackson 60 $19,600 $9.40 $23,300 $11.20 200.9%
Kingsport NA $21,000 $10.10 $24,700 $11.90 NA
Knoxville 170 $21,800 $10.50 $24,400 $11.70 51.2%
Memphis 180 $21,200 $10.20 $27,100 $13.00 -13.6%
Morristown 50 $21,800 $10.50 $29,000 $14.00 228.4%
Nashville 170 $26,500 $12.70 $30,300 $14.60 -31.4%
Texas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Abilene 50 $20,200 $9.70 $24,000 $11.50 110.7%
Amarillo 60 $24,000 $11.50 $28,000 $13.50 61.5%
Austin 170 $21,500 $10.30 $26,800 $12.90 -36.1%
Beaumont 50 $19,400 $9.30 $23,400 $11.30 -7.1%
Brownsville 120 $21,600 $10.40 $25,700 $12.40 191.7%
College Station 50 $18,800 $9.00 $21,500 $10.30 47.9%
Dallas (Area) 640 $21,100 $10.10 $25,400 $12.20 -34%
El Paso 230 $21,500 $10.30 $23,400 $11.20 150.9%
Houston 400 $22,800 $11.00 $27,800 $13.40 -54.4%
Lubbock 100 $20,400 $9.80 $24,300 $11.70 141.7%
McAllen 280 $19,200 $9.20 $22,500 $10.80 271.3%
San Antonio 270 $21,500 $10.30 $25,500 $12.30 -3%
Sherman 40 $19,000 $9.10 $21,600 $10.40 153.3%
Tyler 70 $22,700 $10.90 $25,600 $12.30 136.1%
Victoria NA $20,800 $10.00 $24,400 $11.70 NA
Waco 30 $22,200 $10.70 $24,600 $11.80 -6.8%
Wichita Falls 80 $19,900 $9.60 $23,000 $11.00 323.7%
Utah
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Ogden 200 $18,600 $8.90 $21,300 $10.20 197.9%
Provo 190 $18,100 $8.70 $20,800 $10.00 221.9%
Salt Lake City 270 $21,600 $10.40 $23,900 $11.50 33.1%
St. George 60 $20,600 $9.90 $23,200 $11.10 241.1%
Vermont
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Burlington NA $30,400 $14.60 $32,800 $15.80 NA
Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lynchburg 30 $27,600 $13.30 $38,700 $18.60 -8.9%
Richmond 200 $25,800 $12.40 $31,500 $15.10 -1.5%
Virginia Beach 190 $19,800 $9.50 $24,500 $11.80 -24.6%
Washington
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bremerton 40 $27,900 $13.40 $31,100 $14.90 43.2%
Mount Vernon 50 $27,600 $13.30 $29,500 $14.20 264.8%
Seattle (Area) NA $24,400 $11.70 $27,100 $13.00 NA
Spokane 170 $23,600 $11.30 $26,900 $12.90 141.1%
Wenatchee 30 $26,300 $12.60 $30,000 $14.40 138.8%
Yakima 70 $29,000 $13.90 $42,000 $20.20 160.9%
West Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Huntington 70 $18,100 $8.70 $23,800 $11.50 94.7%
Morgantown 30 $18,900 $9.10 $21,600 $10.40 78.7%
Wisconsin
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Eau Claire 60 $25,400 $12.20 $29,100 $14.00 150.3%
Madison 50 $28,200 $13.60 $33,300 $16.00 -52.7%
Milwaukee 310 $24,300 $11.70 $27,900 $13.40 11.5%
Racine 40 $21,000 $10.10 $23,400 $11.30 70.7%
Sheboygan NA $24,000 $11.60 $26,800 $12.90 NA