Quick answer: Missouri employs about 2,490 physical therapist assistants (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing runs through your state physical therapy board. Programs, the careers this degree opens, and what they pay are below.
Licensing and Credentials in Missouri
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 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 10 schools
within 158 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
10 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 Missouri
Physical Therapist Assistants in Missouri earn a median $63,770 per year, below the national median of $68,380 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Physical Therapist Assistant Pay and Employment in Missouri at a Glance
Metric
Missouri
National
Source
Median annual wage
$63,770
$68,380
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$50,460
$47,750
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$58,540
$59,820
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$73,940
$78,680
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$79,000
$89,510
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
2,490
112,430
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
1.18
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
22.0%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How Missouri Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The Missouri median of $63,770 sits below 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 1.18 puts Missouri well above the national average, so the work is noticeably more common here than in the typical state. That usually means a deeper job market and more room to change employers without relocating (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 Missouri
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), physical therapist assistants wages in Missouri vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
St. Louis
1,100
$65,820
$66,660
$53,070
$79,400
Kansas City
880
$65,580
$67,510
$51,610
$80,990
Springfield
190
$61,420
$63,900
$49,020
$76,800
Columbia
110
$63,540
$64,380
$49,800
$74,600
Cape Girardeau
90
$61,560
$64,570
$50,960
$73,260
Joplin
80
$58,240
$63,790
$47,960
$89,700
Jefferson City
50
$61,250
$63,690
$50,300
$75,380
St. Joseph
50
$61,510
$66,610
$57,580
$80,280
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 .
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 Missouri?
The median annual wage for physical therapist assistants in Missouri is $63,770, below the national median of $68,380 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $58,540 at the 25th percentile to $73,940 at the 75th.
How many physical therapist assistants work in Missouri?
Missouri holds about 2,490 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 Missouri?
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 Missouri?
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 Missouri for physical therapist assistants?
Among Missouri metro areas with published data, St. Louis reports the highest median at $65,820 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is Missouri a good state for physical therapist assistants?
On pay, the state median of $63,770 sits below the national $68,380 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 1.18 means the occupation is more 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
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/.
