As reviewed last October in Physical Therapy Assistant Pay in the Top 20 Metro Areas, the largest U.S. metropolitan markets are top centers for physical therapy assistant employment. However, a deeper examination of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data reveals that smaller metropolitan regions frequently provide physical therapy assistants with higher-paying employment opportunities.  A review of May 2021 BLS data shows us that only three of the top 20 U.S. metropolitan areas were among the 20 best locations for physical therapy assistant pay:

20 Best Metro Areas for Physical Therapy Assistant Pay

	Metropolitan Area		# Employed	Annual Mean Wages
1	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara		210	$85,960
2	San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward (#)		800	$78,740
3	Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA		70	$76,390
4	Midland, TX		50	$75,550
5	Salinas, CA		70	$75,150
6	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (#)		2,190	$75,120
7	Santa Rosa, CA		70	$74,720
8	Bakersfield, CA		100	$74,240
9	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (#)		1,840	$73,130
10	Vallejo-Fairfield, CA		50	$72,670
11	Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade		400	$72,380
12	Barnstable Town, MA		60	$72,130
13	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX		930	$72,030
14	Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA		40	$71,970
15	Austin-Round Rock, TX		590	$71,650
16	Visalia-Porterville, CA		70	$71,590
17	Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT		200	$71,320
18	Northern Valley California non-metro		50	$71,230
19	Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX		90	$70,980
20	Trenton, NJ		50	$70,640
	National		93,660	$60,740

(#) a top 20 U.S metro population area

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on November 30, 2022