In 2014, the United States Department of Labor named physical therapist assistants among Colorado’s 50 fastest-growing occupations. As of that year, physical therapist assistants in the state earned an average annual salary of $49,220 and an average hourly wage of $23.66.
A Strong Job Market for Physical Therapist Assistants in Colorado
Employment projections published by the US Department of Labor indicate that the number of physical therapist assistants licensed in Colorado will increase by 36% during the ten-year period from 2012 to 2022. This growth trend is expected to produce an average of 40 annual job openings for physical therapist assistants during this timeframe.
Current and future PTA license holders searching for physical therapist assistant jobs in Colorado may find greater opportunities in the city of Pueblo, which held the fifth highest concentration of physical therapist assistant jobs of any metro area in the country as of 2014. That year, physical therapist assistants practicing here earned an average annual salary of $42,890 and an average hourly wage of $20.62.
In October 2015, the following employers posted online job advertisements in search of physical therapist assistants (shown for illustrative purposes and does not constitute a job offer):
- WSi Healthcare Personnel, Inc.
- Legacy Healthcare Services
- Centura Home Health LLC
- University of Colorado Health
- Senior Rehab Solutions
- At Home Healthcare
- Aegis Therapies
- Anthony Medical Campus
- Colorado Springs Orthopedic Group
- Legacy Healthcare Services
As of 2014, most physical therapist assistants in Colorado earned a pay range between $28,000 and $68,000 annually. In 2014, the United States Department of Labor reported that entry-level physical therapist assistants in Colorado were paid an average annual salary of $28,600 and an average hourly wage of $13.77, while more accomplished workers took home an average annual salary of $50,200 and an average hourly wage of $24.14. The most experienced physical therapist assistants in the state collected an average annual salary of $68,200 and an average hourly wage of $32.81.
How Location Affects Physical Therapist Assistant Salaries in Colorado
In 2014, the United States Department of Labor published salary statistics showing that physical therapist assistants working in the East and South nonmetropolitan region of Colorado earned an average annual salary of $56,250, while those employed in the city of Grand Junction earned $44,544 on average.
Average annual salaries for physical therapist assistants in other locations throughout Colorado were as follows:
- Greeley: $48,803
- Fort Collins-Loveland: $49,401
- Boulder: $55,760
- Colorado Springs: $45,520
- Denver-Aurora-Broomfield: $50,790
- West nonmetropolitan area: $37,790
The data table below shows a more detailed analysis of physical therapist assistant salaries in selected areas of the state (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014):