Physical Therapist Aides Salary
The median pay for a physical therapist aides in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH is $37,440/year ($18/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.27), so that salary is closer to $34,580 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,941/month, about 115.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K get you in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Boston-Cambridge-Newton’s Regional Price Parity (108.27). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About physical therapist aides
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What this looks like in Boston-Cambridge-Newton
Physical therapist aides pay in Boston-Cambridge-Newton tracks closely to the national median, $37K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,941/month, which is 116.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 8% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.27), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physical therapist aides in metros near Boston-Cambridge-Newton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Worcester | $39K | $38K |
| Springfield | $35K | $36K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $32K | $32K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $35K | $31K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
Entry-level physical therapist aides (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $14K spread from bottom to top.
Physical Therapist Aides pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Physical Therapist Aides salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $56K | +58% | 110 |
| Minnesota | $42K | +20% | 150 |
| Colorado | $42K | +19% | 360 |
| New Hampshire | $40K | +15% | 130 |
| Maine | $40K | +13% | 90 |
| Washington | $40K | +12% | 760 |
| District of Columbia | $39K | +11% | 30 |
| Montana | $39K | +11% | 110 |
| California | $38K | +9% | 7,330 |
| North Dakota | $38K | +7% | 120 |
| Massachusetts | $37K | +6% | 1,020 |
| Ohio | $37K | +6% | 760 |
| Wisconsin | $37K | +4% | 840 |
| Illinois | $37K | +4% | 680 |
| Oregon | $36K | +2% | 1,090 |
| Connecticut | $36K | +2% | 520 |
| Pennsylvania | $36K | +1% | 1,200 |
| Kentucky | $35K | +1% | 160 |
| New York | $35K | +0% | 4,950 |
| Arizona | $35K | +0% | 1,340 |
| Florida | $35K | -0% | 1,210 |
| Indiana | $35K | -0% | 860 |
| West Virginia | $35K | -1% | 170 |
| Maryland | $35K | -1% | 830 |
| North Carolina | $35K | -1% | 1,050 |
| New Jersey | $34K | -2% | 2,230 |
| Delaware | $34K | -3% | 300 |
| Hawaii | $34K | -4% | 60 |
| Virginia | $33K | -5% | 1,260 |
| South Carolina | $33K | -6% | 370 |
| New Mexico | $32K | -9% | 240 |
| Nevada | $32K | -9% | 900 |
| Texas | $32K | -10% | 5,710 |
| South Dakota | $31K | -11% | 70 |
| Rhode Island | $31K | -11% | 280 |
| Georgia | $31K | -13% | 1,200 |
| Wyoming | $30K | -14% | 240 |
| Tennessee | $30K | -14% | 710 |
| Arkansas | $29K | -16% | 160 |
| Michigan | $29K | -17% | 1,810 |
| Missouri | $29K | -17% | 750 |
| Utah | $29K | -17% | 1,130 |
| Iowa | $29K | -17% | 390 |
| Idaho | $29K | -19% | 540 |
| Nebraska | $28K | -20% | 670 |
| Oklahoma | $28K | -22% | 370 |
| Mississippi | $27K | -22% | 270 |
| Alabama | $27K | -23% | 750 |
| Kansas | $25K | -28% | 440 |
| Louisiana | $22K | -36% | 1,380 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track physical therapist aides salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Boston-Cambridge-Newton numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
Can a physical therapist aide afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 116.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,941/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for physical therapist aides in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapist aides typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,129/month. At HUD’s $2,941/month FMR, rent would take 138% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is physical therapist aide a high-paying job in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $37K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Boston-Cambridge-Newton compare to the national average for physical therapist aides?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.27), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do physical therapist aides make in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?
The median is $37,440 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,480, and experienced physical therapist aides can clear $49,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,521/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,941/month, which eats 116.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a physical therapist aides salary go in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton has a Regional Price Parity of 108.27 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median physical therapist aides salary is worth about $34,580 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do physical therapist aides get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.