Do physical therapy aides need a license in Illinois?

No statewide license is required for physical therapy aides in Illinois. See the licensing section above for the credential path.

How to Become a Physical Therapy Aide in Illinois (2026)

Q: How long does physical therapy aide training take in Illinois?

Most people become a Physical Therapy Aide in Illinois through short on-the-job or employer training; aides are generally not licensed. Physical therapist and PTA licenses are different occupations.

Q: How much do physical therapy aides earn in Illinois?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), physical therapy aides in Illinois earned a median annual wage of approximately $36,650. Employment concentration in Illinois is roughly 0.36 of the national average, meaning fewer workers per capita than the U.S. as a whole.

Q: What is the job outlook for physical therapy aides in Illinois?

Illinois currently employs approximately 680 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 2.8% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Illinois physical therapist aides earn a median annual wage of $36,650 ($17.62/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 680 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately 4.0% above the national median of $35,240 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $36,650 ($17.62/hr)
25th percentile: $35,040 per year
75th percentile: $38,090 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $48,360 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $31,200 per year
Workers employed in Illinois: 680
Versus national median: 4.0% above the U.S. median of $35,240
Job concentration: Location quotient 0.36 - this occupation is less concentrated in Illinois than the national average

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Last reviewed June 8, 2026.

Illinois employs about 680 physical therapy aides earning a median $36,650 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Training as a Physical Therapy Aide here means completing short on-the-job or employer training; aides are generally not licensed. Physical therapist and PTA licenses are different occupations.

Compare Physical Therapy Aide Schools in Illinois

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Tuition is the published annual figure for the latest reported year and excludes room, board, books and fees. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition (published, per year)	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Fox College	56.6	$17,670	$52,545	71%	—	71 mi
2	Kankakee Community College	53.4	$5,220 in-state / $25,830 out-of-state	$50,343	32%	Yes*	57 mi
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3	Heartland Community College	51.7	$5,550 in-state / $13,110 out-of-state	$48,942	54%	Yes*	33 mi
4	Elgin Community College	50.2	$3,252 in-state / $9,516 out-of-state	$54,220	41%	—	77 mi
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5	Illinois Central College	50.0	$4,800 in-state / $12,150 out-of-state	$55,058	49%	Yes*	36 mi
6	College of DuPage	47.7	$4,560 in-state / $12,750 out-of-state	$55,984	25%	—	73 mi
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Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

Illinois employs approximately 680 physical therapy aides according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $36,650 ¹. Nationally, physical therapy aide employment is projected to grow 2.8% from 2024 to 2034, with about 6,600 openings per year ². This page covers how to become a Physical Therapy Aide in Illinois, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Training paths: on-the-job training under a PT or PTA (find programs)
Typical timeline: short on-the-job or employer training; aides are generally not licensed. Physical therapist and PTA licenses are different occupations
Exam: none for aides in most states
Median wage (Illinois): $36,650 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Physical Therapy Aide in Illinois

How to become a Physical Therapy Aide in Illinois? Complete short on-the-job or employer training; aides are generally not licensed. Physical therapist and PTA licenses are different occupations. Confirm credential rules with the program and employer.

How long does it take? Most people finish short on-the-job or employer training; aides are generally not licensed. Physical therapist and PTA licenses are different occupations. Confirm current hour totals with the program and employer.

Do I need a license in Illinois? Most states do not require a statewide occupational license. Employers typically expect none for aides in most states. See the licensing section below.

What do physical therapy aides earn in Illinois? The median annual wage for physical therapy aides in Illinois is $36,650 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $31,200 and experienced professionals can earn $48,360 or more ¹.

How to Become a Physical Therapy Aide in Illinois

Meet employer entry rules. Most aides need a high school diploma or GED. This is not a PT or PTA license path.
Train on the job. Learn transfers, clinic setup, and patient support under a licensed PT or PTA. This is not a registered apprenticeship and not CAPTE PT school.
Do not apply for a PT or PTA license. Physical therapists and PTAs are separately licensed. Aides are generally unlicensed. Confirm any rare state registration with the PT board without treating PT/PTA rows as the aide credential.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.

Physical Therapy Aide License Requirements in Illinois

Physical therapy aides in Illinois are generally unlicensed. PT and PTA licenses on CareerOneStop dumps are the wrong occupation.

Typical path

Train on the job under a PT or PTA.
Do not apply for a PT or PTA license as an aide.

Hour totals, fees, and reciprocity rules change. Confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.

Physical Therapy Aide Wages by Metro Area in Illinois

Physical Therapist Aides Wages by Metro Area in Illinois

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), physical therapist aides wages in Illinois vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin	550	$36,730	$38,100	$33,570	$48,360
St. Louis	480	$29,250	$32,160	$28,600	$39,140

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 .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for physical therapy aides in Illinois? Illinois currently employs approximately 680 physical therapy aides ¹. Nationally, physical therapy aide employment is projected to grow 2.8% from 2024 to 2034 ².

What training programs are available in Illinois? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Illinois.

How much do physical therapy aides earn in Illinois compared to the national average? The median annual wage for physical therapy aides in Illinois is $36,650, which is $2,130 above the national median of $34,520 according to BLS data ¹.

In Illinois

Illinois Trade Schools 2026: Programs, Costs, Licensing

Top local programs

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Citations

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/.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)	U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)	O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)