Physical Therapy Assisting: an Excellent Career Choice in Texas
If you’re looking for a career that involves direct work with patients but doesn’t require a bachelor’s degree or beyond, physical therapy assisting may be the perfect option. Physical therapy assistants (PTAs) provide treatments such as stretches and exercises to relieve pain or improve body movement, as prescribed and instructed by physical therapists (PTs).
PTAs train at least two years in physical therapy and require licensure from the Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners (TBPTE). They work in hospitals, physical therapy clinics and nursing homes, among other medical facilities. This job field is growing quickly across Texas, so it’s a great time to get started on becoming a physical therapist assistant.
Steps for Becoming a Physical Therapist Assistant
After graduating high school or earning your GED, complete a two-year physical therapy program. An accredited program that teaches physical therapy prepares students to take the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE), which is one of the requirements to gain a Texas PTA license.
After registering for the NPTE, you may apply for a temporary Texas physical therapist assistant license.
After you pass the NPTE, you can apply for your permanent PTA license. Applicants must also complete an online jurisprudence training program. Fingerprints and a criminal background will also be required.
More on Texas Physical Therapist Assistant Education
It’s important that your PTA program be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy so that you’re eligible to gain your license in Texas and other states. Texas offers many training programs, including:
- Blinn College.This school has five campuses located around Brenham and offers online classes, too. The physical therapist assistant program consists of 63 credit-hours and lasts two years.
- Tarrant County College. On the Trinity River Campus in Fort Worth, this physical therapist assistant program offers an Associate Degree in Applied Science (AAS) in Physical Therapy. It’s a two-year program with 100 percent licensure and employment rates upon graduation.
PTA Licensure by Endorsement
Those who currently carry a PTA license in another state or country can apply for their Texas physical therapist assistant licenses through endorsement from the Texas Board (TBPTE). The applicant’s licensing state and school of physical therapy must submit proof that the person is trained in physical therapy. Prospective Texas-licensed PTAs must also be able to prove they have passed the NPTE.
Physical Therapist Assistants in Texas
Texas has an excellent pool of opportunities and benefits for physical therapist assistants. The statewide projected growth rate for PTA employment is especially high at 37.2 percent in the decade from 2016 to 2026, according to the Projections Managing Partnership (PMP). This is compared to the national growth rate of 29.2 percent predicted for the same time period. The PMP also reports that an average of 1,210 physical therapist assistant jobs opens each year within Texas.
PTA incomes are strong as well, with a median of $33.29 per hour reported in Texas in 2017, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Nationally, the median pay rate for PTAs was more than 10 dollars less that year, at $22.56 per hour.
The Future for PTAs in Texas
By far, the highest numbers of physical therapist assistants work in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston areas, according to the BLS. However, the highest number of PTAs employed per 1,000 jobs was found in the Victoria area in 2017. Salaries for physical therapist assistants across the state vary widely, ranging from about $27 to $54 per hour, depending on location. With such a strong job outlook and high income rates, physical therapist assisting is an excellent career choice for those ready to start working in healthcare.
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FAQs
How much do physical therapist assistants earn in the state of Texas?
According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, physical therapist assistants in the state of Texas made an average of $68,680 per year in 2019. Entry-level physical therapist assistants earned around $39,110 and some experienced professionals earned salaries as high as $104,100.
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Physical therapist assistant salaries in Texas
Texas employs more than 10,500 physical therapist assistants, making it one of the largest states by workforce size for this occupation. That scale matters to you because more employers means more job options when you finish school.
According to BLS May 2025 OEWS data, the median salary for physical therapist assistants in Texas is $78,000 per year. The mean is $75,060. Pay ranges widely depending on your experience and where you work.
How pay is distributed across the workforce
The numbers below show where different parts of the workforce fall on the pay scale, based on BLS May 2025 OEWS data.
| Percentile | Annual salary |
|---|---|
| 10th (entry-level range) | $43,900 |
| 25th | $62,870 |
| 50th (median) | $78,000 |
| 75th | $87,330 |
| 90th (experienced earners) | $99,640 |
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is nearly $56,000. That gap reflects real differences in years of experience, clinical setting, and geographic area within Texas.
Starting out as a physical therapist aide
Some people enter this field as a physical therapist aide first. Aides assist PTAs and physical therapists with non-clinical tasks. It is a way to get inside a clinic and see the work before you commit to a two-year program.
Texas has 5,710 physical therapist aides employed, according to BLS May 2025 OEWS data. The median salary for aides is $31,590. The pay range runs from $22,520 at the 10th percentile to $46,710 at the 90th percentile.
The pay difference between aides and PTAs is significant. The median PTA earns roughly $46,000 more per year than the median aide. That difference reflects the added clinical training and the state license a PTA must hold.
How Texas PTA programs are structured
To work as a PTA in Texas, you need an Associate of Applied Science degree from a program accredited by CAPTE (the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, the national body that sets quality standards for these programs). Most programs take about two years to complete. The first year covers anatomy, physiology, and foundational PTA skills. The second year adds clinical rotations where you work with actual patients under supervision.
After graduation, you must pass the National Physical Therapy Examination for PTAs, known as the NPTE-PTA. Then you apply for a Texas state license through the Texas PT Board. You cannot work legally as a PTA in Texas without that license.
Prerequisites you should expect
Most programs require a high school diploma or GED, a minimum GPA, and completion of certain prerequisite courses before you start the PTA-specific classes. Common prerequisites include English, math, anatomy, and physiology. Some programs also require documented hours of observation in a physical therapy setting. Check each school’s requirements directly, because they vary.
Accredited PTA programs in Texas
The programs below are CAPTE-accredited PTA programs in Texas. Each listing links to the program’s own page so you can check current admission requirements, tuition, and schedules yourself.
- Amarillo College — Amarillo
- Austin Community College District — Austin
- Blinn College District — Brenham
- Concorde Career College-Dallas — Dallas
- Concorde Career College-San Antonio — San Antonio
- Del Mar College — Corpus Christi
- El Paso Community College — El Paso
- Houston Community College — Houston
- Kilgore College — Kilgore
- Laredo College — Laredo
- Lone Star College System — Spring
- McLennan Community College — Waco
- Navarro College — Corsicana
- Northeast Texas Community College — Mount Pleasant
- Odessa College — Odessa
- Pima Medical Institute-Houston — Houston
- San Jacinto Community College — Pasadena
- South Plains College — Levelland
- South Texas College — McAllen
- South University-Austin — Round Rock
- St Philip’s College — San Antonio
- Tarrant County College District — Fort Worth
- Tyler Junior College — Tyler
- Victoria College — Victoria
- Weatherford College — Weatherford
- Western Technical College — El Paso
- Wharton County Junior College — Wharton
Texas has programs spread from El Paso in the west to Mount Pleasant in the east, and from Amarillo in the panhandle to McAllen near the southern border. If you live in a rural area, check whether a nearby community college has a program before assuming you need to relocate.
Choosing the right program for your situation
The school closest to you is not always the best fit. Here are the factors that matter most when you compare programs.
Accreditation status
Only attend a CAPTE-accredited program. If a program is not CAPTE-accredited, you will not be eligible to sit for the NPTE-PTA, which means you cannot get a Texas license. Confirm a program’s current accreditation status on the CAPTE website before you apply.
NPTE-PTA pass rates
Each program’s first-time NPTE-PTA pass rate tells you how well the school prepares graduates for the licensing exam. CAPTE publishes these rates publicly. A program with a pass rate consistently below the national average is worth questioning. Ask the admissions office for the most recent pass rate before you enroll.
Program cost and financial aid
Community colleges in Texas generally cost less per credit hour than private career schools. If cost is a factor for you, compare the total cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, and supplies) across several programs, not just the tuition rate alone. Most programs are eligible for federal financial aid if they are accredited and your school is Title IV-eligible.
Schedule and format
Most PTA programs are full-time during the day, which means you may need to adjust work hours while in school. A few programs have evening or hybrid components for the lecture portion, but clinical rotations are almost always scheduled during normal clinic hours. Ask each program directly about scheduling before you apply.
What PTAs do day to day in Texas
As a PTA, you work under the direction of a licensed physical therapist. You carry out the treatment plan the PT creates. That includes exercises, manual therapy techniques, and use of equipment like ultrasound or electrical stimulation devices.
You document each patient session and report changes in a patient’s condition to the supervising PT. You do not evaluate patients or create treatment plans on your own. That boundary is set by Texas law and by the standards of the profession.
PTAs in Texas work in outpatient clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, and school districts. School-based PT work follows the academic calendar, which some people prefer. Home health pays well in many parts of Texas but requires you to drive between patient homes.
Supervision rules in Texas
Texas requires general supervision for PTAs, meaning the supervising PT does not need to be physically present in the building at all times, but must be available by phone and must review your work on a regular basis. The exact requirements are set by the Texas State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners. If you plan to work in a setting where the PT is off-site, confirm the supervision arrangement meets state rules before you accept the role.
Next steps if you are ready to apply
Start by picking two or three programs that fit your location and schedule. Go to each program’s page in the list above and read the current admission requirements. Most programs have competitive admissions, meaning not every applicant gets in on the first try. Apply to more than one program to improve your chances.
While you prepare your application, consider volunteering or working as a physical therapist aide. Many programs require or strongly prefer applicants who have observation hours. Aide work gives you those hours and pays you at the same time.
The median PTA salary of $78,000 in Texas, per BLS May 2025 OEWS data, reflects the value of a two-year investment in an accredited program and a state license. The programs listed above are your starting point. Visit each school’s page, compare what they require, and submit your application.