Physical therapist assistants in Minnesota earned an average annual salary of $49,320, or about $23.71 hourly according to a 2014 report conducted by the United States Department of Labor. The same report highlighted the variances in the salaries of PTAs in Minnesota depending upon experience. For instance, that year physical therapist assistants in the state entered the field earning starting salaries of between $36,340 and $42,670, annually. The latter accounted for those who worked in major hospitals and clinics versus smaller private practices. By mid-career, PTAs in the state earned an average of $50,590 per year, and those who were well-seasoned in the profession made an average annual salary of $60,980.
Advocacy and Progressive State Legislature Paves the Way For More Physical Therapist Assistants in Minnesota
The Minnesota Physical Therapy Association (MNPTA) exists to “break down the barriers” that stand between patients in need of physical therapy and their access to care. With the goal of changing state laws that make it difficult for patients to receive physical therapy without a physician’s referral, the MNPTA began actively working with the state legislature and state government healthcare advocacy programs to effect change. As more people gain access to physical therapy services, the demand for physical therapist assistants throughout the state is expected to increase and contribute to job growth in the field.
In 2013, the Governor of Minnesota signed an exciting new bill that would prove to enhance the healthcare industry for both patients and employees. Dubbed the Destination Medical Center Bill, the new legislature made room for exponential growth in healthcare and physical therapy education and research. This has been a tremendous benefit to those in Rochester where both the Destination Medical Center and the Mayo Clinic, known for it’s exceptional PT department, are located. This is sure to open countless new positions for those entering the field as physical therapist assistants.
Salaries for PTAs in Minnesota’s Metropolitan and Non-Metropolitan Areas
Different cities throughout Minnesota were shown to offer considerably variant salaries for physical therapist assistants, as revealed in a study performed by the U.S. Department of Labor in 2014. According to the data gathered, PTAs who worked in Duluth earned an average annual salary of $46,480. Those employed in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington metropolitan area reported earnings of $50,390 on average that same year. Topping the list was, not surprisingly, Rochester, where the average annual salary was $51,630 that year.
More information regarding the salaries of PTAs in all regions of Minnesota can be found in the chart below. Data is provided by the U.S. Department of Labor (2014):