The United States Department of Labor predicts that by 2022, the nation will add approximately 5 million new healthcare jobs to meet the growing domestic demand. This impending industry boom spells greater employment opportunity, and along with it, better access to high paying gigs for physical therapist assistants in Delaware.
In 2014, the federal government filed reports indicating that physical therapist assistants working in Delaware achieved an average annual salary of $56,550 and an average hourly wage of $27.19. These high wage results placed physical therapist assistants among the state’s top 20 best-paid occupations that only require an associate’s degree.
Employment Outlook for Physical Therapist Assistants in Delaware
The need for additional physical therapist assistants is prompting local employers to increase starting salary offers in order to stay competitive and attract the most talented PTAs.
The United States Department of Labor projects that the number of physical therapist assistants licensed and employed in Delaware will increase by 26% during the ten-year period spanning 2012-2022 to create roughly 10 job openings each year within this ten-year projection timeline.
According to job aggregation sites, there is no shortage of physical therapist assistant jobs available in Delaware. In November 2015, the following employers posted online advertisements using such sites to attract qualified physical therapist assistants statewide (These examples are shown for illustrative purposes only. They should not be interpreted as job offers or as a guarantee of employment.):
- Genesis Rehabilitation Services
- Physical Therapy Connection, Inc.
- Cadia Rehabilitation
- Bayhealth Medical Center
- Skyland Health Partners
- REHABdynamix
- Francis Hospital
- Beebe Healthcare
- TravelMed USA
- StaffRehab
PTA Salaries in Delaware According to Experience Level and Location
Physical therapist assistants are often paid salaries that reflect their level of experience. For example, in 2014, the United States Department of Labor found that newly licensed physical therapist assistants in Delaware in entry-level positions earned an average annual salary of $41,300 and an average hourly wage of $19.86. Meanwhile, moderately experienced physical therapist assistants received an average annual salary of $55,100 and an average hourly wage of $26.50. Comparatively, the most experienced physical therapist assistants took home a much higher average annual salary of $77,500 and an average hourly wage of $37.26.
In 2014, the United States Department of Labor reported that that physical therapist assistants working in the Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ metropolitan division earned a high-end average annual salary of $59,440. However, those employed in the capital city of Dover earned an average annual salary of $52,000, while PTAs in the Sussex County Delaware nonmetropolitan area earned an average annual salary of $51,930.
The table presented below provides a more detailed analysis of physical therapist assistant salary data for these areas (US Department of Labor, 2014):