Physical Therapist Aides pay in California
$43,470avg. a year
$20.90 an hour · 7,330 employed
Physical Therapist Aides in California earn an average of $43,470 a year. That is $7,040 (19%) more than the U.S. average of $36,430. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $51,380.
$38,330Median pay
$20.90Average hourly
+32%Avg. pay since 2020
#5Of 49 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for physical therapist aides by metro area. Swipe to see all 21.
1330 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$51,380
$24.70 an hour
2100 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$50,620
$24.34 an hour
3680 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$49,270
$23.69 an hour
4760 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$45,640
$21.94 an hour
580 jobs
Visalia, CA
$44,590
$21.44 an hour
62,720 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$42,660
$20.51 an hour
7740 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$41,800
$20.10 an hour
860 jobs
Salinas, CA
$41,300
$19.86 an hour
9100 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$41,090
$19.76 an hour
10330 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$41,040
$19.73 an hour
11120 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$40,700
$19.57 an hour
1260 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$40,480
$19.46 an hour
13240 jobs
Fresno, CA
$40,440
$19.44 an hour
14290 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$40,280
$19.36 an hour
1580 jobs
Modesto, CA
$40,170
$19.31 an hour
1650 jobs
Merced, CA
$39,940
$19.20 an hour
1730 jobs
Chico, CA
$39,840
$19.16 an hour
1830 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$39,780
$19.13 an hour
1990 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$38,220
$18.38 an hour
2090 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$37,850
$18.20 an hour
2180 jobs
Redding, CA
$37,570
$18.06 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Physical Therapist Aides pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California physical therapist aides work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $33k$33k–$36k$36k–$39k$39k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $36,430 | $17.52 |
| California | $43,470 | $20.90 |
| Oregon | $37,910 | $18.23 |
| Arizona | $37,310 | $17.94 |
| Nevada | $34,650 | $16.66 |
Related jobs in California
- Physical Therapist Assistants$83,080
- Occupational Therapy Assistants$84,690
- Home Health and Personal Care Aides$36,420
- Nursing Assistants$50,190
- Medical Assistants$55,100
- Dental Assistants$54,710
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do physical therapist aides make in California?
The average is $43,470 a year, and the median is $38,330. That is $7,040 (19%) more than the U.S. average of $36,430.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$20.90 an hour on average; the median is $18.43.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($51,380), followed by Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($50,620). The lowest average among 21 metro areas with data is Redding, CA ($37,570).
How does California rank?
California ranks #5 of 50 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 31-2022. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national physical therapist aides page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.