Quick answer:Physical Therapist Assistants in California earn a median $83,110 per year, above the national median of $68,380 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The state employs about 9,400 of them. Licensing runs through your state physical therapy board.
Physical Therapist Assistant Pay and Employment in California at a Glance
Metric
California
National
Source
Median annual wage
$83,110
$68,380
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$59,500
$47,750
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$75,900
$59,820
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$94,940
$78,680
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$102,800
$89,510
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
9,400
112,430
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
0.71
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
22.0%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How California Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The California median of $83,110 sits above the national median of $68,380 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 0.71 puts California below the national average, so the occupation is less concentrated here than in the typical state. Expect a thinner local job market and fewer employers to move between (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Outpatient clinics, skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies are all local employers, so metro demand tracks the local care network.
Physical Therapist Assistants Wages by Metro Area in California
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), physical therapist assistants wages in California vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
3,730
$82,140
$81,680
$59,710
$101,060
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
1,040
$95,920
$93,600
$66,600
$116,850
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
870
$82,160
$78,720
$42,050
$101,060
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
860
$79,210
$79,760
$62,100
$98,650
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
570
$84,290
$85,440
$64,000
$102,910
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
400
$97,190
$94,690
$69,290
$118,810
Fresno
220
$77,000
$75,530
$37,740
$99,630
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
210
$79,480
$78,300
$61,100
$98,720
Stockton-Lodi
160
$81,310
$81,120
$62,230
$103,110
Bakersfield-Delano
150
$84,100
$87,150
$63,560
$105,560
Modesto
150
$83,450
$85,950
$58,800
$127,640
Chico
100
$76,580
$70,460
$46,440
$97,260
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
100
$85,150
$84,710
$64,040
$102,450
Visalia
100
$79,440
$79,010
$61,000
$95,110
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
90
$87,300
$86,840
$65,420
$109,270
Salinas
70
$84,850
$84,930
$64,340
$101,840
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
70
$78,990
$77,470
$58,790
$95,990
Redding
60
$77,740
$79,340
$55,970
$100,150
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
60
$87,330
$89,020
$63,940
$112,610
Vallejo
50
$86,630
$84,030
$62,000
$99,720
Yuba City
30
$73,580
$74,830
$56,860
$89,760
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Physical therapist assistants are licensed in most states. The national framework is a CAPTE-accredited associate degree and the National Physical Therapy Examination for PTAs, administered through FSBPT. CAPTE accreditation is what makes a graduate eligible to sit the examination, so it is not optional.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state physical therapy board that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How We Rank Schools
We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that
local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal
IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
How much do physical therapist assistants make in California?
The median annual wage for physical therapist assistants in California is $83,110, above the national median of $68,380 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $75,900 at the 25th percentile to $94,940 at the 75th.
How many physical therapist assistants work in California?
California holds about 9,400 physical therapist assistant jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 112,430, and BLS projects about 19,800 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a physical therapist assistant in California?
Physical therapist assistants are licensed in most states. The national framework is a CAPTE-accredited associate degree and the National Physical Therapy Examination for PTAs, administered through FSBPT. CAPTE accreditation is what makes a graduate eligible to sit the examination, so it is not optional. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state physical therapy board before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a CAPTE-accredited associate degree online while working in California?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state physical therapy board.
What is the highest-paying area of California for physical therapist assistants?
Among California metro areas with published data, San Jose reports the highest median at $97,190 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is California a good state for physical therapist assistants?
On pay, the state median of $83,110 sits above the national $68,380 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 0.71 means the occupation is less concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Physical Therapist Assistants (SOC 31-2021), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
