Physical Therapist Assistants build social perceptiveness, service orientation and instructing skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Respiratory Therapists (87%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Respiratory Therapists | 87% | $82,280 | +20% | None |
| 2 | Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 84% | $64,400 | −6% | None |
| 3 | Radiation Therapists | 82% | $105,310 | +54% | None |
| 4 | Acute Care Nurses | 78% | $97,550Pay for the broader BLS group “Registered Nurses” | Not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 5 | Surgical Assistants | 78% | $66,800 | −2% | None |
| 6 | Massage Therapists | 76% | $58,450 | −15% | None |
| 7 | Recreational Therapists | 76% | $61,960 | −9% | Bachelor's degree |
| 8 | Registered Nurses | 76% | $97,550 | +43% | Bachelor's degree |
| 9 | Critical Care Nurses | 74% | $97,550Pay for the broader BLS group “Registered Nurses” | Not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 10 | Psychiatric Technicians | 74% | $45,130 | −34% | None |
Compared with Physical Therapist Assistants, median $68,380. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as physical therapist assistants (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
87% skill match · $82,280 · +20% pay
Operation and Control · Service Orientation · Quality Control Analysis
84% skill match · $64,400 · −6% pay
Coordination · Service Orientation · Negotiation
82% skill match · $105,310 · +54% pay
Equipment Maintenance · Operation and Control · Troubleshooting
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Respiratory Therapists (87% skill match, median $82,280), Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (84% skill match, median $64,400) and Radiation Therapists (82% skill match, median $105,310), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 10 pay more than physical therapist assistants at the median. The biggest increases: Radiation Therapists (+54%, $105,310), Physical Therapists (+50%, $102,760) and Nuclear Medicine Technologists (+48%, $101,370).
15 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones. 2 usually need a graduate degree: Physical Therapists and Athletic Trainers.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.