Physical Therapist Aides Salary
The median pay for a physical therapist aides in Iowa City, IA is $27,700/year ($13.32/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $44K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.51), which stretches that salary to about $30,270 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $962/month, about 49.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $28K get you in Iowa City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Iowa City’s Regional Price Parity (91.51). 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 Iowa City
Pay for physical therapist aides in Iowa City runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $962/month, which is 50% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.51 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for physical therapist aidess.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physical therapist aides in metros near Iowa City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $29K | $32K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $37K | $35K |
| St. Louis | $29K | $31K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $39K | $40K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa City, IA
Entry-level physical therapist aides (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $28K. Top earners bring in $44K or more, a $23K 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 |
| Montana | $39K | +11% | 110 |
| District of Columbia | $39K | +11% | 30 |
| 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
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 Iowa City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physical therapist aide afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $28K, rent takes 50% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $962/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/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 Iowa City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapist aides typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,310/month. At HUD’s $962/month FMR, rent would take 73% 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 Iowa City?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $28K here vs. $35K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Iowa City compare to the national average for physical therapist aides?
Iowa City pays $28K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $30K — below the national median.
How much do physical therapist aides make in Iowa City, IA?
The median is $27,700 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,840, and experienced physical therapist aides can clear $44,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $28K enough to live in Iowa City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,924/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $962/month, which eats 50% 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 Iowa City?
Iowa City has a Regional Price Parity of 91.51 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median physical therapist aides salary is worth about $30,270 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.