Job Opportunities

Physical Therapist Assistants

Physical therapist assistants typically start with an hourly wage of approximately $17.07. With experience, their earnings can increase significantly, with seasoned professionals making up to $42.12 per hour.

Sector: Healthcare

About the Job:

Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs) work under the supervision of licensed physical therapists to help patients regain movement and manage pain after injuries or illnesses. Their responsibilities include implementing treatment plans, monitoring patient progress, and educating patients on exercises and mobility techniques.

Training & Education Requirements:

Becoming a PTA typically requires completing a 2-year Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree from an accredited program. Post-graduation, candidates must pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) to obtain licensure in Mississippi.

Where Are the Jobs in Mississippi:

Employment opportunities are prevalent throughout Mississippi, with higher concentrations in urban areas

PTAs are employed across various healthcare settings, including:

Hospitals
Outpatient clinics
Rehabilitation centers
Home health agencies
Skilled nursing facilities

Physiotherapist helping female patient with rehabilitation, balance exercise with bosu ball, woman and doctor during rehab physiotherapy in gym.

Find Your Training Location

Holmes Community College

Hinds Community College

Physical Therapist Assistant

Our Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) curriculum is a two-year program of study that prepares a PTA to perform interventions under the supervision of a physical therapist in an ethical, legal, safe, and effective manner. As a PTA, you will enhance the delivery of physical therapy services by providing delegated interventions, assisting the physical therapist with data collection, communicating with other members of the health care delivery team, interacting with members of the patient’s family and caregivers, and working cooperatively with other health care providers.

Itawamba Community College

Physical Therapist Assistant Technology

After admission, the “Professional Phase” of Physical Therapist Assistant Technology is a two-year (four-semester) program. Graduates receive an Associate of Applied Science degree and will be eligible to take the national credentialing exam to become a Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant. The program offers one class per year beginning each fall. This program requires prerequisite courses, and no minimum ACT score is required. The prerequisites are located under the Program Admission Information and Procedures document below under the resources tab.

Meridian Community College

Physical Therapist Assistant

This 80-credit-hour program is designed to produce highly skilled, technically educated therapy professionals. The combination of classroom, lab, and clinical experiences prepares students to become licensed Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs). Graduates are eligible to work under the direction of a Physical Therapist in a variety of health care settings.

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are eligible to register for the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) for physical therapist assistants, administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy, to obtain professional licensure.

Mississippi Delta Community College

Physical Therapist Assistant

The MDCC PTA program values the physical therapist assistant (PTA), as an extension of the physical therapist, helping to carry out the physical therapist plan of care. We will strive to train the PTA as a generalist in the field of physical therapy, in which the PTA will work under the supervision of the physical therapist.

The MDCC PTA program strives to prepare student physical therapist assistants to be well suited to treat clients from a continuum of care and believe that the personal ethics of the physical therapist assistant and all healthcare workers require certain inherent elements of character which include honesty, loyalty, understanding, and the ability to respect the rights and dignity of others. We feel that personal ethics requires conscientious preparation during one’s academic years for professional duties and responsibilities.

Pearl River Community College

Physical Therapist Assistant Technology

The Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program is a two-year program of study that prepares students to work within the practice of physical therapy under the supervision of a physical therapist. PTAs are employed in hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, extended care facilities, home health agencies and other health care settings. Admission to the program is selective and competitive. Upon satisfactory completion of the program, students earn the Associate in Applied Science degree and. are eligible for state licensing.

Northwest Mississippi Community College

Physical Therapist Assistant

Beginning with a vision in 2016, Northwest Mississippi Community College sought to expand its current health science offerings to better serve the students in the territories served by the college. Northwest Mississippi Community College has committed time and effort to developing the Physical Therapist Assistant program.

PTA is listed as #16 on the list of fastest-growing occupations, nationally (BLS, 2022). Northwest Mississippi has invested significant time and effort in planning/developing the Physical Therapist Assistant Program at the college. With the steadily increasing numbers of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, it is expected that the need for physical therapy services will continue to rise.