Physical Therapist Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physical therapist assistants in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is $82,160/year ($39.5/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $101K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.89), so that salary is closer to $73,429 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,001/month, about 58.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $82K get you in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad’s Regional Price Parity (111.89). 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad sits well above the national pay line for physical therapist assistants, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $68K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,001/month, which is 57.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 12% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.89), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physical therapist assistants in metros near San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $82K | $72K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $96K | $83K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $79K | $74K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $84K | $79K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Entry-level physical therapist assistants (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $101K or more, a $59K 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physical therapist assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 57.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,001/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for physical therapist assistants in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapist assistants typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,523/month. At HUD’s $3,001/month FMR, rent would take 119% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $82K here vs. $68K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 12% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad compare to the national average for physical therapist assistants?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $73K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physical therapist assistants make in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?
The median is $82,160 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,050, and experienced physical therapist assistants can clear $101,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,201/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,001/month, which eats 57.7% 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 assistants salary go in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad has a Regional Price Parity of 111.89 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median physical therapist assistants salary is worth about $73,429 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.