Physical therapy aide vs technician

The differences between physical therapy aides and technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a technician has an average salary of $38,045, which is higher than the $31,160 average annual salary of a physical therapy aide.

The top three skills for a physical therapy aide include patients, patient care and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a technician are patients, customer service, and patient care.

Physical therapy aide vs technician overview

	Physical Therapy Aide	Technician
Yearly salary	$31,160	$38,045
Hourly rate	$14.98	$18.29
Growth rate	24%	1%
Number of jobs	99,485	596,842
Job satisfaction	-	2
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Average age	39	40
Years of experience	-	2

What does a physical therapy aide do?

Physical therapy aides are employed under physical therapists' direction. They typically perform non-medical tasks, including helping with patient intake, setting up treatment rooms, and assisting with patient transportation to another health care facility. They are also responsible for documenting the responses and progress of patients and communicating with hospital personnel and physicians' offices. There are several skills and competencies to become a successful physical therapy aide, which include active listening skills, attention to detail, and compassion for patients.

What does a technician do?

Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with. They are usually working with electricity or with technological advancements. Technicians may be assigned to do the construction of equipment or materials related to their field of study. They may also be assigned to conduct diagnostics and other maintenance activities to ensure that the equipment works properly. Technicians may also be required to conduct basic repairs in case of problems. It is important that technicians have good analytical skills and decision-making skills.

Physical therapy aide vs technician salary

Physical therapy aides and technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Physical Therapy Aide	Technician
Average salary	$31,160	$38,045
Salary range	Between $8,000 And $118,000	Between $24,000 And $58,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	New York	Hawaii
Best paying company	Aya Healthcare	Microsoft
Best paying industry	Health Care	Telecommunication

Differences between physical therapy aide and technician education

There are a few differences between a physical therapy aide and a technician in terms of educational background:

	Physical Therapy Aide	Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Most common major	Kinesiology	Business
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	-

Physical therapy aide vs technician demographics

Here are the differences between physical therapy aides' and technicians' demographics:

	Physical Therapy Aide	Technician
Average age	39	40
Gender ratio	Male, 35.6% Female, 64.4%	Male, 75.2% Female, 24.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 9.3% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.9% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	7%	2%

Differences between physical therapy aide and technician duties and responsibilities

Physical therapy aide example responsibilities.

Manage flexible schedule at various company facilities categorize as ILF, ALF, and SNF.
Administer ultrasound and electrical stimulation and start patients with their prescribe exercise programs.
Educate patients on supportive devices, such as braces, splints, and slings.
Earn repeated appreciations from supervisor, co-workers, and patients for providing the best quality care with compassion.
Work closely with PT's/PTA's; OT/COTA's and SLP in providing quality hands on care to rehab patients.
Create and maintain patient charts and paperwork including exercise, insurance authorization, insurance, HIPAA, and patient information.

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Technician example responsibilities.

Achieve multiple ASE certifications within first year of employment.
Implement and manage UHF radio base stations, repeaters, and command network, effectively linking all regional headquarters.
Manage telecommunications installation and repair for hospital Nortel network.
Maintain numerous automate scripts to assist in managing Linux systems.
Manage, troubleshot and repair multiple wireless technologies including fiber optic transmission switches.
Install peripherals including printers, fax machines, scanners, and smartphones.

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Physical therapy aide vs technician skills

Common physical therapy aide skills

Patients, 42%
Patient Care, 10%
Rehabilitation, 8%
Customer Service, 5%
Ultrasound, 5%
Direct Supervision, 4%

Common technician skills

Patients, 16%
Customer Service, 14%
Patient Care, 8%
Hand Tools, 6%
Diagnosis, 5%
Preventative Maintenance, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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