What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Physical Therapist Aides in the U.S. earn more than $35,240 a year — the middle 80% land between $25,360 and $47,780. About 48,150 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Physical Therapist Aides”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Service and sales workers earn about ₹15,575 a month on average — around ₹1.9 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$35,240typical pay / year
48,150people in this work
$47,780+top 10% earn
₹1.9 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Move4
Help patients move to/from treatment areas
+Help Mr. Alvarez from the waiting room into treatment room 3 using the gait belt and two-person assist,…
Help patients move to/from treatment areas
+Help Mr. Alvarez from the waiting room into treatment room 3 using the gait belt and two-person assist, transfer him onto the plinth, note any pain behavior and mobility limitations in his chart, and tell the therapist if his vitals changed during the move.
The tools that do the workElectronic health recordsjob descriptionsO*NET
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Disinfect and organize work area
+Wipe down all contact surfaces, disinfect therapy balls and weights with hospital-grade solution, restock…
Disinfect and organize work area
+Wipe down all contact surfaces, disinfect therapy balls and weights with hospital-grade solution, restock single-use towels and sanitizer, and report any supply shortages on the clinic inventory sheet before leaving at 5 pm.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Officejob descriptionsO*NET
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Assist patients with exercises
+Guide Ms. Patel through her prescribed ankle dorsiflexion and balance exercises using verbal cues and…
Assist patients with exercises
+Guide Ms. Patel through her prescribed ankle dorsiflexion and balance exercises using verbal cues and hands-on correction as needed, count reps aloud, monitor her form and fatigue, and record progress and any issues in her therapy notes.
The tools that do the workElectronic health recordsjob descriptionsO*NET
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Assist in care, cleaning, and maintenance of equipment
+Wipe down and disinfect the treatment table, traction units, and exercise equipment used this morning, check…
Assist in care, cleaning, and maintenance of equipment
+Wipe down and disinfect the treatment table, traction units, and exercise equipment used this morning, check straps and cables for wear, restock clean towels and gait belts, and file an equipment issue report if anything fails before the 3pm patient sessions.
The tools that do the workElectronic health recordsjob descriptionsO*NET
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Keeping the record1
Perform clerical duties like filing and scheduling
+File yesterday's completed intake forms into patient folders, call to confirm next-week appointments for…
Perform clerical duties like filing and scheduling
+File yesterday's completed intake forms into patient folders, call to confirm next-week appointments for patients with unfinished paperwork, and update the master schedule to reflect the confirmed times before the end of shift.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OutlookPatient record maintenancejob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work16
Schedule patient appointments with physical therapists and coordinate therapists' schedules.
+Schedule follow-up and new patient sessions with therapists across the 8am–5pm outpatient block this week,…
Schedule patient appointments with physical therapists and coordinate therapists' schedules.
+Schedule follow-up and new patient sessions with therapists across the 8am–5pm outpatient block this week, prioritise Mr. Alvarez and post-op Mrs. Chen, resolve double-booked slots, and confirm each patient by text or phone by Thursday noon.
The tools that do the workEpicO*NET
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Change linens, such as bed sheets and pillow cases.
+Strip and replace linens on bed 4 and treatment plinths after the 2pm appointments, use clean pillowcases and…
Change linens, such as bed sheets and pillow cases.
+Strip and replace linens on bed 4 and treatment plinths after the 2pm appointments, use clean pillowcases and fitted sheets from the linen cart, note completed change in the daily room checklist and report any stains or tears.
The tools that do the workO*NET
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Administer traction to relieve neck or back pain, using intermittent or static traction equipment.
+Set up intermittent cervical traction for Mrs. Patel at 10:30, confirm prescribed force and hold times with…
Administer traction to relieve neck or back pain, using intermittent or static traction equipment.
+Set up intermittent cervical traction for Mrs. Patel at 10:30, confirm prescribed force and hold times with the therapist, monitor pain and skin tolerance during treatment, stop and notify the therapist if symptoms worsen.
The tools that do the workO*NET
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Record treatment given and equipment used.
+Enter each treatment session details for today into the patient chart: modalities used, traction or equipment…
Record treatment given and equipment used.
+Enter each treatment session details for today into the patient chart: modalities used, traction or equipment settings, session start and end times, and any adverse responses, then flag incomplete entries for the treating therapist to review.
The tools that do the workElectronic health recordsO*NET
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Measure patient's range-of-joint motion, body parts, or vital signs to determine effects of treatments or for patient evaluations.
