Career comparison
Physical Therapist vs. Physical Therapist Assistant
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Physical therapists earn more at the median ($102,760 vs. $68,380), while physical therapist assistants usually get to work faster (2 years of training). Physical therapists help people recover movement and manage pain after injury or illness. Physical therapist assistants help patients recover strength and movement after injuries, surgeries and illness.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Physical Therapist | Physical Therapist Assistant | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $102,760 ($49.40/hr) | $68,380 ($32.88/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $77,140 – $135,140 | $47,750 – $89,510 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +11.9% (much faster than average) | +23.0% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 13,400 | 18,500 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Associate's degree |
| Training time | 7 years after high school | 2 years |
| Key credential | NPTE | State PTA license or certification |
| Work setting | PTs work in outpatient clinics, hospitals, nursing facilities, homes, schools and sports settings.. | PTAs work in outpatient clinics, hospitals, skilled nursing and rehab facilities, schools and patients’ homes. |
What each job does
Physical Therapist
- Examine and evaluate patients
- Diagnose movement problems
- Design treatment plans
- Guide therapeutic exercise
- Provide manual therapy
Physical Therapist Assistant
- Carry out treatment plans written by the physical therapist
- Lead therapeutic exercise and stretching sessions
- Train patients in walking, transfers and assistive devices
- Apply modalities such as heat, ice and electrical stimulation
- Teach home exercise programs
How they’re similar
Both careers involve helping others, hands-on work, working with people, and physical work. Both are part of the healthcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose physical therapist if…
- I love anatomy and exercise
- I enjoy motivating people
- I like hands-on work
Choose physical therapist assistant if…
- I like helping people get better over time
- I enjoy exercise and how the body moves
- I’m encouraging when people struggle
Still torn? Take the Physical Therapist fit quiz and the Physical Therapist Assistant fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, physical therapist or physical therapist assistant?
Physical Therapists earn more at the median: $102,760 versus $68,380 for physical therapist assistants, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Physical Therapist Assistants typically train faster (2 years) than physical therapists (7 years after high school).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects physical therapist assistants to grow +23.0% from 2025–35, compared with +11.9% for physical therapists.