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2023 Physical Therapy Assistant Degree Guide

A Recent Jump in Physical Therapy Assistant Degrees

#111 Most Popular Major
7.4k Degrees Awarded
20.5% Increase in Graduates

Physical Therapy Assistant was the 111th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 7,420 degrees in this year alone. This is a difference of 1,518 over the prior year, a growth of 20.5%.

This year's Best Physical Therapy Assistant Schools ranking compares 301 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom physical therapy assistant rankings further below.

2023 Best Colleges for Physical Therapy Assistant
2023 Overall Best Physical Therapy Assistant Colleges >

Best Physical Therapy Assistant Schools by Degree

Associate Degrees in Physical Therapy Assistant
Bachelor's Degrees in Physical Therapy Assistant

 

Requirements for Getting a Degree in Physical Therapy Assistant

A major in physical therapy assistant prepares you for careers in which giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times is crucial. Talking to others to convey information effectively and monitoring assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action are all required skills for careers related to this major.

Physical Therapy Assistant Degree Program Entry Requirements

New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. Once you obtain your degree, additional physical therapy assistant certifications required to pursue a career in this field.

Types of Physical Therapy Assistant Degrees

Physical Therapy Assistant degree levels vary. You can spend many years getting as high as a in physical therapy assistant to something that takes less time like a . Depending on the physical therapy assistant degree you choose, obtaining your diploma can take anwhere from 1 to 4+ years.

Degree Credit Requirements Typical Program Length
Associate Degree 60-70 credits 2 years
Bachelor’s Degree 120 credits 4 years
Master’s Degree 50-70 credits 1-3 years
Doctorate Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation At least 4 years

An associate degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to physical therapy assistant, with approximately 99.8% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for physical therapy assistant workers below.

Level of Education Percentage of Workers
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 99.8%
Bachelor’s Degree 0.2%

100.0% of physical therapy assistant workers have at least a associate. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in physical therapy assistant have received.

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This of course varies depending on which physical therapy assistant career you choose.

Career Opportunities for A Degree In Physical Therapy Assistant Graduate

Below Average Number of Jobs
57.8k Avg. Related Jobs Salary
31% Growth Job Outlook 2016-26

High Growth Projected for Physical Therapy Assistant Careers

Want a job when you graduate with your physical therapy assistant degree? Physical Therapy Assistant careers are expected to grow 31.1% between 2016 and 2026.

The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to physical therapy assistant.

Occupation Name Projected Jobs Expected Growth
Physical Therapist Assistants 115,800 31.1%

How Much Money Do People With a Physical Therapy Assistant Degree Make?

As you might expect, salaries for physical therapy assistant graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.

High Paying Careers for Physical Therapy Assistant Majors

Salaries for physical therapy assistant graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers physical therapy assistant grads often go into.

Occupation Name Median Average Salary
Physical Therapist Assistants $57,750

Getting Your Physical Therapy Assistant Degree

With over 400 different physical therapy assistant degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased physical therapy assistant school rankings to help you with this.

One of 13 majors within the Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services area of study, Physical Therapy Assistant has other similar majors worth exploring.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Medical/Clinical Assistant 56,466
Pharmacy Technician/Assistant 7,393
Occupational Therapist Assistant 4,848
Other Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services 3,493
Emergency Care Attendant (EMT Ambulance) 3,031

View All Physical Therapy Assistant Related Majors >

References

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