How to become a physical therapist assistant in Texas
Physical therapist assistants help patients recover movement and strength under a physical therapist. Texas programs are about two-year associate degrees and lead to the NPTE-PTA exam and a Texas license.
Step 1: Finish an accredited program
Texas has 29 accredited PTA programs: 29 associate degrees. The median program runs about 24 months. Of the 16 that publish a total cost, prices run from $6,955 (Collin College, Frisco) to $45,845 (Western Technical College). 2
Highest reported NPTE-PTA rates among larger programs: Austin Community College, Eastview (100%), Northeast Texas Community College (100%) and South Texas College (100%).
Compare every Texas PTA program, or by area: Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, El Paso, Tyler-Longview.
Step 2: Pass the NPTE-PTA
The median Texas program reports a 90.4% rate (29 programs reporting), but results range from 46.4% to 100%. Graduates who passed the NPTE-PTA licensing exam on their first try, as a two-year average for 2024 and 2025 graduates, published by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). Where a program also publishes its ultimate pass rate (including retakes), it is shown separately. CAPTE expects at least 85.0%: the 85% two-year ultimate pass rate CAPTE requires of accredited programs.
Step 3: Get credentialed
Texas requires a PTA license issued by the Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners. Applicants must pass the NPTE for PTAs (run by FSBPT), pass the Texas jurisprudence exam (TX JAM), and complete a fingerprint background check.
| Step | Fee |
|---|---|
| Apply online to the Texas PT Board for a PTA license by exam and pay the application fee.3 | Not published |
| Register with FSBPT for the NPTE-PTA after the school verifies graduation, selecting Texas.4 | $485 |
| Pay the FSBPT card processing fee.5 | $8 |
| Reserve a seat with Prometric and take the exam.6 | $92 |
| Pass the Texas Jurisprudence Assessment Module (TX JAM) online.7 | Free |
| Send an official transcript and passport photo and complete fingerprinting (SSN required from Sept 1, 2026).8 | Not published |
| Optional: request a temporary license after applying.9 | $60not counted |
Typical fees to start working: $585. Counts the NPTE-PTA ($485), FSBPT's card processing fee (about $8) and the Prometric seat fee ($92). The Texas license application fee and fingerprinting are extra; we could not confirm the current state fee. Texas PTA licenses renew every two years by the end of the birth month and require 20 continuing competence units, including the board jurisprudence module, under 22 TAC 341.1 and 341.2.
What physical therapist assistants earn in Texas
The Texas median is $78,000 a year. 1 Pay is highest around Austin ($84,930), Midland-Odessa ($82,620), Dallas ($80,370) and lowest around El Paso ($71,140) and Laredo ($64,500). At the median program cost, setting aside 10% of the Texas median wage pays the program back in about 1.5 years.
Sources and dates
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Physical Therapist Assistants (31-2021), May 2025 estimates.
- Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), checked Nov. 2026.
- Texas PT Board, Apply by Exam, checked Nov 2026.
- FSBPT Exam Registration and Payment, checked Nov 2026.
- FSBPT Exam Registration and Payment, checked Nov 2026.
- FSBPT NPTE Candidate Handbook, Exam Registration and Scheduling, checked Nov 2026.
- Texas PT Board, TX JAM, checked Nov 2026.
- Texas PT Board, Apply by Exam, checked Nov 2026.
- Texas PT Board, Temporary License, checked Nov 2026.
Every number was checked against its source on Nov. 4, 2026. Spot an error? Report it. Program Outcomes is independent and not affiliated with any school or CAPTE. Our independence policy