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The differences between physical therapist assistants and rehab technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a physical therapist assistant has an average salary of $53,035, which is higher than the $28,505 average annual salary of a rehab technician.
The top three skills for a physical therapist assistant include patients, rehabilitation and home health. The most important skills for a rehab technician are patients, physical therapy, and rehabilitation.
| Physical Therapist Assistant | Rehab Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $53,035 | $28,505 |
| Hourly rate | $25.50 | $13.70 |
| Growth rate | 24% | 24% |
| Number of jobs | 80,018 | 27,969 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A physical therapist assistant's role is to provide treatments that will help a patient improve physical movements while under a physical therapist's supervision. Their responsibilities revolve around regularly observing a patient's reaction and progress to the treatment, operating various machines such as treadmills and trainers, and giving instructions to families on how to take care of the patient while at home. Furthermore, they must coordinate with a physical therapist to meet all of the patient's needs and give the best treatment possible.
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.
Physical therapist assistants and rehab technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Physical Therapist Assistant | Rehab Technician | |
| Average salary | $53,035 | $28,505 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $70,000 | Between $22,000 And $36,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Colorado |
| Best paying company | Children's Hospital Colorado | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a physical therapist assistant and a rehab technician in terms of educational background:
| Physical Therapist Assistant | Rehab Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Physical Therapy | Kinesiology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Virginia |
Here are the differences between physical therapist assistants' and rehab technicians' demographics:
| Physical Therapist Assistant | Rehab Technician | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.7% Female, 66.3% | Male, 33.7% Female, 66.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.0% Asian, 8.6% White, 66.2% 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% |