+Measure and record joint range of motion and vital signs for Mr. Nguyen before and after his exercise…
Measure patient's range-of-joint motion, body parts, or vital signs to determine effects of treatments or for patient evaluations.
+Measure and record joint range of motion and vital signs for Mr. Nguyen before and after his exercise session, use goniometer readings and pulse/blood pressure values, compare to last week's chart to note any changes.
The tools that do the workPatient record maintenanceO*NET
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Assist in maintaining patient records
+Update active patient charts tonight with today's notes, attach scanned intake forms and signed consents,…
Assist in maintaining patient records
+Update active patient charts tonight with today's notes, attach scanned intake forms and signed consents, reconcile any missing insurance details, and flag charts missing therapist signatures for tomorrow morning review.
The tools that do the workMedical procedure codingPatient record maintenancejob descriptions
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Contribute to quality physiotherapy services
+Review last quarter's patient outcome scores and the latest gait and strength test results, flag cases with…
Contribute to quality physiotherapy services
+Review last quarter's patient outcome scores and the latest gait and strength test results, flag cases with below‑expected improvement, note likely causes, and draft three practical changes the therapy team can start next week to improve effectiveness.
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Create solutions to problems
+Gather the three most common recurring patient complaints from progress notes and functional tests, propose…
Create solutions to problems
+Gather the three most common recurring patient complaints from progress notes and functional tests, propose two practical problem solutions with required equipment and training, and prepare a one‑page brief for the senior PT to review on Thursday.
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Develop strategic plans for physiotherapy services
+Using recent service demand and patient recovery trends, outline a six‑month plan with staffing, equipment…
Develop strategic plans for physiotherapy services
+Using recent service demand and patient recovery trends, outline a six‑month plan with staffing, equipment needs, and two measurable goals for faster discharge and higher functional gains for presentation at next leadership meeting.
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Develop, maintain or restore motor function and movement
+Restore and progress Mr. Alvarez's shoulder ROM and gait training today: follow the PT plan, set resistance…
Develop, maintain or restore motor function and movement
+Restore and progress Mr. Alvarez's shoulder ROM and gait training today: follow the PT plan, set resistance to medium on theraband, record baseline ROM and steps, cue posture, and note any pain or compensatory patterns before shift end.
The tools that do the workElectronic health recordsESCO
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Interpret medical results
+Review Ms. Kim's latest lab results and post-op imaging, extract motor-relevant findings, summarise red flags…
Interpret medical results
+Review Ms. Kim's latest lab results and post-op imaging, extract motor-relevant findings, summarise red flags and a one-paragraph interpretation for the supervising PT, then attach it to her chart and flag for follow-up today.
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Employ cognitive behaviour treatment techniques
+Begin a 30-minute session with Mr. Johnson applying graded exposure and activity pacing: introduce a light…
Employ cognitive behaviour treatment techniques
+Begin a 30-minute session with Mr. Johnson applying graded exposure and activity pacing: introduce a light resisted reach, coach thought-stopping for pain catastrophising, record his response and compliance in the patient log, and inform the supervising PT if anxiety limits participation.
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Medical informatics
+Aggregate last month's mobility scores for my caseload, identify three patients with declining function,…
Medical informatics
+Aggregate last month's mobility scores for my caseload, identify three patients with declining function, prepare a one-page report of trends and suggestions for chart review, and place it in the department folder by Friday.
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Develop therapeutic relationships
+Build rapport with Mrs. Patel before therapy: use her preferred name, ask about her home routine and goals,…
Develop therapeutic relationships
+Build rapport with Mrs. Patel before therapy: use her preferred name, ask about her home routine and goals, validate frustrations, agree two small achievable tasks for today, and note her motivation level in the chart.
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Measure effectiveness of the service provided
+Measure effectiveness for the lumbar program by recording pre/post ODI score and 10‑metre walk time for each…
Measure effectiveness of the service provided
+Measure effectiveness for the lumbar program by recording pre/post ODI score and 10‑metre walk time for each patient this week, calculate percent change, flag failures for PT review, and save the summary in the outcomes folder.
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Medical procedure coding
+Update the therapy session entry in medical procedure coding: record gait training, 30 minutes with aide Mark…
Medical procedure coding
+Update the therapy session entry in medical procedure coding: record gait training, 30 minutes with aide Mark Rivera, assistive device used, patient tolerance moderate, and plan two more sessions this week.
The tools that do the workElectronic health recordsO*NET
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses