Is it true that Physical Therapist Assistants get paid more than RNs?

[ttran]

I was talking to an RN today she wished she would have went into pta because they make more money and do less work..I thought ptas make less than rns?

[catlady, BSN, RN]

Oh, golly, didn't we just have a gignormous thread about this??

[smilin_gp]

There was a huge thread about physical therapists making more than RN's. I have no idea about PT Assistant pay though, sorry

[ZASHAGALKA, RN]

No, it is NOT true.

From Bureau of Labor and Statistics, all salaries are from 5/2004:

Average Salaries:

RN: $52,330

PT: $60,180

PTA: $37,890

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos083.htm

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos080.htm

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos167.htm

And, since RNs have a wider range of job opportunities and more ability to work overtime, the true salaries and opportunities are even greater for the RN. For example, it's been YEARS since I've made less then the average salary of even Physical Therapists, and I haven't made less than the ave salary of a PTA since my 2nd yr of nursing: and that was an actual salary a decade earlier which means a decade's better spending power.

~faith,

Timothy.

[HARRN2b]

My anatomy instructor said that 15 years ago PT's were getting salaries in the 100k ranges. That has all changed since insurance has wised up and will only pay for a certain number of visits. She said she had friends who worked all the time but made 200k per year. She said they were making more than the doctors! Of course, it did not last long.

[I RN A]

PT's earn about $60K annually, can be a little bit less, depending on where you work. PTA's earn about $30K less than PTs. The PT school is a grad school with about 20 units of credits in 1 semester and a pace of survivor camp. It is like a medical school, since most of schools are in transition to DPT programs. To me extra $7K a year doesn't worth as much as having a life.