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The differences between outpatient physical therapist assistants and rehab technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an outpatient physical therapist assistant has an average salary of $54,009, which is higher than the $28,505 average annual salary of a rehab technician.
The top three skills for an outpatient physical therapist assistant include patients, rehabilitation and PTA. The most important skills for a rehab technician are patients, physical therapy, and rehabilitation.
| Outpatient Physical Therapist Assistant | Rehab Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $54,009 | $28,505 |
| Hourly rate | $25.97 | $13.70 |
| Growth rate | 24% | 24% |
| Number of jobs | 62,717 | 27,969 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A PTA (physical therapist assistant) helps a physical therapist carry out a treatment or rehabilitation program. Outpatient PTAs provide patients with physical therapy support services in a private space, clinic, or other facilities. Their responsibilities often involve setting up equipment to be used by patients, documenting patient progress, and cleaning the therapy area between appointments. PTA duties include assisting patients to do exercises, warm-ups, stretching, using equipment, and other movements prescribed by physical therapists during appointments.
A rehab technician's role is to assist physical therapists and patients in a hospital or similar facility. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around gathering a patient's personal information and medical history, escorting them to corresponding rooms, and conducting initial tests and assessments. It is also essential to maintain records of all transactions, updating medical accounts promptly and accurately. Furthermore, a rehab technician may also perform basic treatments under the supervision of a physical therapist. There are also instances when they have to sanitize and clean therapy equipment, all in adherence to the facility's safety regulations and policies.
Outpatient physical therapist assistants and rehab technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Outpatient Physical Therapist Assistant | Rehab Technician | |
| Average salary | $54,009 | $28,505 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $71,000 | Between $22,000 And $36,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Colorado |
| Best paying company | - | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an outpatient physical therapist assistant and a rehab technician in terms of educational background:
| Outpatient Physical Therapist Assistant | Rehab Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Physical Therapy | Kinesiology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Virginia |
Here are the differences between outpatient physical therapist assistants' and rehab technicians' demographics:
| Outpatient Physical Therapist Assistant | Rehab Technician | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.7% Female, 73.3% | Male, 33.7% Female, 66.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 9.3% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.3% Asian, 7.5% White, 66.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |