Below is a home health care conversation that developed in answering the above question:
Per visit! SYLVIA
Good question. Currently salaried which I used to prefer but as demands for more continue to rise I am not sure any more… I feel like my agency would not pay hourly at current rate for true time a take with clients. Anyone currently paid by visit? LORI
I am paid per visit. I do get more than an hourly rate however hitting productivity for the week is the key. Calling ahead to confirm with patients helps to keep down some cancellations. KRISTINA
Per visit because if the census fluctuates frequently in HHC and if you are hourly they still demand quotas even if they themselves don’t have the patients available and then they want you to use your vacation time to fill the gaps , so I would just rather get paid for what I do its easier. JANIE
Cancellations and census fluctuation make it hard to have predictable productivity measures. But whose problem is that? The therapist or the employer? DEVIN
Financially its both of their problems which is why per visit is the most fair for both parties. JANIE
I have men doing home care about 15 years and always paid per unit (eval or recert=1.5, admit or ROC=2, regular visit or DC=1) or salary for a certain number of units with extra per unit over quota. The PTAs tend to be paid hourly in my area which doesn’t make sense to me. WANDA
From a staffing stand point I would say it is more beneficial for both parties to be reimbursed per visit. There are pros and cons to both but I think it has a lot to do with the area, and the case load. If there is a solid case load and a reasonable distance between visits then either method would be sufficient. But with continuously fluctuating case loads by reimbursing per visit you are able to keep both sides honest and make sure you are not in a situation where you are paying out more money than what you are actually able to bill for. JEREMY
Obviously, drive time is non productive time. So it’s in the best interest of both the therapist, and the employer, to keep it as short as possible. What have you found to be a reasonable distance/ (drive time ) for the day? DEVIN
Usually I would see a 50 mile radius form a central office be the norm. If it is a high traffic area like Chicago, IL, you might only see a 25 mile radius. If it is a true home health route and it is what someone is doing full time/40 hours. 25 visits a week is about average to equal 40 hours of work. JEREMY
Thank you for your perspective and experience. Helpful to identify 50 mile radius and 25 visits per week. DEVIN
The market that the Home Health Care company works in can make a huge difference as well. In the Tucson and Phoenix areas I have seen some recent instances of a high quality HH company offer a base for 25 visits per week + extra per visit over quota + extra per visit that a PTA they supervise sees. It is written in their employment offers that they do not deduct from the Therapist if the patients are not available for them to see. Their local market and demand for service affords them this as the competition to hire PT, OT, and SLP providers is the only thing holding them back. JON
It would have to vary some by population density and percent of population over 65. I’m in an area with close to 4,000 people per square mile and over 18% over 65. Most HHCs here do either per diem or salary for 30 visits and extra for over 30. WANDA
Per visit takes a lot of management time off the supervisor but that really can lead to a downfall of the quality. I have seen agencies where the therapists were paid per visit and they average 10-14 patients a day. Upper management is happy with the revenue but everyone knows the quality sucks since visit times have been cut. If you go to per visit, you still have to manage your program. STEVE
Steve, that is a very good point. There are some that will try to over do visits and take advantage of the system. But with the constant productivity battles that seem to take place in a SNF, or LTC, I see a lot of therapist that are disgruntled that the are being forced to move away from quality patient care and have to be pressed for keeping numbers up. Home Health clinicians to focus on why they entered this industry, to help people, and not feel so pressured on productivity. One average if you are a registered discipline 5-6 visits with proper notes should be the norm, unless you have some visits that are literately a stones throw away. Since assistance do not have to to the extensive notes, they might be able to average a few more visits a day. So Steve, you are very correct it all stems back to how the program is managed. Greedy owners/managers in home health could easily make what seems to be a great shift in the industry to one that is less desired by those seeking therapy. JEREMY
Jeremy, very true when you said 5 to 6 might be the norm for PT and a little more for a PTA as reassessments take more time and can be unplanned and have to be met and a PT might not do as many visits as a PTA can in a day. KIRAN
Just curious…how many PTAs to PTs do you have and how many PT visits to PTA visits do you do on average? I realize state laws vary in the number of PTAs that may be supervised. Some managed care organizations are not allowing PTAs to perform services and this too may be a factor but just wondering if the paid per visit model vs. the paid by the hour model effects this. CARIN
We currently have 2 PTs and 2 PTAs. Full time 40hrs for PT is 30 visits/units but I’m 32hrs so 24 visits. The PTAs are expected to do 30-35 visits in 40hrs. There are a lot of highrise buildings where one might have several patients in walking distance so when there is no drive time, more visits are expected. WANDA
In home health, is it better to be reimbursed per hour or per visit?
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Interested in becoming a PTA? The average Physical Therapist Assistant salary is $55,761 or $26.80 an hour. This data for PTA salary is averaged from multiple sources, as shown below.
As a Physical Therapist myself, I work with many Physical Therapist Assistants and see firsthand how a PTA can impact the lives of patients every day.
