Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Physical Therapist Aides
Physical Therapist Aides 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.
Table of contents
What they do
Physical Therapist Aides 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.
- Clean and organize work area and disinfect equipment after treatment.
- Instruct, motivate, safeguard, or assist patients practicing exercises or functional activities, under the direction of medical staff.
- Record treatment given and equipment used.
- Administer active or passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, or heat, light, sound, water, or electrical modality treatments, such as ultrasound.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Physical Therapist Aides clean and organize the work areas and disinfect equipment after treatment. They record treatment given and equipment used.
A typical day for a Physical Therapist Aide will also include:
- Measure patient’s range-of-joint motion, body parts, or vital signs to determine effects of treatments or for patient evaluations.
- Instruct, motivate, safeguard, or assist patients practicing exercises or functional activities, under the direction of medical staff.
- Participate in patient care tasks, such as assisting with passing food trays, feeding residents, or bathing residents on bed rest.
- Change linens, such as bedsheets and pillowcases.
- Maintain equipment or furniture to keep it in good working condition, including performing the assembly or disassembly of equipment or accessories.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Physical Therapist Aides also assist patients to dress, undress, or put on and remove supportive devices, such as braces, splints, or slings. They may also administer traction to relieve neck or back pain, using intermittent or static traction equipment.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Physical Therapist Aides train patients to use orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices. They might also fit patients for orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices, adjusting the fit as needed.
In addition, they perform clerical duties, such as taking inventory, ordering supplies, answering the telephone, taking messages, or filling out forms.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them maintain equipment or furniture to keep it in good working condition, including performing the assembly or disassembly of equipment or accessories.
To some Physical Therapist Aides, it is also their responsibility to measure a patient’s range-of-joint motion, body parts, or vital signs to determine the effects of treatments or for patient evaluations.
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What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
74% said they were satisfied with their job and 86% said they found their job meaningful.
I was a physical therapist aide for over a year before going to PT school. Now I am a physical therapist.
As an aide, each day was slightly different. I got to the private practice where I worked early and opened the building, turning on lights and making sure everything was cleaned up from the night before.
My job was to greet each patient as they came in and to bring them back to a treatment room. I often chatted with them and helped them get comfortable in the office. In between greeting patients, I cleaned the office, which included sweeping, cleaning the bathrooms, filling the water jug, and arranging the magazines and chairs in the waiting room. I also washed all sheets and towels used in the clinic and folded and organized them after, and tidied up the staff kitchen.
Pros
The job gave me incredible insight into what goes on behind the scenes in a PT clinic and that has helped me tremendously as a PT. I also gained the experience hours required to apply to PT school in the first place, and one of the clinic’s owners has been a mentor to me.
Cons
The day could often be stressful because there was a lot to be done.
Pros
Suitable for people who like to help and teach others.
Suitable for people who value relationships between co-workers and customers and want to work in a friendly non-competitive environment.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
It is easy to get into this career. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Normal working hours (40 hours per week).
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to work with designs.
One of the lowest paying jobs.
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Physical Therapist Aides with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $20,500 to $24,250 per year or $10 to $12 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $40,580 | $20 |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $33,280 | $16 |
| Median | $28,450 | $14 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $24,250 | $12 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $20,500 | $10 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Physical Therapist Aides based on their average annual salary.
| Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Local Government | $44370 | $21.33 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | $40070 | $19.26 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | $36340 | $17.47 |
| Employment Services | $35510 | $17.07 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities | $34650 | $16.66 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $34630 | $16.65 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | $33970 | $16.33 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | $33270 | $16.00 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $32660 | $15.70 |
| Individual and Family Services | $30940 | $14.88 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Physical Therapist Aides work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Physical Therapist Aides including the average salary in that industry.
| Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 27970 | $28300 | $13.61 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 6950 | $32660 | $15.70 |
| Offices of Physicians | 3360 | $30520 | $14.67 |
| Specialty Hospitals | 2520 | $30550 | $14.69 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | 1630 | $40070 | $19.26 |
| Home Health Care Services | 480 | $ | $* |
| Employment Services | 340 | $35510 | $17.07 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 300 | $34630 | $16.65 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | 180 | $33970 | $16.33 |
| Local Government | 150 | $44370 | $21.33 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
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Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Rehabilitation Aide
Physical Therapy Technician/Aide
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others.
They also like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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