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Salary comparison

Physical Therapist Aides vs. Home Health and Personal Care Aides: Who Earns More?

Home Health and Personal Care Aidess out-earn Physical Therapist Aidess by $560 a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Physical Therapist Aidess land at $35,240 and Home Health and Personal Care Aidess at $35,800. The education gap is real: physical therapist aide programs typically require postsecondary nondegree award, while home health and personal care aide programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Physical Therapist Aidess is Alaska ($55,760); for Home Health and Personal Care Aidess it's Washington ($47,730).

Physical Therapist Aides
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Median salary
$35,240
$35,800
Hourly rate
$16.94/hr
$17.21/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$25,360
$27,040
Senior level (90th %)
$47,780
$45,040
Education required
Postsecondary nondegree award
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
48,150
4,305,810
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
17%
Category
Healthcare Support
Healthcare Support
Top-paying state
Alaska
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Physical Therapist Aides median pay.

State
Physical Therapist Aides
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Alaska
$55,760
$39,740
Minnesota
$42,330
$38,370
Colorado
$41,970
$38,540
New Hampshire
$40,460
$38,760
Maine
$39,660
$38,580
Washington
$39,500
$47,730
District of Columbia
$38,950
$42,700
North Dakota
$37,680
$39,440
Massachusetts
$37,440
$40,910
Illinois
$36,650
$38,060
Oregon
$36,060
$44,410
Connecticut
$35,770
$38,990
New York
$35,380
$39,620
Hawaii
$33,810
$38,110
Rhode Island
$31,200
$43,680

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Physical Therapist Aidess or Home Health and Personal Care Aidess?

Home Health and Personal Care Aidess earn more nationally. The median is $35,240 for Physical Therapist Aidess versus $35,800 for Home Health and Personal Care Aidess, a difference of $560. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Physical Therapist Aides or Home Health and Personal Care Aides?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Physical Therapist Aides or Home Health and Personal Care Aides?

Physical Therapist Aides typically requires postsecondary nondegree award. Home Health and Personal Care Aides requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Physical Therapist Aidess get paid the most?

Alaska is the top-paying state for Physical Therapist Aidess at $55,760/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Physical Therapist Aides vs. Home Health and Personal Care Aides pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Alaska, Physical Therapist Aidess earn $55,760 vs. $39,740 for Home Health and Personal Care Aidess. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Physical Therapist Aides salary breakdownView →Full Home Health and Personal Care Aides salary breakdownView →Best cities for Physical Therapist Aidess by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Home Health and Personal Care Aidess by take-home payExplore →How to become a physical therapist aidesGuide →How to become a home health and personal care aidesGuide →