As of 2014, there were 2240 licensed physical therapist assistants (PTAs) employed in Massachusetts. In the same year, the average PTA salary in Massachusetts was $57,120 per year, or roughly $27.46 an hour. These statistics were recorded in a survey performed by the United States Department of Labor in May of 2014. Nationwide, PTAs earned an average annual salary of $54,300 that year which, markedly less than the average in Massachusetts.
As with any career, the more experience one gains in the workplace as a practicing physical therapist assistant, the greater the pay. This is true throughout Massachusetts. According to the Massachusetts Department of Labor, in 2014, an entry-level PTA earned a starting salary of $40,280, annually. Those with more experience at mid-career earned an average salary of $57,900, and PTAs who were highly experienced and working in major hospital systems enjoyed an average salary of $73,740 that year.
Job Growth for Physical Therapist Assistants in Massachusetts
In September 2015, Quincy College, located in Plymouth, MA celebrated the opening of its brand new physical therapist assistant associate’s degree program. At the ribbon cutting ceremony, the school’s president, Peter Tsaffaras, shared his desire to meet the growing demand for PTAs in the region. There are at least five other programs, just like the one at Quincy College, which enroll students from various metropolitan areas across Massachusetts, all of which are dedicated to addressing the pressing need for more licensed physical therapist assistants in the state.
The demand for PTAs in Massachusetts is growing and so too are the number of jobs in the field. The Massachusetts Department of Workforce Development projects an increase of approximately 32% in the number of jobs for PTAs in the state by the year 2022. Local schools in the state and employers alike are working to increase the number of licensed physical therapist assistants through the expansion of training programs and increased hiring initiatives.
Annual Salaries for PTAs in Various Metropolitan and Non-Metropolitan Areas Across Massachusetts
As one of the highest paying states in the nation, Massachusetts takes good care of its physical therapist assistants. Salaries among the more than 2000 licensed PTAs employed in the greater Boston-Cambridge-Quincy metro area ranged between $57,150 and $59,800 in 2014. Barnstable Town recorded an average salary of $60,660 for PTAs, while those employed in New Bedford enjoyed $61,380, on average.
For more area-specific salary analyses, please consult the chart below. Data provided by the U.S. Department of Labor (2014):