Physical Therapist Salary in San Jose, CA
Physical Therapists in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn a median $139,000 a year — 35% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $95,768 take-home, or $7,981 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median physical therapist salary in San Jose, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$22,094
- Social Security (6.2%)$8,618
- Medicare (1.45%)$2,016
- California income tax$8,697
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,807
- Take-home pay$95,768
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 9.30% state
Physical Therapist pay by experience in San Jose, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $104,000 | $50.00 | $75,200 | $6,267 |
| 25th percentile | $123,130 | $59.20 | $86,603 | $7,217 |
| Median (50th) | $139,000 | $66.83 | $95,768 | $7,981 |
| 75th percentile | $165,170 | $79.41 | $110,881 | $9,240 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $171,560 | $82.48 | $114,571 | $9,548 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $139,000 buys in San Jose, CA
Prices in San Jose, CA are 10.4% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 2.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median physical therapist's $95,768 take-home pay has the buying power of $86,728 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Physical Therapist jobs are less concentrated in San Jose, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.75), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for physical therapists, adjusted for cost of living
San Jose, CA ranks #7 of 104 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McAllen, TX | $103,980 | $81,980 | $95,442 |
| 2 | Las Vegas, NV | $116,480 | $90,774 | $90,579 |
| 3 | El Paso, TX | $102,190 | $80,721 | $89,777 |
| 4 | San Antonio, TX | $106,010 | $83,408 | $88,061 |
| 5 | Toledo, OH | $104,750 | $80,423 | $87,938 |
| 6 | Jackson, MS | $103,000 | $77,903 | $87,484 |
| 7 | San Jose, CA | $139,000 | $95,768 | $86,728 |
| 8 | Memphis, TN | $100,000 | $79,180 | $85,898 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 104 metros →
Physical Therapist salaries elsewhere in California
- Sacramento, CA — $131,430
- Fresno, CA — $123,820
- San Francisco, CA — $141,980
- Riverside, CA — $120,110
- Oxnard, CA — $116,770
- San Diego, CA — $113,850
- Los Angeles, CA — $108,170
Frequently asked questions
How much does a physical therapist make in San Jose, CA?
The median physical therapist salary in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $139,000 a year, or about $66.83 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $123,130 and $165,170.
What is a physical therapist’s take-home pay in San Jose, CA?
On the median $139,000 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $95,768 a year ($7,981 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $10,504 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Jose, CA a good place to work as a physical therapist?
Pay here is 35% above the national median of $102,760. Local prices are 10.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $86,728 would in a typical U.S. city. San Jose, CA ranks #7 of 104 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a physical therapist afford rent in San Jose, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Jose, CA is $2,957 a month ($3,464 for two bedrooms) — 37% of a median physical therapist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Jose, CA
- Family Medicine Physician — $239,200+
- Nurse Practitioner — $231,560
- Physician Assistant — $223,640
- Registered Nurse — $216,740
- Dentists, General — $207,910
- Pharmacist — $199,040
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer — $173,150
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician — $154,850
- Respiratory Therapist — $149,680
- Dental Hygienist — $139,990
- Occupational Therapist — $136,870
- Optometrist — $135,330