Physical Therapist Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physical therapist assistants in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL is $61,560/year ($29.6/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.08), which stretches that salary to about $71,515 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $992/month, or 24.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $62K get you in Cape Girardeau?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cape Girardeau’s Regional Price Parity (86.08). 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 assistants
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What this looks like in Cape Girardeau
Physical therapist assistants pay in Cape Girardeau tracks closely to the national median, $62K locally vs. $68K nationwide, a 10% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $992/month, 24.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.08 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physical therapist assistants in metros near Cape Girardeau, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $66K | $69K |
| Kansas City | $66K | $71K |
| Springfield | $61K | $69K |
| Columbia | $64K | $71K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cape Girardeau, MO-IL
Entry-level physical therapist assistants (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Physical Therapist Assistants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Physical Therapist Assistants salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $83K | +22% | 9,400 |
| Massachusetts | $79K | +16% | 2,640 |
| New Jersey | $78K | +15% | 1,810 |
| Texas | $78K | +14% | 10,510 |
| Maryland | $78K | +14% | 1,430 |
| Alaska | $78K | +14% | 110 |
| Connecticut | $76K | +11% | 980 |
| Nevada | $76K | +10% | 560 |
| Delaware | $75K | +9% | 340 |
| Virginia | $74K | +8% | 3,370 |
| Oregon | $73K | +7% | 890 |
| Georgia | $73K | +6% | 2,620 |
| Florida | $73K | +6% | 9,870 |
| Vermont | $72K | +5% | 100 |
| New Hampshire | $71K | +4% | 500 |
| South Carolina | $71K | +3% | 1,870 |
| Rhode Island | $69K | +0% | 420 |
| North Carolina | $68K | -1% | 3,280 |
| Hawaii | $68K | -1% | 250 |
| Minnesota | $67K | -2% | 1,230 |
| Washington | $66K | -3% | 2,150 |
| Maine | $66K | -3% | 410 |
| Louisiana | $65K | -4% | 1,670 |
| Indiana | $65K | -5% | 2,830 |
| Illinois | $65K | -5% | 4,890 |
| Colorado | $65K | -5% | 1,350 |
| Arizona | $65K | -5% | 2,010 |
| Arkansas | $65K | -6% | 1,620 |
| Kansas | $65K | -6% | 1,300 |
| New York | $64K | -6% | 3,620 |
| Wisconsin | $64K | -6% | 1,650 |
| Ohio | $64K | -7% | 7,040 |
| Missouri | $64K | -7% | 2,490 |
| Wyoming | $64K | -7% | 240 |
| North Dakota | $64K | -7% | 120 |
| District of Columbia | $63K | -7% | 40 |
| Montana | $63K | -8% | 250 |
| Pennsylvania | $63K | -8% | 4,270 |
| Tennessee | $63K | -9% | 3,390 |
| New Mexico | $62K | -9% | 700 |
| Utah | $62K | -9% | 970 |
| Mississippi | $62K | -10% | 1,150 |
| Michigan | $62K | -10% | 4,520 |
| Kentucky | $61K | -10% | 2,580 |
| Alabama | $61K | -10% | 2,700 |
| Nebraska | $61K | -10% | 980 |
| Iowa | $61K | -11% | 1,060 |
| Idaho | $61K | -11% | 560 |
| West Virginia | $60K | -12% | 980 |
| Oklahoma | $59K | -13% | 2,380 |
| South Dakota | $49K | -28% | 300 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track physical therapist assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Cape Girardeau numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physical therapist assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cape Girardeau?
Yes — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 24.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $992/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physical therapist assistants in Cape Girardeau?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapist assistants typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,058/month. At HUD’s $992/month FMR, rent would take 32% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is physical therapist assistant a high-paying job in Cape Girardeau?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $62K locally vs. $68K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Cape Girardeau compare to the national average for physical therapist assistants?
Cape Girardeau pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.08), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physical therapist assistants make in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL?
The median is $61,560 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,960, and experienced physical therapist assistants can clear $73,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Cape Girardeau?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,113/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $992/month, which eats 24.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a physical therapist assistants salary go in Cape Girardeau?
Cape Girardeau has a Regional Price Parity of 86.08 (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 assistants salary is worth about $71,515 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do physical therapist assistants 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.