Can anyone tell me about being a Medical Assistant?

Can anyone tell me if a physical therapist assistant is a good career with good pay?

• Answer:

  You need to tell us where you are. A physical therapy assistant is a job title that might not cover the same type of position in different countries. Also, what's your definition of "good pay"? Where I live, physical therapy assistants have to have a 2-year degree and pass a state licensing exam. Starting pay in my home town is around $32k a year. The top end of the pay scale is around $54k per year, but this is with a considerable amount of experience (10 years or more). These numbers also assume that you're working full-time. For cost-of-living comparisons: you can get a nice 2 bedroom apartment here for $600-$900 a month. You might make twice as much money in places like San Francisco or New York City, but you'll pay 3 or even 4 times as much for a tiny apartment there. So the extra salary you make is eaten up with the higher cost of living. Be sure you factor cost of living into whatever salary numbers you look at. You'll make considerably more money and have far greater employment flexibility as a physical therapist. However, that requires 6 years of school (a master's degree) instead of 2 years.