Wyoming’s physical therapist assistants earned an average salary of $50,551 as of 2015, according to the state’s Department of Employment. PTAs that earned salaries that fell within the 90th percentile (typically highly experienced) averaged $62,994 that year, while physical therapist assistants in the 10th percentile (typically just starting out) earned an average of $38,071.
The 2011 publication Health Care Workforce Needs in Wyoming published by the Wyoming Department of Employment indicated that several areas of the state were experiencing a shortage of physical therapist assistants. While this is unfortunate for residents of these areas that may be in need of therapeutic services, it bodes well for the job prospects of newly licensed PTAs entering the field. This Wyoming Department of Employment analysis indicated that the Cheyenne metropolitan area along with Central Southeast and Southwest Wyoming lacked an adequate number of physical therapist assistants.
Employment Growth Trends for Physical Therapist Assistants in Wyoming
The Wyoming Department of Employment (DOE) estimates that the number of jobs for physical therapist assistants in the state will increase by 34.3% between 2012 and 2022. However, this job growth projection may underestimate the actual demand for physical therapist assistants in 2015, as the DOE showed 33 jobs being advertised for PTAs in September 2015 alone. These positions were primarily found in seven different counties, although Laramie County had the most.
Six different companies were advertising for physical therapist assistants as of October 2015:
- Delta Healthcare Providers
- Expert Medical Solutions, LLLP
- Hands on Physical Therapy
- Life Care Centers of America
- Sheridan Memorial Hospital
- West Park Hospital
PTA Salaries in the Most Populated Areas of Wyoming
The Wyoming Department of Employment reported the salaries for physical therapist assistants in the two most populated counties in the state as of 2015. Entry-level physical therapist assistants located in Laramie and Natrona Counties earned a higher average starting salary than their colleagues in all other parts of Wyoming:
Shown below for comparison is a detailed analysis of the salaries for physical therapist assistants in Cheyenne as of 2014 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics):