Physical Therapist Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physical therapist assistants in Joplin, MO-KS is $58,240/year ($28/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.72), which stretches that salary to about $67,942 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $947/month, or 24.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $58K get you in Joplin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Joplin’s Regional Price Parity (85.72). 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 Joplin
Pay for physical therapist assistants in Joplin runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $68K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $947/month, 24.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.72 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Joplin can be a reasonable trade-off for physical therapist assistantss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physical therapist assistants in metros near Joplin, 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, Joplin, MO-KS
Entry-level physical therapist assistants (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $42K 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 Joplin?
Yes — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 24.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $947/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physical therapist assistants in Joplin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapist assistants typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,878/month. At HUD’s $947/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Joplin?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $58K here vs. $68K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Joplin compare to the national average for physical therapist assistants?
Joplin pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.72), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — below the national median.
How much do physical therapist assistants make in Joplin, MO-KS?
The median is $58,240 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,960, and experienced physical therapist assistants can clear $89,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Joplin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,904/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $947/month, which eats 24.3% 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 Joplin?
Joplin has a Regional Price Parity of 85.72 (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 $67,942 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.