As of 2014, there were 1,100 licensed physical therapist assistants employed throughout Kansas. That year, the United States Department of Labor recorded the average annual salary for moderately experienced PTAs in the state to be $55,170, which was better than the national average.
The majority of PTAs in Kansas find work in private clinics, hospitals, outpatient physical therapy practices, and convalescent homes. With such a wide range of workplace settings available and a growing demand for therapeutic services, Kansas-based physical therapist assistant students have a strong job market to look forward to and many employment options to explore once they are licensed.
Growing Opportunities for Physical Therapist Assistants in Kansas
The prevailing high demand for physical therapist assistants (PTAs) is expected to grow dramatically across the nation in the coming years. In fact, the United States Department of Labor projected a solid pattern of growth within the industry over the next ten years. PTAs in the state of Kansas have experienced a job growth rate of over 12% since 2006, and there is no sign of it slowing down.
According to Washburn University in Topeka, this growth is often attributed to a rise in the elderly population. The exciting new bill passed in 2013 by Kansas state legislature allowing patients greater access to regular physical therapy services, with or without a referral, has contributed to the pressing need for PTAs in the state. As the number of patients seeking to benefit from this bill increases, so too will the opportunities for those entering the field of physical therapist assisting.
Salaries and Employment Statistics for Physical Therapist Assistants in Kansas
In the state’s capital city of Topeka, physical therapist assistants enjoy an average annual salary of $61,630, which surpasses the statewide average by more than $6,000. However, with the number of licensed PTAs in the area totaling no more than 200, the physical therapy needs of the general population are strikingly under-served. The United States Census Bureau documented the city’s population in 2014 at just under 130,000. This leaves just one licensed PTA to attend to every 650 residents. Clearly, this is a promising time in Kansas to enter the healthcare field as the demand for physical therapist assistants will continue to grow.
For more information regarding region-specific salaries for physical therapist assistants, including average hourly wages, see the chart below (United States Department of Labor, 2014):