Physical Therapist Salary
Physical Therapists earn a median $102,760 a year nationally. Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
U.S. median
$102,760
$49.40 per hour
Range
$77,140 – $135,140
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
267,330
across the U.S.
▲1.7%
Pay trend: The median for physical therapists in the U.S. rose from $101,020 (May 2024) to $102,760 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 0.7%.
What physical therapists do
Assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury.
- Typical education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +11.9% (much faster than average)
- Openings per year
- 13,400
- Self-employed
- 4%
Employment of physical therapists is projected to grow 11.9% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 13,400 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Physical Therapist take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$81,122
per year · effective tax rate 21.1%
$6,760Monthly
$3,380Twice a month
$3,120Every 2 weeks
$39.00Hourly
- Federal income tax$13,777
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,371
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,490
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$81,122
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $77,140 | $37.09 | $63,098 |
| 25th percentile | $86,160 | $41.42 | $69,444 |
| Median (50th) | $102,760 | $49.40 | $81,122 |
| 75th percentile | $121,160 | $58.25 | $94,066 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $135,140 | $64.97 | $103,634 |
Best cities for physical therapists (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston, TX | $107,700 | $84,597 | $85,773 | 4,680 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $141,980 | $97,489 | $84,324 | 3,140 |
| 3 | Austin, TX | $103,630 | $81,734 | $83,346 | 2,470 |
| 4 | Indianapolis, IN | $103,770 | $78,800 | $82,345 | 2,790 |
| 5 | Dallas, TX | $107,780 | $84,653 | $82,116 | 6,100 |
| 6 | Tampa, FL | $102,430 | $80,890 | $80,176 | 2,350 |
| 7 | St. Louis, MO | $100,600 | $75,811 | $79,727 | 2,480 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $105,790 | $80,006 | $78,013 | 6,250 |
| 9 | Detroit, MI | $102,970 | $77,144 | $76,915 | 3,770 |
| 10 | Atlanta, GA | $103,440 | $76,854 | $76,810 | 4,250 |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $103,220 | $79,074 | $76,536 | 3,760 |
| 12 | Seattle, WA | $107,290 | $84,309 | $75,863 | 2,950 |
| 13 | Chicago, IL | $105,720 | $78,116 | $75,405 | 7,880 |
| 14 | Denver, CO | $102,340 | $77,032 | $72,821 | 2,730 |
| 15 | San Diego, CA | $113,850 | $81,085 | $72,470 | 2,680 |
| 16 | Minneapolis, MN | $102,450 | $75,460 | $71,989 | 3,360 |
| 17 | Boston, MA | $103,550 | $76,720 | $70,862 | 5,330 |
| 18 | New York, NY | $107,650 | $79,251 | $70,406 | 21,240 |
| 19 | Miami, FL | $100,870 | $79,792 | $69,898 | 4,950 |
| 20 | Washington, DC | $102,980 | $75,492 | $69,332 | 4,540 |
| 21 | Los Angeles, CA | $108,170 | $77,691 | $68,411 | 9,750 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- San Francisco, CA — $141,980
- San Diego, CA — $113,850
- Los Angeles, CA — $108,170
- Dallas, TX — $107,780
- Houston, TX — $107,700
- New York, NY — $107,650
- Seattle, WA — $107,290
- Philadelphia, PA — $105,790
- Chicago, IL — $105,720
- Indianapolis, IN — $103,770
- Austin, TX — $103,630
- Boston, MA — $103,550
- Atlanta, GA — $103,440
- Phoenix, AZ — $103,220
- Washington, DC — $102,980
Physical Therapist salary by state
| State | Median | 1-yr change | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $124,190 | +0.7% | $87,215 | $85,580 – $163,960 | 26,580 |
| Alaska | $115,280 | +6.1% | $89,929 | $97,950 – $133,690 | 680 |
| New Jersey | $112,140 | +5.5% | $82,767 | $84,640 – $140,040 | 9,750 |
| Nevada | $111,250 | +5.8% | $87,094 | $86,260 – $190,620 | 2,030 |
| Maryland | $106,890 | +2.5% | $79,313 | $79,990 – $138,630 | 3,940 |
| New Mexico | $106,880 | +5.7% | $80,114 | $77,260 – $146,400 | 1,330 |
| Washington | $105,950 | +3.7% | $83,366 | $78,300 – $137,560 | 5,370 |
| Texas | $105,810 | +2.0% | $83,267 | $76,600 – $139,050 | 21,870 |
| Illinois | $105,250 | +1.8% | $77,808 | $83,000 – $140,410 | 9,800 |
| Connecticut | $104,360 | +0.6% | $78,082 | $82,110 – $127,150 | 4,060 |
