Physical Therapist salary in the U.S.
Physical Therapists in the U.S. earn a median of $102,760 a year ($49.40 an hour), based on BLS data for 267,330 workers.
Pay ranges from $77,140 for the lowest-paid 10% to $135,140 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $105,280, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for physical therapists in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $77,140 | $37.09 |
| 25th percentile | $86,160 | $41.42 |
| Median | $102,760 | $49.40 |
| 75th percentile | $121,160 | $58.25 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $135,140 | $64.97 |
| Average (mean) | $105,280 | $50.62 |
Half of physical therapists earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $8,563.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,281.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,952.31 |
| Weekly | $1,976.15 |
| Hourly | $49.40 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Physical Therapist salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | $124,190 | 26,580 |
| Alaska | $115,280 | 680 |
| New Jersey | $112,140 | 9,750 |
| Nevada | $111,250 | 2,030 |
| Maryland | $106,890 | 3,940 |
| New Mexico | $106,880 | 1,330 |
| Washington | $105,950 | 5,370 |
| Texas | $105,810 | 21,870 |
| Illinois | $105,250 | 9,800 |
| Connecticut | $104,360 | 4,060 |
| Massachusetts | $103,790 | 6,850 |
| Oregon | $103,510 | 3,210 |
| Arizona | $103,220 | 5,170 |
| Ohio | $103,050 | 10,280 |
| Georgia | $102,700 | 6,780 |
| Delaware | $102,050 | 1,260 |
| Colorado | $102,030 | 5,630 |
| Minnesota | $102,010 | 5,180 |
| Wisconsin | $101,840 | 5,580 |
| Hawaii | $101,700 | 950 |
| District of Columbia | $101,640 | 610 |
| Indiana | $101,560 | 6,130 |
| Virginia | $101,450 | 7,630 |
| Pennsylvania | $101,380 | 11,710 |
| South Carolina | $101,330 | 3,930 |
| Florida | $101,040 | 16,290 |
| Michigan | $100,900 | 8,630 |
| Kentucky | $100,710 | 3,390 |
| New York | $100,660 | 20,940 |
| Wyoming | $100,400 | 560 |
| Tennessee | $100,140 | 4,800 |
| Mississippi | $99,990 | 1,980 |
| North Carolina | $99,910 | 7,350 |
| Utah | $99,880 | 2,300 |
| New Hampshire | $99,850 | 1,960 |
| Maine | $99,720 | 1,860 |
| Rhode Island | $99,400 | 1,020 |
| Missouri | $99,310 | 4,900 |
| Arkansas | $99,010 | 2,680 |
| Idaho | $99,000 | 1,030 |
| Oklahoma | $98,590 | 2,560 |
| Louisiana | $98,530 | 3,280 |
| Kansas | $98,290 | 2,660 |
| Vermont | $97,970 | 760 |
| Iowa | $97,560 | 2,530 |
| Alabama | $97,290 | 3,040 |
| Nebraska | $97,090 | 2,140 |
| West Virginia | $96,600 | 1,310 |
| South Dakota | $92,660 | 1,060 |
| Montana | $91,450 | 1,180 |
| North Dakota | $85,330 | 830 |
| Puerto Rico | $60,250 | 570 |
Best-paying metro areas for physical therapists
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $141,980 | 3,140 |
| Vallejo, CA | $141,530 | 300 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $140,100 | 290 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $139,000 | 1,460 |
| Napa, CA | $138,540 | 50 |
| Chico, CA | $134,970 | 180 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $131,430 | 1,610 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $128,680 | 310 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $127,460 | 40 |
| Salinas, CA | $127,120 | 190 |
| Modesto, CA | $126,600 | 400 |
| Merced, CA | $126,000 | 60 |
| Decatur, IL | $125,600 | 40 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $125,490 | 310 |
| Santa Fe, NM | $124,870 | 80 |
Metro areas with the most physical therapists
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 21,240 | $107,650 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 9,750 | $108,170 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 7,880 | $105,720 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 6,250 | $105,790 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 6,100 | $107,780 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 5,330 | $103,550 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 4,950 | $100,870 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 4,680 | $107,700 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 4,540 | $102,980 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 4,250 | $103,440 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 3,770 | $102,970 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 3,760 | $103,220 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 3,360 | $102,450 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 3,140 | $141,980 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,950 | $107,290 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $97,550 | $46.90 |
| Physicians, All Other | $265,930 | $127.85 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 | $63.61 |
| Pharmacist | $140,910 | $67.75 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 | $47.16 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $97,870 | $47.05 |
| Occupational Therapist | $100,330 | $48.24 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 | $65.33 |
| Respiratory Therapist | $82,280 | $39.56 |
| Dentists, General | $170,950 | $82.19 |
| Family Medicine Physician | $244,180 | $117.39 |
| Veterinarian | $130,100 | $62.55 |
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | $76,400 | $36.73 |
| General Internal Medicine Physician | $256,560 | $123.35 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 29-1123. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a physical therapist make in the U.S.?
The median salary for physical therapists in the U.S. is $102,760 a year, or $49.40 an hour. Pay ranges from $77,140 for the lowest-paid 10% to $135,140 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid physical therapists make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of physical therapists in the U.S. earn at least $135,140 a year. The top 25% earn $121,160 or more.
What is the starting pay for physical therapists in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $77,140 a year, and a quarter of physical therapists earn $86,160 or less.
How many physical therapists work in the U.S.?
About 267,330 physical therapists are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.