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Sports trainer vs physical therapist assistant

The differences between sports trainers and physical therapist assistants 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 $31,455 average annual salary of a sports trainer.

The top three skills for a sports trainer include professional athletes, CPR and strength training. The most important skills for a physical therapist assistant are patients, rehabilitation, and home health.

Sports trainer vs physical therapist assistant overview

Sports TrainerPhysical Therapist Assistant
Yearly salary$31,455$53,035
Hourly rate$15.12$25.50
Growth rate19%24%
Number of jobs22,16480,018
Job satisfaction-4
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Associate Degree, 67%
Average age3739
Years of experience12-

Sports trainer vs physical therapist assistant salary

Sports trainers and physical therapist assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Sports TrainerPhysical Therapist Assistant
Average salary$31,455$53,035
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $44,000Between $40,000 And $70,000
Highest paying City-San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state-Alaska
Best paying company-Children's Hospital Colorado
Best paying industry-Professional

Differences between sports trainer and physical therapist assistant education

There are a few differences between a sports trainer and a physical therapist assistant in terms of educational background:

Sports TrainerPhysical Therapist Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Associate Degree, 67%
Most common majorKinesiologyPhysical Therapy
Most common collegeUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillNorthwestern University

Sports trainer vs physical therapist assistant demographics

Here are the differences between sports trainers' and physical therapist assistants' demographics:

Sports TrainerPhysical Therapist Assistant
Average age3739
Gender ratioMale, 71.4% Female, 28.6%Male, 33.7% Female, 66.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 5.1% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%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%
LGBT Percentage13%7%

Differences between sports trainer and physical therapist assistant duties and responsibilities

Sports trainer example responsibilities.

  • Achieve high customer satisfaction and budget efficiency in the group fitness department and yoga department.
  • Launch an ongoing event agenda that include soccer practices and games and numerous community excursions.
  • Administer a strict curriculum of basic soccer skills and technique to several youth and adult teams.
  • Create feedback and progress reports regarding development for on boarding new associates and provide official information on a SharePoint database.
  • Incorporate a monthly fit test and BMI calculation to evaluate individual client growth.

Physical therapist assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage a diverse caseload including, but not limit to CVA's, cardiac care, Alzheimer's and sub acute orthopedics
  • Provide patients at a SNF with ROM exercises, transfer and gait training as well as balance and bed mobility exercises.
  • Provide physical therapy treatment as directed by physical therapist as PRN PTA for inpatient orthopedic rehabilitation and community hospital settings.
  • Care of patients in acute and ICU settings.
  • Work with adult, geriatrics, burns, ulcers and ICU patients
  • Prepare iontophoresis patches, give cervical and/or lumbar hot packs to clients.
  • Show more

Sports trainer vs physical therapist assistant skills

Common sports trainer skills
  • Professional Athletes, 39%
  • CPR, 22%
  • Strength Training, 9%
  • Soccer, 7%
  • Sports Training, 7%
  • Student Athletes, 4%
Common physical therapist assistant skills
  • Patients, 26%
  • Rehabilitation, 15%
  • Home Health, 11%
  • PTA, 7%
  • Physical Therapy Treatment, 5%
  • Quality Care, 4%

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