How to Become a Physical Therapist Assistant in Virginia

Physical Therapy Assistants in Virginia help people make amazing physical strides.

Helping people regain or retain their flexibility and mobility provides unbelievable satisfaction.

Watching the joy on someone’s face as they move a walking frame down the hallway for the first time in years has no equal.

Only seeing it happen with your own two eyes can make you truly believe it’s possible to get someone on their feet if they have never walked before.

What is a Physical Therapy Assistant?

According to the US Department of Labor, physical therapy assistants provide direct patient care.

They help reduce pain and restore mobility through exercise and retraining after injury or illness.

PT assistants work under the orders and supervision of a physical therapist.

Professional Standards for Virginia Physical Therapy Assistants

All assistants in the Commonwealth of Virginia must be able to pass a criminal background check under Virginia Code § 54.1-3484.

Fieldprint Virginia provides electronic fingerprinting in the state.

Fieldprint Virginia charges nearly $15 less than traditional background services.

Currently, in-state applicants pay $35.95 and out-of-state applicants pay $38.95.

Steps to Becoming a Physical Therapist’s Assistant in the Old Dominion State

If you are still in high school, community college PT assistant programs such as Virginia Western require you to pass a college-level biology and human anatomy/physiology course with a C or higher, or you will have to take those courses before the end of your fifth year in your college program, adding to your education costs and time spent obtaining professional credentials.

Additionally, you must pass the Test of Academic Skills (TEAS), which includes certain math skills.

Virginia Licensure Requirements for Assistants to Physical Therapists

According to the Virginia Department of Health Professions, physical therapist assistants must be legal adults (age 18-plus).

Training programs must be two-year, college-level, and meet the standards of the Virginia DHP Board of Physical Therapy.

Aspiring assistants must also pass a Board-approved exam documenting their proficiency.

Salary Expectations in the Commonwealth of Virginia

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2022, physical therapist assistants in Virginia can expect to receive an annual mean wage of $61,270, or $29.46 per hour.

The bottom tenth makes as little as $22,580, while the top tenth can earn up to $82,140 per year.

In comparison, California pays the highest mean annual wages at $78,920.

Training Programs for Physical Therapy Assistants in Virginia

Virginia Western Community College

3094 Colonial Avenue, Roanoke, VA 24015

Call 540-857-6728 or email jtucker@virginiawestern.edu.

Estimated Tuition for In-State Residents: $12,075

This two-year program provides 69 credits and ends with an Associate of Applied Science as a Physical Therapy Assistant in the Commonwealth.

Graduates will then be eligible to take the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination.

Northern Virginia Community College

Medical Education Campus, 6699 Springfield Center Dr, Springfield, VA 22150

Call 703.323.3000 or email information@nvcc.edu

Estimated Tuition for In-State Residents: $13307.70

This two-year, 69-credit program also ends with an Associate of Applied Science as a Physical Therapy Assistant in Virginia.

You must pass high school English with a B or higher.

ECPI (East Coast Polytechnic Institute) University

ECPI offers an 18-month, 73-credit program ending with an Associate of Applied Science as a Physical Therapy Assistant in Virginia.

Three campuses offer the program:

• Newport News, VA
• Orlando Lake Mary, FL
• Richmond, VA

Newport News, VA

1001 Omni Boulevard #100, Newport News, VA 23606

Phone: 757.849.0548

Toll Free: 844.611.0618

Orlando Lake Mary, FL

660 Century Point, Suite 1050 Orlando (Lake Mary), FL 32746

Phone: (407) 562-9100

Richmond, VA

2809 Emerywood Pkwy Suite 400, Richmond, VA 23294

Phone: 804-417-4742

Toll-Free: 844-611-0590

ECPI Estimated Tuition for In-State Residents: $9,720

At under $10,000, the ECPI (East Coast Polytechnic Institute) University Physical Therapy Assistant program provides an excellent bargain.

In addition, ECPI provides textbooks as part of your tuition and fees.

Tidewater Community College

1700 College Crescent
Virginia Beach, VA 23453
Call 757-822-7100

Estimated Tuition for In-State Residents: $13,276

This five-semester, 67-credit program takes the shortest time to complete.

Tidewater CC has taken great pride in its 100 percent pass rate on the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy license exam for the past two years.

Regional Salary in Virginia