I am going to school to be a physical therapist, however I want more work experience and I am going to get physical therapist assistant degree first.
I am going to school to be a physical therapist, however I want more work experience and I am going to get physical therapist assistant degree first.
Tags: Assistant, Average, Physical, Texas, Therapist, What
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#1 by mistify on December 30, 2009 - 11:45 pm
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There is really no need to get the assistant degree first, and in fact it does not serve as a stepping stone to getting the PT degree. I advice anyone who has any intention of becoming a PT to do in from the beginning. To spend two years getting the PTA degree, then when you want to become a PT, you have to complete the entire 6-7 year program in it’s entirety is simply not worth it. In fact, I had a gal in my class who did go for the PTA degree first and she did, in fact, reveal that it did not help her whatsoever to complete the PT degree…she had to complete every single class with the rest of us.
There are a few “bridge” programs in the country, but even those do not shorten the program…it just allows you to take it on a part time basis.
However, to answer your question, most PTAs (nationally) earn somewhere between $35-50,000 a year. The lowest 10% earn around $29,000 and the highest 10% around $55,000. I believe the bls lists the median salary at $44,000 a year. It depends on your setting, experience, etc. To the best of my knowledge, there hasn’t been a big study of salaries by state…only by region and nationally.
Nearly all PTs do it from the beginning. I’ve known a lot of PTAs who INTEND to go back for the PT degree, but more often than not, they get distracted and become unable to return to school to do it…because of life, family, finances, etc.
Good luck.
#2 by CanProf on December 31, 2009 - 1:17 am
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I don’t know specifically about Texas but here are national data from the Department of Labor http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos167.htm#earni…