Physical Therapist vs Physician Assistant: $103K vs $136K Median Pay

Physical Therapist vs Physician Assistant: what changes?

Consider Physical Therapist if you want to assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury. Consider Physician Assistant if you would rather provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Entry credentials differ: Physical Therapist, doctoral or professional degree; Physician Assistant, master's degree.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Physical Therapist and Physician Assistant. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Physical Therapist

National median pay (2025): $102,760
Route into the job: Doctoral or professional degree
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Plan, prepare, or carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve, or restore physical functioning, alleviate pain, or prevent physical dysfunction in patients.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 13,400

Know before you choose

The work routinely happens in close physical proximity to other people; personal space is limited.

See the full Physical Therapist brief

Physician Assistant

National median pay (2025): $135,880
Route into the job: Master's degree
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Make tentative diagnoses and decisions about management and treatment of patients.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 11,500

Know before you choose

Exposure to illness or infection is a recurring part of the work context, even when safety procedures are followed.

See the full Physician Assistant brief

How the national numbers differ

Physician Assistant has the edge on median pay

Physician Assistant is at $135,880, compared with $102,760 for Physical Therapist.

Physician Assistant has the edge on projected growth

Physician Assistant is at 21.1% projected growth, compared with 11.9% projected growth for Physical Therapist.

Physical Therapist has the edge on annual openings

Physical Therapist is at 13,400 annual openings, compared with 11,500 annual openings for Physician Assistant.

71.5/ 100

Physical Therapist

74.2/ 100

Physician Assistant

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Physical Therapist vs Physician Assistant

Dimension	Physical Therapist	Physician Assistant
Median pay (2025)	$102,760	$135,880
Pay percentile	84.7 percentile	93.3 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	11.9%	21.1%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	13,400	11,500
2025 employment	283,700	168,900
How you qualify	Doctoral or professional degree	Master's degree
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 5	Job Zone 5
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.	BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Physical Therapist brief Read Physician Assistant brief

Physical Therapist vs Physician Assistant: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Physical Therapist

Physician Assistant

How the national numbers differ

Physician Assistant has the edge on median pay

Physician Assistant has the edge on projected growth

Physical Therapist has the edge on annual openings

Physical Therapist vs Physician Assistant

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