Physical Therapist Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physical therapist assistants in Texas is $78,000/year ($37.5/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $85,255 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,415/month, or 26.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $78K get you in Texas?
About physical therapist assistants
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What this looks like in Texas
Texas sits well above the national pay line for physical therapist assistants, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $68K. Rent runs $1,415/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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, Texas
Entry-level physical therapist assistants (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $56K spread from bottom to top.
Physical Therapist Assistants salary by metro in Texas
25 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $85K | +9% | 1,180 |
| Midland | $83K | +6% | 70 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $80K | +3% | 2,110 |
| Wichita Falls | $78K | +0% | 60 |
| San Angelo | $78K | +0% | 60 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $78K | -0% | 150 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $77K | -1% | 2,210 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $77K | -2% | 960 |
| Longview | $77K | -2% | 120 |
| Waco | $76K | -2% | 140 |
| Killeen-Temple | $76K | -2% | 150 |
| Abilene | $76K | -2% | 60 |
| Sherman-Denison | $76K | -3% | 80 |
| Tyler | $76K | -3% | 150 |
| College Station-Bryan | $75K | -4% | 90 |
| Corpus Christi | $74K | -5% | 200 |
| Texarkana | $74K | -6% | 90 |
| Victoria | $73K | -6% | 80 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $73K | -6% | 140 |
| Amarillo | $73K | -7% | 150 |
| Lubbock | $73K | -7% | 180 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $73K | -7% | 410 |
| El Paso | $71K | -9% | 320 |
| Odessa | $70K | -10% | 60 |
| Laredo | $65K | -17% | 110 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
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Track physical therapist assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physical therapist assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 26.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physical therapist assistants in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapist assistants typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,634/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Texas?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $78K here vs. $68K nationally.
How does Texas compare to the national average for physical therapist assistants?
Texas pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physical therapist assistants make in Texas?
The median is $78,000 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,900, and experienced physical therapist assistants can clear $99,640. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,272/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 26.8% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $85,255 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.