In a May 2014 study, the United States Department of Labor reported an average annual salary of $50,730 for physical therapist assistants in Maine. This reflected an hourly wage of $24.39. As years on the job increased, so too do the salaries that physical therapist assistants earn. For instance, while PTAs in Maine just entering the field earned an entry-level salary of $37,390 in 2014, that number rose to $51,030 by mid-career. Highly experienced PTAs and those working for larger hospital systems and clinics earned an average salary of $62,350 that year.
With an overall resident count of 1.3 million, Maine is among the least populated states in the Nation. However, according to a report by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Administration on Aging, it is home to over 500,000 people older than 50 (October 2012). This means that the demand for physical therapist assistants in Maine is substantial, and is only expected to rise along with a growing population of older residents.
Employment Opportunities and Job Growth Projections for Physical Therapist Assistants in Maine
In Maine, major hospitals, in both the public and private sector, have expressed a great need for more PTAs on staff. Similarly, nursing homes throughout the state are often bursting at the seams with new and long-term residents, creating an ever-increasing demand for physical therapy services. Public schools and outpatient clinics also provide employment opportunities for physical therapist assistants in Maine.
In 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor projected a 17.8% increase in the number of jobs for PTAs employed in Maine by the year 2022. This indicated that almost 500 new positions would become available in the state in less than ten years, an average of 50 job openings per year.
Salaries for Physical Therapist Assistants in Maine’s Major Metropolitan and Non-Metropolitan Areas
Salaries for Maine’s physical therapist assistants differ depending upon location and the municipal makeup of the surrounding areas. For example, physical therapist assistants who find employment in the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford region earned a median annual salary of $49,480 ($23.79 per hour). Comparatively, those who worked in the Southwest Maine non-metropolitan areas earned a bit more at $50,490 annually ($24.27 per hour).
A full analysis of salaries for Maine’s physical therapist assistants is published below as provided by the United States Department of Labor in 2014: