Do physical therapy aides need a license in New York?

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

How to Become a Physical Therapy Aide in New York (2026)

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

Most people become a Physical Therapy Aide in New York 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 New York?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), physical therapy aides in New York earned a median annual wage of approximately $35,380. Employment concentration in New York is about 1.65 times the national average for this occupation.

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

New York currently employs approximately 4,950 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

New York physical therapist aides earn a median annual wage of $35,380 ($17.01/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 4,950 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately 0.4% above the national median of $35,240 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $35,380 ($17.01/hr)
25th percentile: $34,200 per year
75th percentile: $43,480 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $51,460 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $32,610 per year
Workers employed in New York: 4,950
Versus national median: 0.4% above the U.S. median of $35,240
Job concentration: Location quotient 1.65 - this occupation is more concentrated in New York than the national average

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

New York employs about 4,950 physical therapy aides earning a median $35,380 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 New York

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. 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	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	CUNY LaGuardia Community College	61.5	Contact school for pricing	$47,724	25%	Yes*	41 mi
2	Orange County Community College	48.4	Contact school for pricing	$53,257	24%	—	16 mi
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3	Essex County College	43.1	$5,415 - $12,506	$48,042	20%	Yes*	40 mi

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.

New York employs approximately 4,950 physical therapy aides according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $35,380 ¹. The state’s concentration of physical therapy aide jobs is 1.65x the national average, indicating strong demand. 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 New York, 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 (New York): $35,380 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Physical Therapy Aide in New York

How to become a Physical Therapy Aide in New York? 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 New York? 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 New York? The median annual wage for physical therapy aides in New York is $35,380 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $32,610 and experienced professionals can earn $51,460 or more ¹.

How to Become a Physical Therapy Aide in New York

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 New York

Physical therapy aides in New York 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 New York

Physical Therapist Aides Wages by Metro Area in New York

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
New York-Newark-Jersey City	6,030	$35,320	$38,670	$32,220	$50,960
Buffalo-Cheektowaga	190	$35,870	$37,750	$32,240	$46,220
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh	100	$33,580	$36,870	$32,240	$47,270
Rochester	60	$35,200	$37,050	$32,240	$44,290
Syracuse	60	$32,240	$35,430	$32,240	$42,400
Albany-Schenectady-Troy	N/A	$32,240	$36,150	$32,240	$42,320

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 New York? New York currently employs approximately 4,950 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 New York? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in New York.

How much do physical therapy aides earn in New York compared to the national average? The median annual wage for physical therapy aides in New York is $35,380, which is $860 above the national median of $34,520 according to BLS data ¹.

In New York

Best Trade Schools in New York (2026)

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)