Physical therapist assistants work along with a physical therapist.
Their goal is to help rehabilitate patients who have had an injury or illness that affected their physical functioning.
The goal of physical therapy is to restore as much physical function as possible to improve the patients’ functioning in their daily lives.
Your duties may include performing exercises and stretches with patients, and providing therapies including hot and cold therapy.
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How to Become a Physical Therapist Assistant in West Virginia
To become a physical therapist assistant in West Virginia, you’ll need to get an associate’s degree, apply for a license, and pass a national board exam.
Get an Associate’s Degree
You will need an associate’s degree to become a physical therapist assistant.
The school must be approved by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, or CAPTE.
The program typically takes two years of full-time study and requires classroom learning and clinical experience.
Apply for a PTA License
The next step is to apply for a physical therapist assistant license through the West Virginia Board of Physical Therapy (WVBOPT).
You’ll need to provide your official school transcript and a $185 licensing fee.
You’ll also apply to take the National Physical Therapy Exam or NPTE.
After you’ve submitted your documents and payment, you can get a temporary license while you are waiting for your application to be approved for a $20 fee.
Pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) for PTAs
Once your license is approved, you are eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE).
This exam is held 4 times a year.
You’ll need to register for the exam at least 30 days before the scheduled exam date.
You’ll also need to pay a $400 registration fee.
Once you’ve registered for the exam, you’ll schedule it with Prometric, which is a third-party testing company.
In West Virginia, you can choose to take the exam at Morgantown or Charleston.
The exam has 200 questions, and you’ll have 4 hours to complete it.
You must get a score of 600 or better to pass.
Physical Therapist Assistant Schools in West Virginia
West Virginia has four accredited physical therapist assistant programs.
They are offered by:
- Blue Ridge Community and Technical College
- Mountwest Community & Technical College
- New River Community and Technical College
- Pierpont Community & Technical College
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College is located in Martinsburg, WV.
The Associates Physical Therapist Assistant program is competitive.
You’ll need to enroll in the medical assistant rehabilitation program, and then apply for the PTA program to be accepted.
A maximum of 20 students are selected for the program each year.
You’ll learn the concepts of physical therapy techniques, how to handle patients, anatomy, and physiology.
The course requires 70 credit hours and takes 2 years to complete.
Mountwest Community & Technical College 
Mountwest Community & Technical College is located in Huntington, West Virginia.
They offer a Physical Therapist Assistant Applied Science degree.
The program requires 75 credit hours. Some general education courses are included, but the focus is on preparing you for your new career.
To be admitted into the program, you are required to take a general education course and a basic science course.
Admissions are determined based on GPA, grades in the prerequisite courses, and your score on the Health Science Aptitude exam.
You’ll also need to provide a letter of recommendation and complete a professional interview.
The exam and interviews are conducted in April, and admissions are announced in mid-May.
Drug screens and background checks are required before you begin your clinical training.
720 hours of clinical experience are required as part of the program.
New River Community and Technical College 
New River Community and Technical College offers a Physical Therapist Assistant Associate of Applied Science degree at its Raleigh campus in Beaver, West Virginia.
To be admitted into the physical therapist assistant program, you’ll need to be admitted into the college and complete the required prerequisites with a 2.75 GPA or better.
Prerequisites include biology courses.
Students who haven’t taken biology courses in the last 5 years must pass exams for the courses with a B or better, or take the courses.
Only 20 applicants are admitted into the program each year.
Pierpont Community & Technical College
51,801
Pierpont Community & Technical College offers a physical therapist assistant associate of science degree.
Piermont is located in Clarksburg and was the first college in West Virginia to have an accredited physical therapist assistant program.
Enrollment is competitive, and 20 or fewer students are admitted into the program each year.
Some students choose to go on to get their bachelor’s degree after completing the program.
Top 4 Schools in West Virginia
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Blue Ridge Community and Technical College | 13650 Apple Harvest Dr, Martinsburg, WV 25403, United States |
| Mountwest Community & Technical College | 1 Mountwest Way, Huntington, WV 25701, United States |
| New River Community and Technical College | 280 University Dr, Beaver, WV 25813, United States |
| Pierpont Community & Technical College | 500 Galliher Dr, Fairmont, WV 26554, United States |
Physical Therapist Assistant Salary
The average salary of a physical therapist assistant in West Virginia is $57,286.
Salaries range from $51,730 and $63,187.
Your salary will depend on your experience, location, and the type of facility you are working at.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Physical Therapist Assistants in West Virginia
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Charleston | $58,001 |
| Huntington | $56,901 |
| Parkersburg | $56,501 |
| Wheeling | $62,301 |
| Morgantown | $62,301 |
| Weirton | $62,101 |
| Fairmont | $62,301 |
| Beckley | $57,501 |
| Clarksburg | $56,001 |
| Martinsburg | $70,501 |
Regional Salary in West Virginia
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beckley, WV | 50 | $56,770 | $27.29 | $76,120 | $46,710 |
| Charleston, WV | 90 | $65,650 | $31.56 | $93,670 | $40,670 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 180 | $59,960 | $28.83 | $78,450 | $44,030 |
| Morgantown, WV | 80 | $57,670 | $27.73 | $79,900 | $44,330 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | 50 | $55,240 | $26.56 | $77,410 | $37,090 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | 40 | $55,660 | $26.76 | $74,210 | $45,260 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | 70 | $58,080 | $27.92 | $78,430 | $45,450 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to renew my PTA license in West Virginia?
Yes.
You’ll need to renew your license every two years.
You will renew your license between April and June.
You’ll need to complete 50 hours of continuing education every 2 years to maintain your license.
Is There a Demand for Physical Therapist Assistants in West Virginia?
Yes, there are plenty of opportunities for physical therapist assistants in West Virginia.
Nationwide, the career is expected to grow by 19% over the next decade, which is much higher than average.
Is it difficult to become a physical therapist assistant in West Virginia?
Becoming a physical therapist’s assistant does require education and effort.
However, you aren’t required to take a jurisprudence exam, which is required by most states.
