Physical Therapist Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physical therapist assistants in Columbia, MO is $63,540/year ($30.55/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.44), which stretches that salary to about $71,042 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,160/month, or 27.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $64K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (89.44). 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 Columbia
Physical therapist assistants pay in Columbia tracks closely to the national median, $64K locally vs. $68K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $1,160/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.44 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physical therapist assistants in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $66K | $69K |
| Kansas City | $66K | $71K |
| Springfield | $61K | $69K |
| Cape Girardeau | $62K | $72K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, MO
Entry-level physical therapist assistants (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $25K 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
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Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
Can a physical therapist assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
Yes — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 27.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,160/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physical therapist assistants in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapist assistants typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,988/month. At HUD’s $1,160/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Columbia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $64K locally vs. $68K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for physical therapist assistants?
Columbia pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physical therapist assistants make in Columbia, MO?
The median is $63,540 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,800, and experienced physical therapist assistants can clear $74,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,238/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,160/month, which eats 27.4% 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 Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 89.44 (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 $71,042 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.