Patient Care Technicians vs Physical Therapist Assistants
Median pay is about $20k higher for Physical Therapist Assistants. The usual entry education is postsecondary cert for Patient Care Technicians and associate's for Physical Therapist Assistants.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Patient Care Technicians | Physical Therapist Assistants |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $48,430 | $68,380, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $39,470 | $59,820, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $59,710 | $78,680, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +4.8% Growing fast | +23% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 14,100 | 18,500 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Postsecondary cert | Associate's |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.2 / 5 | 2.6 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Low | Very low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 8th pct | 16th pct |
Skills
Both lean on the same top skills: active listening, reading comprehension, speaking, critical thinking, monitoring, writing.
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.