Home » programs training careers-8

Physical Therapy Assistants – Does a Degree Make a Financial Difference?



7 May 2010 5 Comments

Physical therapy assistants have a job that takes a lot of caring and patience to perform and perform well. Although it can be done without a degree, physical therapy assistants that have completed enough schooling to have a degree will make more money. People in the field of physical therapy have a genuine desire to help better the quality of life their patients experience. It makes complete sense that a person with a degree should and more importantly will make more money than a person in an equal position that does not have a degree.

The biggest thing you have to lose by not furthering your education and gaining a degree as a physical therapy assistant is financial security. Not that you will not earn a living as a physical therapy assistant if you do not have a degree but, you will earn a better, more extensive living if you are degreed.
One other aspect or advantage you have with a degree is often overlooked. When you are a degreed physical therapy assistant, you have a certain level of credibility. Employment opportunities are easier to secure as prospective employers know gaining a degree is optional. They know you took the initiative to further your education and gain the degree.

Look at the situation or decision to gain a degree this way. If you have a degree, and your twin sister or brother is also a physical therapy assistant that does not have a degree, you both live in the same town, and work at the same hospital, you stand to make around twice the money that they will make. You stand to make double simply because you have a sheet of paper that says you are qualified and finished the physical therapy assistant courses.
This is not to say you are any smarter for having the degree. It simply means you took the time and spent the money to learn more information. You can plainly see that a degree is more than a piece of paper. A degree is the key that opens the door to your financial security.

5 Comments »

  • admin (author) said:

    I think having a degree is wonderful and to be recognized as it is “most” of the time. But I have met plenty of degree holders that are dumb as a rock. In many cases now days a degree is part of a PTA program anyway so most likely if you complete a program the degree goes a long with it…..as long as you have your general ed completed as well.

    You may be able to complete the program without taking the degree if you have not completed general education requirements. But the degree may or may not be necessary to get your license or certification depending on your region.

    I completed my program without taking the degree and was able to get a job with no problem. Colleagues that had a job were not paid any different then myself. However their overall opportunities were better.

    # 8 May 2010 at 4:10 pm
  • Online Physical Therapy School? Training Programs | Courses | Physical Therapy Schools said:

    [...] your classes. Although a problem with schools credentials is more likely to happen with an online physical therapy assistant program, they do also happen with campus classes or schools also. Do not make the common mistake of [...]

    # 8 May 2010 at 4:48 pm
  • PTA | Physical Therapist Training, Course and Programs | Physical Therapy Schools said:

    [...] Having a criminal record or a bad credit rating does not assure you will not be accepted into a physical therapy assistant program. Yes, you do have to pass a background history check and a credit history check but, it does not [...]

    # 8 May 2010 at 5:29 pm
  • Programs: Physical Therapist, Assistant, PTA Classes Training | Physical Therapy Schools said:

    [...] to the references listed in order to ask specific information.The final step to applying for a physical therapy assistant programs is to finish the actual application and get it to the office of admissions at the program you have [...]

    # 9 May 2010 at 8:13 pm
  • Programs | Physical Therapy Assistant | PTA Training Courses | Physical Therapy Schools said:

    [...] people also wonder what is the difference in income between a Physical Therapist and a Physical Therapy Assistant. The difference can be best summed up as follows. A Physical Therapist’s income is between [...]

    # 9 May 2010 at 9:35 pm