Quick answer: The Grand Rapids metro employs about 700 physical therapist assistants (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through your state physical therapy board.
Licensing
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. 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.
See the Michigan licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state physical therapy board.
Schools Near You
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 – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 8 schools
within 140 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
8 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
What Physical Therapist Assistants Earn in Grand Rapids
Physical Therapist Assistants in the Grand Rapids area earn a median $68,700 per year, above the national median of $68,380 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Physical Therapist Assistant Pay in Grand Rapids, MI
Metric
Grand Rapids metro
Michigan
National
Median annual wage
$68,700
$61,670
$68,380
10th percentile
$50,470
$35,700
$47,750
25th percentile
$61,050
$52,450
$59,820
75th percentile
$68,700
$68,700
$78,680
90th percentile
$79,280
$78,600
$89,510
Employment
700
4,520
112,430
Location quotient
1.62
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The Grand Rapids median of $68,700 is above the national median of $68,380, and above the Michigan statewide median of $61,670 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 1.62 means physical therapist assistants are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Outpatient clinics, skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies are all local employers, so metro demand tracks the local care network.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do physical therapist assistants make in Grand Rapids?
The median annual wage for physical therapist assistants in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area is $68,700, above the national median of $68,380 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many physical therapist assistants work in the Grand Rapids area?
The Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area employs about 700 physical therapist assistants (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do physical therapist assistants in Grand Rapids need a license?
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. 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. Confirm current requirements with your state physical therapy board.
Can I study physical therapist assistant online from Grand Rapids?
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state physical therapy board.
Is Grand Rapids a better market than the rest of Michigan?
The Grand Rapids metro median is $68,700 against a statewide median of $61,670 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
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
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/.
