facebook tracking Physical Therapist Assistant salary in California (2025): how much physical therapist assistants make, by city

How much do physical therapist assistants make in California?

What physical therapist assistants earn in California and its metro areas, compared with the rest of the country (May 2025 BLS data).

May 2025#1 of 50 states
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See also Physical Therapist Assistant pay nationally All healthcare pay in California
Median pay in California
$83,110

a year, or $39.96 an hour. That is 22% more than the national median of $68,380.

The middle half of physical therapist assistants in California earn $75,900 to $94,940.

Pay range in California
Bottom 10% earn under
$59,500
25th percentile
$75,900
Median
$83,110
75th percentile
$94,940
Top 10% earn over
$102,800
Rank among states
#1 of 50

California pays physical therapist assistants more than 49 of the other 49 states.

Jobs in California
9,400

0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the state, 0.71× the U.S. concentration.

Physical Therapist Assistant pay in California cities

Metro and rural (nonmetropolitan) areas as BLS defines them.. Click a column to sort.

AreaPay a yearHourlyJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $82,140 $39.49 3,730
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $95,920 $46.12 1,040
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $82,160 $39.50 870
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $79,210 $38.08 860
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $84,290 $40.53 570
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $97,190 $46.73 400
Fresno, CA $77,000 $37.02 220
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $79,480 $38.21 210
Stockton-Lodi, CA $81,310 $39.09 160
Bakersfield-Delano, CA $84,100 $40.43 150
Modesto, CA $83,450 $40.12 150
Chico, CA $76,580 $36.82 100
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $85,150 $40.94 100
Visalia, CA $79,440 $38.19 100
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $87,300 $41.97 90
Salinas, CA $84,850 $40.80 70
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $78,990 $37.98 70
Redding, CA $77,740 $37.38 60
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $87,330 $41.99 60
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area $80,440 $38.68 60
Vallejo, CA $86,630 $41.65 50
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area $91,230 $43.86 40
Yuba City, CA $73,580 $35.38 30
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States with similar physical therapist assistant pay

Massachusetts $79,460 median a year · −4% vs California New Jersey $78,440 median a year · −6% vs California Texas $78,000 median a year · −6% vs California Maryland $77,670 median a year · −7% vs California Alaska $77,640 median a year · −7% vs California Connecticut $75,880 median a year · −9% vs California

Other healthcare salaries in California

Home Health and Personal Care Aides $34,320 median a year · 970,150 jobs Registered Nurses $140,270 median a year · 338,940 jobs Medical Assistants $49,660 median a year · 117,060 jobs Nursing Assistants $47,630 median a year · 110,060 jobs Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $79,750 median a year · 82,850 jobs Dental Assistants $50,110 median a year · 56,220 jobs Pharmacy Technicians $55,110 median a year · 39,860 jobs Pharmacists $164,610 median a year · 34,030 jobs Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians $76,010 median a year · 29,210 jobs Physical Therapists $124,190 median a year · 26,580 jobs Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other $60,390 median a year · 26,540 jobs Physicians, All Other $281,590 median a year · 25,530 jobs
All healthcare salaries in California

Questions about physical therapist assistant pay in California

How much does a physical therapist assistant make in California?

Physical Therapist Assistants in California earned a median of $83,110 a year ($39.96 an hour) in May 2025, 22% more than the national median of $68,380. The middle half earned $75,900 to $94,940.

Where in California do physical therapist assistants earn the most?

Among areas in California, pay was highest in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $97,190.

How does California rank for physical therapist assistant pay?

California ranks #1 of 50 states for physical therapist assistants pay. No other state pays more. Pay figures don't account for differences in cost of living.

How many physical therapist assistants work in California?

About 9,400 people worked as physical therapist assistants in California in May 2025, or 0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the state.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries. Median pay is the middle wage; where BLS publishes no median, the average (mean) is shown, marked "(avg)". Values marked "+" are above the most BLS reports exactly. Pay doesn't reflect cost of living, overtime or shift differentials.