Physical Therapist Aides Salary
The median pay for a physical therapist aides in Texas is $31,590/year ($15.19/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $34,528 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,415/month, about 62.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $32K get you in Texas?
About physical therapist aides
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What this looks like in Texas
Physical therapist aides pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $32K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,415/month, which is 61.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level physical therapist aides (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Physical Therapist Aides salary by metro in Texas
19 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene | $50K | +58% | 70 |
| Midland | $37K | +17% | 50 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $36K | +13% | 990 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $33K | +5% | 1,280 |
| Texarkana | $33K | +4% | 60 |
| Killeen-Temple | $30K | -5% | 120 |
| Waco | $30K | -6% | 40 |
| Corpus Christi | $29K | -8% | 190 |
| Wichita Falls | $29K | -9% | 40 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $28K | -10% | 550 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $28K | -11% | 70 |
| Lubbock | $28K | -13% | 170 |
| Amarillo | $27K | -15% | 60 |
| Odessa | $27K | -15% | 40 |
| College Station-Bryan | $26K | -16% | 60 |
| El Paso | $25K | -20% | 200 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $24K | -25% | 60 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $23K | -27% | 180 |
| Laredo | $23K | -28% | 30 |
Showing 1–10 of 19 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physical therapist aide afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 61.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapist aides typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,351/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 105% 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 Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $32K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for physical therapist aides?
Texas pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do physical therapist aides make in Texas?
The median is $31,590 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,520, and experienced physical therapist aides can clear $46,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,285/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 61.9% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $34,528 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.