Physical Therapist Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physical therapist assistants in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA is $60,520/year ($29.1/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.56), which stretches that salary to about $64,686 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,252/month, about 30.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $61K get you in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Scranton--Wilkes-Barre’s Regional Price Parity (93.56). 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre
Pay for physical therapist assistants in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $68K. Rent runs $1,252/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.56 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $72K | $70K |
| Pittsburgh | $56K | $59K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $66K | $66K |
| Lancaster | $62K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA
Entry-level physical therapist assistants (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $26K 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
Can a physical therapist assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 30.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,252/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapist assistants typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,924/month. At HUD’s $1,252/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $61K here vs. $68K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Scranton--Wilkes-Barre compare to the national average for physical therapist assistants?
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.56), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — below the national median.
How much do physical therapist assistants make in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?
The median is $60,520 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,740, and experienced physical therapist assistants can clear $74,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,067/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,252/month, which eats 30.8% 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre?
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre has a Regional Price Parity of 93.56 (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 $64,686 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.