Physical Therapist Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physical therapist assistants in Iowa is $61,030/year ($29.34/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $68,681 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 26.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $61K get you in Iowa?
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What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for physical therapist assistants in Iowa runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $68K. Rent runs $1,064/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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, Iowa
Entry-level physical therapist assistants (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $29K spread from bottom to top.
Physical Therapist Assistants salary by metro in Iowa
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $63K | +3% | 60 |
| Ames | $62K | +2% | 30 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $61K | +1% | 170 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $61K | +0% | 140 |
| Sioux City | $61K | -1% | 40 |
| Cedar Rapids | $58K | -5% | 110 |
| Iowa City | $58K | -5% | 60 |
| Dubuque | $52K | -15% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track physical therapist assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physical therapist assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 26.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physical therapist assistants in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapist assistants typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,746/month. At HUD’s $1,064/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 Iowa?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $61K here vs. $68K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for physical therapist assistants?
Iowa pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physical therapist assistants make in Iowa?
The median is $61,030 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,760, and experienced physical therapist assistants can clear $74,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,002/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 26.6% 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 Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (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 $68,681 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.