| Massachusetts | $103,790 | +1.5% | $76,877 | $82,760 – $130,220 | 6,850 |
| Oregon | $103,510 | −0.9% | $73,422 | $79,440 – $133,950 | 3,210 |
| Arizona | $103,220 | +1.5% | $79,074 | $81,560 – $134,050 | 5,170 |
| Ohio | $103,050 | +3.3% | $79,274 | $79,070 – $126,060 | 10,280 |
| Georgia | $102,700 | +0.8% | $76,372 | $78,580 – $130,630 | 6,780 |
| Delaware | $102,050 | −1.0% | $75,228 | $79,930 – $136,350 | 1,260 |
| Colorado | $102,030 | +1.8% | $76,827 | $76,460 – $132,010 | 5,630 |
| Minnesota | $102,010 | +3.2% | $75,181 | $83,570 – $121,340 | 5,180 |
| Wisconsin | $101,840 | +1.4% | $76,457 | $80,740 – $124,640 | 5,580 |
| Hawaii | $101,700 | +1.0% | $74,177 | $78,630 – $123,280 | 950 |
| District of Columbia | $101,640 | +0.9% | $74,663 | $85,620 – $129,470 | 610 |
| Indiana | $101,560 | +2.3% | $77,311 | $76,960 – $125,390 | 6,130 |
| Virginia | $101,450 | +0.7% | $75,181 | $75,720 – $132,860 | 7,630 |
| Pennsylvania | $101,380 | +1.8% | $77,038 | $76,960 – $127,060 | 11,710 |
| South Carolina | $101,330 | +0.4% | $75,193 | $72,810 – $123,480 | 3,930 |
| Florida | $101,040 | +2.2% | $79,912 | $73,630 – $122,880 | 16,290 |
| Michigan | $100,900 | +2.0% | $75,776 | $79,600 – $123,980 | 8,630 |
| Kentucky | $100,710 | +3.3% | $76,272 | $73,900 – $126,920 | 3,390 |
| New York | $100,660 | +1.2% | $74,746 | $73,580 – $136,120 | 20,940 |
| Wyoming | $100,400 | −0.7% | $79,461 | $75,900 – $125,930 | 560 |
| Tennessee | $100,140 | −0.5% | $79,278 | $67,280 – $127,500 | 4,800 |
| Mississippi | $99,990 | +3.0% | $75,905 | $73,700 – $121,740 | 1,980 |
| North Carolina | $99,910 | +3.4% | $75,639 | $78,020 – $125,940 | 7,350 |
| Utah | $99,880 | +2.4% | $75,567 | $66,160 – $136,970 | 2,300 |
| New Hampshire | $99,850 | +2.7% | $79,074 | $76,180 – $122,560 | 1,960 |
| Maine | $99,720 | +6.2% | $73,349 | $78,020 – $121,030 | 1,860 |
| Rhode Island | $99,400 | −3.4% | $75,638 | $80,770 – $125,390 | 1,020 |
| Missouri | $99,310 | +5.9% | $74,964 | $76,110 – $124,530 | 4,900 |
| Arkansas | $99,010 | +2.2% | $74,835 | $73,050 – $127,210 | 2,680 |
| Idaho | $99,000 | +5.8% | $74,338 | $74,570 – $122,100 | 1,030 |
| Oklahoma | $98,590 | −0.6% | $74,297 | $68,330 – $128,000 | 2,560 |
| Louisiana | $98,530 | −2.0% | $75,576 | $60,150 – $127,640 | 3,280 |
| Kansas | $98,290 | −0.6% | $73,292 | $72,290 – $122,130 | 2,660 |
| Vermont | $97,970 | +4.4% | $73,746 | $75,040 – $115,860 | 760 |
| Iowa | $97,560 | +1.7% | $74,408 | $73,780 – $120,730 | 2,530 |
| Alabama | $97,290 | +0.3% | $72,674 | $74,770 – $133,710 | 3,040 |
| Nebraska | $97,090 | +0.6% | $73,595 | $77,540 – $120,190 | 2,140 |
| West Virginia | $96,600 | −4.6% | $73,067 | $73,130 – $126,380 | 1,310 |
| South Dakota | $92,660 | +3.8% | $74,016 | $77,890 – $107,870 | 1,060 |
| Montana | $91,450 | −1.6% | $69,359 | $78,490 – $115,540 | 1,180 |
| North Dakota | $85,330 | −1.0% | $68,455 | $75,290 – $113,600 | 830 |
Related jobs
| Job | Median salary | Education | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occupational Therapist | $100,330 | Master's degree | +14.8% |
| Radiation Therapist | $105,310 | Associate's degree | +2.8% |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $97,870 | Master's degree | +16.6% |
| Respiratory Therapist | $82,280 | Associate's degree | +8.5% |
| Therapists, All Other | $77,930 | Bachelor's degree | +12.6% |
| Recreational Therapist | $61,960 | Bachelor's degree | +4.8% |
| Exercise Physiologist | $59,460 | Bachelor's degree | +12.8% |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 | Associate's degree | +8.0% |
| Registered Nurse | $97,550 | Bachelor's degree | +5.6% |
| Audiologist | $95,780 | Doctoral or professional degree | +11.0% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a physical therapist make?
The national median salary for physical therapists is $102,760 a year ($49.40 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $77,140 and the top 10% earn over $135,140. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays physical therapists the most?
California has the highest median pay at $124,190. After taxes and local prices, Houston, TX offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many physical therapists are there in the U.S.?
About 267,330 people work as physical therapists nationwide.