Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
What is a licensed physical therapist assistant and how to become one
Licensed physical therapist assistants work with a physical therapist to help treat patients by using physical therapy. Licensed physical therapist assistants can work with patients recovering from strokes, accidents, or sports injuries. They work with the physical therapist to develop and implement a treatment plan. The licensed physical therapist assistant often provides hands-on care to patients by leading them in PT exercises. They also track how well a treatment plan is working and work with the physical therapist to make any adjustments if necessary. They need to have extensive knowledge of physical therapy treatment plans and a calm, compassionate attitude towards patients when providing care.
A licensed physical therapist assistant has to have a degree from a physical therapist assistant education program, which is usually only two years long. They also need to get a license from the state (they are called licensed physical therapist assistants, after all).
The average salary for a licensed physical therapist assistant is $54,094 per year, and the demand for this field is growing by a whopping 26%. If you're looking to switch careers, now might be a good time to enroll in a physical therapist assistant program.
Avg. Salary $53,673
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 24%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.39%
Asian 9.33%
Black or African American 6.59%
Hispanic or Latino 12.11%
Unknown 4.76%
White 66.81%
Genderfemale 67.75%
male 32.25%
Age - 37American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 37Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is intermediate
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
Licensed physical therapist assistant career paths
Key steps to become a licensed physical therapist assistant
Explore licensed physical therapist assistant education requirements
Start to develop specific licensed physical therapist assistant skills
Skills Percentages Patients 31.31% Patient Care 10.62% Home Health 7.88% Rehabilitation 7.09% Treatment Programs 5.68% Complete relevant licensed physical therapist assistant training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New licensed physical therapist assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a licensed physical therapist assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real licensed physical therapist assistant resumes.Obtain the necessary licensing
Becoming a licensed licensed physical therapist assistant usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed licensed physical therapist assistant in most of states. 40 states require licensed physical therapist assistants to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.State Education Exam License url Alabama - - Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant Arkansas Specific course required State exam required Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) California Degree required Third-party exam required Physical Therapist Assistant Connecticut Specific course required Third-party exam required Physical Therapist Assistant Delaware Degree required State exam required Physical Therapist Assistant Research licensed physical therapist assistant duties and responsibilities
- Lead exercises and support for orthopedic, TKR, THA, and CVA in mix inpatient and outpatient setting.
- Provide home rehabilitation to a variety of patients including CVA, orthopedics, and general rehabilitation and education.
- Work briefly in a SNF setting providing physical therapy services to the elderly.
- Fit patients for orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices, such as crutches.
Prepare your licensed physical therapist assistant resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your licensed physical therapist assistant resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a licensed physical therapist assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable licensed physical therapist assistant resume templates
Build a professional licensed physical therapist assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your licensed physical therapist assistant resume.
Apply for licensed physical therapist assistant jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a licensed physical therapist assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first licensed physical therapist assistant job
Are you a licensed physical therapist assistant?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average licensed physical therapist assistant salary
The average licensed physical therapist assistant salary in the United States is $53,673 per year or $26 per hour. Licensed physical therapist assistant salaries range between $40,000 and $71,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do licensed physical therapist assistants rate their job?
Licensed physical therapist assistant reviews
Work schedule flexibility in the rehab and home health settings. I love problem-solving and finding solutions to improve the pts success at home. I love helping patients regain their PLOF or independence. I love meeting and working with a variety of people from differnt walks of life.
Inflexible or unrealistic patients or family members. So much paperwork. About every 7 years I just change careers for a while or take a break. Dynamic can be challenging when you work in Home Health because you work in a lot of assisted living facilities each with their own staff and policies which my differ from your own. It is a balancing act.
The relationship with the pts and seeing progress made for their return home
Cooperate money relations
Rehabilitating impairments
Lifting patients who couldn’t able by themselves from bed
Updated January 8, 2025
