Physical therapist assistants in North Carolina have a wide variety of job opportunities to choose from. Sports specific therapy, geriatric rehabilitation, orthopedic therapy, and pediatric physical therapy are just a few of the many options available to choose from. Physical therapist assistants also have the choice of working in either private practices or public clinics.
Job Growth and Salary Expectations for Physical Therapist Assistants in North Carolina
The Employment Security Commission of North Carolina reported that as of 2012, there were 2,090 licensed physical therapist assistants working in North Carolina. This number is expected to grow by 34 percent by the end of 2022. This growth rate is equivalent to an average of 120 job openings each year, including normal job turnover and newly created positions.
In addition to being a part of a growing career field, physical therapist assistants in North Carolina can look forward to competitive salaries. When compared to average PTA salaries nationwide, North Carolina salaries are slightly higher than the U.S. national averages for entry-level professionals and those with several years of experience.
Nationwide
- Experienced (U.S.): $75,500
- Mid-Career (U.S.): $54,400
- Entry-Level (U.S.): $31,800
North Carolina
- Experienced (NC): $73,900
- Mid-Career (NC): $58,300
- Entry-Level (NC): $41,600
Salaries for Physical Therapist Assistants in North Carolina’s Major Metro and Non-Metro Areas
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the area with the most PTAs is the Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill metropolitan area, home to 450 licensed physical therapist assistants. North Carolina’s large cities aren’t the only places for PTAs to find employment – the Western and Western Central nonmetropolitan areas of North Carolina each have 220 physical therapist assistants working there as of May 2014.
Physical therapist assistants working in nonmetropolitan areas also earn some of the highest average salaries in North Carolina. Out of the 180 PTAs working in other North Carolina nonmetropolitan areas, the average salary is $63,710 – the highest average in the state. Physical therapist assistants in Wilmington earn an average of $61,400, and Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill PTAs earn the third highest average salaries at $59,190.
A full analysis is shown here: