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Physical therapist assistant salary in Missouri

Updated November 2, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$63,770median pay per year in Missouri, or $30.66 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $50,460lowest 10% earn less
  2. $58,54025th percentile
  3. $63,770median
  4. $73,94075th percentile
  5. $79,000top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $68,380[3]

The median pay for physical therapist assistants in Missouri was $63,770 a year[1]. That was $4,610 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in MO
2,490[4]
Rank by median pay
33 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
−6.7%[6]

How much do physical therapist assistants make in Missouri?

The median wage for physical therapist assistants in Missouri was $63,770 a year, or $30.66 an hour[1]. Half of these workers earned more than that and half earned less. Across the US the median was $68,380[3], so Missouri sat $4,610 (6.7%) below it[6]. Compared with all jobs in the state, the median for physical therapist assistants was $15,970 higher than the $47,800 median for all occupations[7][8].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $50,460 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $79,000[2]. The middle half of workers fell between $58,540 and $73,940[2].

Among metro areas in or partly in Missouri with a published median, St. Louis, MO-IL had the highest, at $65,820[9]. Kansas City, MO-KS was close behind at $65,580, and Joplin, MO-KS was at $58,240[10].

OEWS counts only wage and salary workers, so self-employed people are left out. It also leaves out bonuses that are not tied to production and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[11].

Missouri vs US pay

Pay for physical therapist assistants in Missouri next to the national figures[1][3].

MOUS
Median per year$63,770[1]$68,380[3]
Median per hour$30.66[1]$32.88[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$50,460[2]$47,750[12]
Top 10% earn more than$79,000[2]$89,510[12]
Jobs2,490[4]112,430[3]

Pay by metro area in Missouri

Metro areas in Missouri with the most jobs for physical therapist assistants, and the median pay in each[10]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
St. Louis, MO-IL[10]$65,8201,100
Kansas City, MO-KS$65,580880
Springfield, MO$61,420190
Columbia, MO$63,540110
Cape Girardeau, MO-IL$61,56090
Joplin, MO-KS$58,24080
Jefferson City, MO$61,25050
St. Joseph, MO-KS$61,51050

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for physical therapist assistants in the states that border Missouri, highest first[13].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Illinois[13]$65,2404,890
Arkansas$64,5201,620
Kansas$64,5001,300
Tennessee$62,5003,390
Kentucky$61,4802,580
Nebraska$61,370980
Iowa$61,0301,060
Oklahoma$59,4802,380

Median pay for physical therapist assistants in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for physical therapist assistants are projected to grow 23% from 2025 to 2035[14]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: associate's degree[15].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a physical therapist assistant make in Missouri?
The median was $63,770 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $65,190 a year[16].
How much does a physical therapist assistant make an hour in Missouri?
The median hourly wage was $30.66[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $24.26 an hour and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $37.98[17][2].
Which city in Missouri pays physical therapist assistants the most?
St. Louis, MO-IL had the highest median among metro areas with a published figure, at $65,820 a year[9]. Kansas City, MO-KS was at $65,580[10].
Is Missouri a good state for physical therapist assistants?
Missouri had the 33rd highest median annual wage for this job out of the 50 states and DC[5]. Its median was 6.7% lower than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a physical therapist assistant in Missouri?
This is a US figure, not one for Missouri. Across the US the typical education needed for entry is an Associate's degree, with no work experience in a related occupation and no typical on-the-job training[15].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Physical Therapist Assistants in Missouri was $63,770 per year and $30.66 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Physical Therapist Assistants in Missouri: 10th percentile $50,460, 25th percentile $58,540, 75th percentile $73,940, 90th percentile $79,000. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Physical Therapist Assistants in the US as a whole was $68,380 per year and $32.88 per hour, with about 112,430 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 2,490 people worked as Physical Therapist Assistants in Missouri (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Missouri had the 33rd highest median annual wage for Physical Therapist Assistants out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Physical Therapist Assistants in Missouri ($63,770) was $4,610 (6.7%) lower than the US median ($68,380). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Physical Therapist Assistants in Missouri was $15,970 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($47,800). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Missouri was $47,800. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 8 metro areas in or partly in Missouri with a published median for Physical Therapist Assistants, St. Louis, MO-IL had the highest median annual wage, $65,820. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Physical Therapist Assistants in the US: 10th percentile $47,750, 25th percentile $59,820, 75th percentile $78,680, 90th percentile $89,510. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Physical Therapist Assistants in states that border Missouri (highest first): Illinois $65,240; Arkansas $64,520; Kansas $64,500; Tennessee $62,500; Kentucky $61,480; Nebraska $61,370; Iowa $61,030; Oklahoma $59,480. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Physical Therapist Assistants is projected to grow 23% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 18,500 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Physical Therapist Assistants: education needed for entry: Associate's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Physical Therapist Assistants in Missouri was $65,190 per year and $31.34 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Physical Therapist Assistants in Missouri: 10th percentile $24.26, 25th percentile $28.14, 75th percentile $35.55, 90th percentile $37.98. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Missouri. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.