Physical Therapist's Assistant - 10 States with the Biggest Job Growth in 2013

Total number of U.S. workers: 67,400
10-year growth projection: 45.7%
Annual salary range: $41,320 to $60,250
Typical education: associate's degree

Aging baby-boomers are a boon for those working in physical therapy. Many more workers in this field will be needed to care for victims of heart attacks and strokes and to lead them through cardiac and physical rehabilitation. And with ongoing advances in medicine, more people will survive such traumas and need rehabilitative services.

Therapist assistants fall between full-fledged physical therapists and lower-skilled therapist aides in terms of pay and training required. The field will see robust demand. Because an assistant is able to provide some therapy services directly, median pay is more than double that of an aide. And while assistants typically earn about $27,000 less a year than physical therapists, they just need an associate's degree, as opposed to a therapist's doctoral degree, to get started. You can find an accredited program through the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.