If you are undecided on which medical path to pursue in your career, perhaps a look at what is on offer may help. Whilst this article is too short to focus on a large section of medical personnel, it can give an idea about what you can expect in terms of a physical therapy assistant salary. As with most jobs, the amount of salary you can expect will vary greatly according to state, qualifications, experience and sector worked. So generally how much does a physical therapist assistant make?
The physical therapist assistant salary will vary according to whether the employment is within a hospitalized environment or in private medical facilities. For example, currently in Ohio alone you can find thousands of positions of physical therapy assistants in many different settings and with a variety of experience. Therefore, if you have only just been qualified, there are still lots of positions, permanent, temporary and agency that will provide you with the necessary job and experience you need. Even if you have been a physical therapy assistant for a while, you can still find a change of position available. Whether you enjoy working in large hospitals, or visiting people in a home-care capacity, there is the opening to suit you.
Where You Work Matters!
If you choose to work as a physical therapy assistant in Seattle then you can expect your physical therapy assistant pay scale to be reduced by as much as 12% when compared nationwide in America. The average salary is around $54,000 in Seattle. There is expected to be a steady incline or wage rise in the ensuing years, even though the current climate is economically bleak in many areas. Physical therapy continues to be a growing profession and as medical intervention continues to give more and more people a better quality of life, the reliance upon support staff after operations, etc, increases daily.
Ways to Increase Your Salary
The physical therapy assistant pay scale varies so much and it is possible to increase your salary just by adding extra training. This extra dimension will not only give you better and more specialized skills, it will make you an indispensable member of the team, and increase your expertise and knowledge. It will also increase your salary accordingly. Furthermore, bonus payments may also be included for extra duties and if you can carry out massage (under license) then your salary can increase a good deal more and you can command in excess of $30 an hour for this service alone. Therefore, it makes sense to continue leaning and adding to your skills, not only to give patients a more thorough and rounded care, but also to be able to offer additional services that can really enhance their well being. It will help your pocket too.
Fringe Benefits As Part of Your Remuneration
Some positions will have lots of benefits or perks associated with them and that can definitely be worth more to you than a higher salary. For example, some companies will offer bonuses for a variety of different reasons. Healthcare plans; dental plans and 401k savings plans may be offered, as may reimbursement of the licensing fee or life insurance. It always pays to consider a company that attends to its employees and ensures they have access to the best health care themselves, should the need arise.
Additionally, offering continued free education and mentorship are all important aspects that should not be ignored when choosing your position. Vacations are important aspects of life and so a company that offers a good vacation package is definitely one to consider. When considering one or more positions choose the one with the most holidays, even if the salary is slightly lower, unless there are other overriding factors you need to consider. Many people who have been working for more than 30 years will tell you that one of the most important aspects of a working contract is time off to recharge.
Flexibility is always welcomed and a company that is flexible and supportive of its employees is more likely to get dedicated and caring professionals working for them. Many people enjoy sports today; however, high impact sports can cause all kinds of different injuries that need attention. This is a growing area of popularity amongst physical therapy assistants and you can be sure there is no shortage of jobs, or takers.
