Physical Therapist Aides Salary
The median pay for a physical therapist aides in Missouri is $29,250/year ($14.06/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $39K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.97), which stretches that salary to about $32,876 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,097/month, about 53% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Missouri. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $29K get you in Missouri?
About physical therapist aides
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Missouri
Pay for physical therapist aides in Missouri runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,097/month, which is 52.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Missouri
Entry-level physical therapist aides (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $29K. Top earners bring in $39K or more, a $11K spread from bottom to top.
Physical Therapist Aides salary by metro in Missouri
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield | $35K | +19% | 70 |
| St. Louis | $29K | +0% | 480 |
| Columbia | $29K | -0% | 40 |
| Kansas City | $25K | -14% | 280 |
Compare to other states
Track physical therapist aides salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Missouri numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
Can a physical therapist aide afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missouri?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $29K, rent takes 52.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,097/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 Missouri?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapist aides typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,716/month. At HUD’s $1,097/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 Missouri?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $29K here vs. $35K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Missouri compare to the national average for physical therapist aides?
Missouri pays $29K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $33K — below the national median.
How much do physical therapist aides make in Missouri?
The median is $29,250 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,600, and experienced physical therapist aides can clear $39,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $29K enough to live in Missouri?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,079/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,097/month, which eats 52.8% 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 Missouri?
Missouri has a Regional Price Parity of 88.97 (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 $32,876 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.