Physical Therapist Assistants are important health care providers who work directly with Physical Therapists to provide rehabilitation services to patients. PTAs manage their own caseload, which means they are responsible for continuing treatment sessions with patients after the Physical Therapist conducts the evaluation.
Average Physical Therapist Assistant Salary: $55,761 or $26.80 an hour.
This salary is less than that of a PT. So if you’re interested in a Physical Therapist salary instead, check out this article.
What is a Physical Therapist Assistant Salary?
The average Physical Therapist Assistant salary is $55,761 or $26.80 an hour. Salary may vary depending on the clinic setting, years of experience, and location. You can expect a 5 to 10% variance in salary solely based on geographic region.
In terms of an hourly wage, $25–$30 an hour is a good estimate for an average PTA salary. These figures tell you what to generally expect across the profession but do not guarantee the wage in your area.
Physical Therapist Assistant Salary: By Source
Estimates of PTA salaries range depending on the source of the data. To come up with a trusted estimate, I averaged the results of multiple databases, all within 7% of the average salary of $55,761.
Below are those database averages:
SourceAverage Annual SalaryAverage Hourly SalaryAPTA$52,000$25BLS$59,440$28.58GlassDoor$56,797$25–$30PayScale$54,412$26.16LinkedIn$56,160$27Total Average$55,761$26.80
APTA
Based on their 2016-17 PTA profile survey, the average salary for Physical Therapist Assistants is $52,000 a year or $25 per hour.
BLS
The Bureau of Labor Statistics places the median wage of a PTA at $59,440 or $28.58 an hour. The stats page also references a $28,450 salary for a PT aide, which is not the same as a PTA.
GlassDoor
Actual PTA job listings on Glassdoor show hourly salaries between $25/hr and $30/hr. Taken together, GlassDoor’s average salary estimate is $56,797 among PTAs in Healthcare industries.
PayScale
With nearly 6,000 respondents, PayScale presents an average hourly rate of $22.99 ($44,785 per year) for an entry-level PTA and $27.04 ($56,243 per year) for a PTA with more than 5 years of experience. The overall average is $26.16/hour, or $54,412 annually.
Compiled using data from actual Physical Therapist Assistants in the US, LinkedIn’s average wage is $27.00/hr. This amounts to $56,160 per year for a PTA’s average salary.
Do PTAs make a lot of money?
Physical Therapist Assistants make a good salary. Compared to the median household income in the United States ($65,712), a PTA salary of $55,760 is a healthy wage, considering the costs associated with school (an Associate’s Degree) and the overall job flexibility and work environment.
PTA Starting Salary
New PTA graduates should expect to earn less than the average salary. According to the BLS, the average salary for the lowest paid (25th percentile) of PTAs is $48,260.
Remember, your setting and region could vary this figure by 7%. So, accounting for that variance, a new grad PTA may expect to earn about $44,881 annually, or $21.57 an hour.
These figures do not reflect every specialty or job setting. For example, a new grad PTA working in the home health setting can expect to earn more than they would in an outpatient clinic setting. In addition, factors such as reimbursement and patient volume will affect your pay as a new grad.
Home Health Physical Therapist Assistant Salary
Depending on the state, a home health PTA salary can reach $32.15 per hour, or about $66,860 annually.
Of course, if you are paid per visit, you may be able to earn a significantly higher salary simply by seeing more patients.
How to make more money as a PTA
If you are a PTA and need ways to earn extra income, you can use your skills to make more money in the following ways:
- Pick up weekend hospital shifts
- Contact home health agencies for weekend opportunities
- Work at nursing homes or clinics on a PRN or part-time basis for a higher rate.
What does a Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) do?
The job responsibilities for Physical Therapist Assistants include the following:
1. Provide physical therapy services under the direction and supervision of a Physical Therapist.
“Supervision” does not mean that a Physical Therapist needs to lurk over the PTA’s shoulder while they treat a patient. Rather, a Physical Therapist must be available to consult with the PTA at the clinic (or via phone if the PTA works in home health).
This relationship is similar to that of a Physician’s Assistant (PA) and family doctor. The patient might see only the PA for the entirety of their visit, but the PA can consult the family doctor when needed.
The same is true with a PTA. The Physical Therapist oversees the plan of care for each patient: conducting evaluations, checking in on progress visits, and writing discharges. But the PTA can direct the actual treatments as planned by the Physical Therapist, who reads the PTA’s notes from each visit..
2. PTAs collect data and progress patients with exercise and other treatments.
A Physical Therapist Assistant collects measurements such as vital signs, ROM, strength testing, and many other special tests. They use this data to progress the patient through exercises and other treatments in the Physical Therapist’s plan of care.
The PTA and PT work together to make sure the patient reaches their goals. For instance, the PTA provides treatment to the patient and updates the PT on the patient’s progress. The PT is ultimately responsible for making sure the treatments and plan of care are appropriate for the patient.
3. PTAs perform a wide range of treatments for patients
As a Physical Therapist Assistant, you may perform treatments such as the following:
- Therapeutic exercise and progression
- Traction techniques
- Soft tissue massage and mobilizations
- Ultrasound and e-stim treatment
- Balance and gait training
- Motor learning and neurological interventions
- Patient education/caregiver education
- Adaptive device training and progression (crutches, canes, walkers, wheelchairs, orthotics, prosthetics, etc.)
- Injury prevention
- Health and wellness promotion
4. PTAs may assist clinic managers or directors with tasks such as:
- Billing and coding management
- Quality improvement initiatives
- Medical record management
- Internal training of office staff and administrative tasks
Where do Physical Therapist Assistants Work?
According to the APTA, about 72% of PTAs work in hospital settings or outpatient clinics, and 28% of PTAs work part time.
Although the majority of Physical Therapist Assistants work in hospitals or outpatient clinics, there are many other settings as well.
Types of Physical Therapist Assistant Job Settings
Outpatient Clinics
This is the most common setting and what most people think of when referring to a PT clinic. In outpatient care, PTAs help treat patients for musculoskeletal, neurological, or other movement-related impairments.
Acute Care
When admitted to a hospital, a patient may see a PT or PTA for short-term rehab in order to address functional deficits due to illness, surgery, or other medical issues. Hospital-based PTAs enjoy working with a variety of patients, helping them progress so that they can be discharged home or to a different facility.
Sub Acute Rehab
After their hospital stay, a patient may be admitted to a Sub Acute Rehabilitation facility for physical therapy treatment. In these settings, PTAs help the patient improve functional mobility so they can return home or to a long-term facility like a nursing home or SNF.
Nursing Homes/Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF)
Usually this kind of facility is for admitted, long-term patients of the nursing home; however, it can also serve as an intermediary facility for patients who don’t have a place to go after a hospital stay. In this setting, PTs and PTAs often work with an interdisciplinary team to help admitted patients achieve their rehab goals.
Home Health Agencies
Patients don’t need to leave the comforts of home to receive physical therapy treatment. In Home Health, PTAs travel to the patient’s home to provide therapy services. This service is especially helpful for individuals who are homebound or unable to safely go to an outpatient clinic. Just as there isn’t one type of home, neither is there one type of home health setting. Skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, group homes, and hospice settings all allow for personal home health therapy.
Schools
PTAs often work in schools to help children with developmental delay or students who need assistance with movement impairments.
Fitness or Training Centers
Physical therapy is available at many fitness or training centers and even in group sessions to promote wellness, prevent injury, and improve sports rehabilitation.
Industrial/Workplace Environments
Organizations may offer their employees select Physical Therapy services, such as injury prevention seminars, ergonomic evaluation, and return-to-work evaluations. PTAs may also be needed to help improve overall safety in the workplace.
State/Government Agencies
Lastly, PTA jobs are available in the military, in government hospitals such as the VA, and in other organizations such as the Indian Health Services (IHS).
Should I Become a PTA?
If you’re wondering whether the salary of a Physical Therapist Assistant is worth the time and expense it takes to become a PTA, you’re in the right place.
First, let’s consider the cost of becoming a Physical Therapist Assistant.
According to CAPTE data collected in 2019-20, the average cost for attending a PTA program is as follows:
- Public Program (In-district): $12,759 per year
- Private Program: $39,220 per year
Most PTA programs require two years to complete. Therefore, the total tuition cost for becoming a Physical Therapist assistant can range from $25,000 to $80,000 or more, depending on whether you attend a public institution or a private program.
Even so, this profession is in high demand because it enables you to enter the healthcare industry just 2 years after high school and potentially earn more than $50,000 a year.
Watch Out for Student Loans!
Before becoming a PTA, be careful not to overspend on the degree. Some private PTA programs charge upwards of $60,000 a year in tuition! Truth be told, you probably cannot afford a private university program that leaves you with six figures in student loans. Graduating with over $100,000 in debt for an Associate’s degree that earns $55,000 a year does not make sense financially for most people.
A good rule of thumb is to avoid borrowing more than one year’s worth of the average salary for your profession.
While this may be difficult to accomplish due to the rising costs of programs across the country, it is still possible. My advice is to seek out public PTA programs and minimize costs while attending PTA school.
How Do I Become a PTA?
Before you commit to a PTA degree program, be 100% confident in your decision to become a PTA by shadowing at multiple clinics for at least 100 to 200 hours.
If you decide that being a PTA is right for you, apply for and enroll in an accredited PTA program. Try to get into one that’s affordable!
Next, once you’ve completed the classroom and clinical requirements, you’ll need to pass a boards exam in order to receive your license to practice as a PTA.
And that’s it! In just 2 years, you can finish your schooling and begin living your dream of helping people, working side by side with other PTAs and PTs in a variety of settings.
Physical Therapy is a great career that affects people in so many positive ways. If you have questions on becoming a PTA or other questions related to the field, leave a comment. You can also follow PTProgress on YouTube for relevant career development resources for Physical Therapy professions.
