Physical therapist demographics and statistics in the US
Physical therapist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates physical therapist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our physical therapist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about physical therapists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 106,775 physical therapists currently employed in the United States.
- 63.7% of all physical therapists are women, while 36.3% are men.
- The average physical therapist age is 41 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of physical therapists is White (70.2%), followed by Asian (14.3%), Hispanic or Latino (7.5%) and Unknown (3.7%).
- Physical therapists are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- The professional industry is the highest-paying for physical therapists.
- San Francisco, CA pays an annual average wage of $109,793, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women physical therapists earned 96% of what men earned.
- 12% of all physical therapists are LGBT.
- Washington is the best state for physical therapists to live.
- Physical therapists are 88% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Physical therapist demographics by:
Physical therapist gender statistics
63.7% of physical therapists are women and 36.3% of physical therapists are men.
- Female, 63.7%
- Male, 36.3%
Physical therapist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 63.7% |
| Male | 36.3% |
Physical therapist gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$68,389
Female income
$65,316
Physical therapist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in physical therapist positions over time. Currently, 63.7% of physical therapists are female.
Physical therapist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 32.21% | 67.79% |
| 2011 | 28.48% | 71.52% |
| 2012 | 31.86% | 68.14% |
| 2013 | 29.00% | 71.00% |
| 2014 | 29.97% | 70.03% |
| 2015 | 29.73% | 70.27% |
| 2016 | 30.65% | 69.35% |
| 2017 | 33.76% | 66.24% |
| 2018 | 30.68% | 69.32% |
| 2019 | 31.81% | 68.19% |
| 2020 | 34.94% | 65.06% |
| 2021 | 36.27% | 63.73% |
Physical therapist related jobs gender ratio
We compared physical therapists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, flight surgeon and optometrist, owner have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Nurse Midwife | 2% | 98% |
| Perinatal Nurse | 3% | 97% |
| Therapeutic Dietitian | 3% | 97% |
| Physical Therapist | 36% | 64% |
| Radiology Resident | 75% | 25% |
| Optometrist, Owner | 76% | 24% |
| Flight Surgeon | 82% | 18% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Physical therapist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among physical therapists is White, which makes up 70.2% of all physical therapists. Comparatively, 14.3% of physical therapists are Asian and 7.5% of physical therapists are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 70.2%
- Asian, 14.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.5%
- Black or African American, 3.7%
- Unknown, 3.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
Physical therapist race
| Physical therapist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 70.2% |
| Asian | 14.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.5% |
| Black or African American | 3.7% |
| Unknown | 3.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
Physical therapist race and ethnicity over time
See how physical therapist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Physical therapist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 76.59% | 3.64% | 12.45% | 5.60% |
| 2011 | 77.09% | 4.41% | 11.50% | 5.67% |
| 2012 | 74.38% | 4.83% | 13.06% | 6.03% |
| 2013 | 74.93% | 3.87% | 12.95% | 6.14% |
| 2014 | 75.09% | 4.39% | 12.49% | 5.98% |
| 2015 | 74.87% | 4.21% | 12.35% | 6.04% |
| 2016 | 74.75% | 4.44% | 13.00% | 6.23% |
| 2017 | 75.65% | 3.59% | 12.45% | 6.63% |
| 2018 | 74.73% | 3.50% | 13.47% | 6.41% |
| 2019 | 73.91% | 3.91% | 13.67% | 6.01% |
| 2020 | 72.39% | 3.87% | 13.26% | 7.21% |
| 2021 | 70.19% | 3.74% | 14.31% | 7.53% |
Physical therapist wage gap by race
According to our data, asian physical therapists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american physical therapists have the lowest average salary at $66,310.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $67,672 |
| White | $67,986 |
| Black or African American | $66,310 |
| Asian | $71,302 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $68,774 |
Average physical therapist age
See how the average age of physical therapists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Physical therapist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 38 | 40 |
| White | 40 | 40 |
| Black or African American | 44 | 38 |
| Asian | 41 | 40 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 36.5 | 39 |
Physical therapist age breakdown
The average age of physical therapists is 40+ years years old, representing 52% of the physical therapist population.
Physical therapist age breakdown
| Physical Therapist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 52% |
| 30-40 years | 36% |
| 20-30 years | 12% |
Physical therapist educational attainment
The most common degree for physical therapists is bachelor's degree, with 58% of physical therapists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 17% and doctoral degree degree at 14%.
- Bachelor's, 58%
- Doctorate, 17%
- Master's, 14%
- Associate, 6%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Physical therapists by degree level
| Physical therapist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 58% |
| Doctorate | 17% |
| Master's | 14% |
| Associate | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Physical therapist jobs you might like
Physical therapist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, physical therapists with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $78,148 annually. With a Doctorate degree, physical therapists earn a median annual income of $76,339 compared to $74,197 for physical therapists with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $78,148 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $74,197 |
| Doctorate Degree | $76,339 |
Physical therapist employment statistics
Most physical therapists work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where physical therapists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where physical therapists work.
Physical therapist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 13% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 25% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 16% |
Physical therapist jobs by company type
Employees with the physical therapist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most physical therapists prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Physical therapist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 7% |
| Private | 88% |
| Government | 1% |
Physical therapist jobs by industry
The most common industries for physical therapists are health care, professional and education.
Physical therapist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 72% |
| Professional | 10% |
| Education | 3% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
Physical therapist turnover and employment statistics
Physical therapist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for physical therapists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Physical therapist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Physical therapist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 0.98% |
| 2011 | 0.87% |
| 2012 | 1.18% |
| 2013 | 0.95% |
| 2014 | 0.81% |
| 2015 | 0.54% |
| 2016 | 0.64% |
| 2017 | 0.42% |
| 2018 | 0.50% |
| 2019 | 0.84% |
| 2020 | 1.69% |
| 2021 | 1.49% |
Average physical therapist tenure
The average physical therapist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 29,666 physical therapists resumes in Zippia's database.
Physical therapist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 28% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Physical therapist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of physical therapists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Group Practice Pediatrician | 9.88% | 17,062 |
| Cardiothoracic Anesthesia Technician | 11.62% | 6,831 |
| Physical Therapist | 11.89% | - |
| Clinical Exercise Specialist | 13.00% | 56,463 |
| Staff Anesthetist | 13.05% | 72,814 |
| Optometrist | 17.57% | 20,993 |
| Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 189,889 |
Similar physical therapist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Group Practice Pediatrician | 9.88% | 17,062 |
| Cardiothoracic Anesthesia Technician | 11.62% | 6,831 |
| Clinical Exercise Specialist | 13.00% | 56,463 |
| Staff Anesthetist | 13.05% | 72,814 |
| Optometrist | 17.57% | 20,993 |
| Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 189,889 |
Foreign languages spoken by physical therapists
The most common foreign language among physical therapists is Spanish at 47.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Hindi at 8.3% and Gujarati is the third-most popular at 4.5%.
- Spanish, 47.9%
- Hindi, 8.3%
- Gujarati, 4.5%
- Portuguese, 4.4%
- French, 3.8%
- Other, 31.1%
Physical therapist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 47.9% |
| Hindi | 8.3% |
| Gujarati | 4.5% |
| Portuguese | 4.4% |
| French | 3.8% |
| Other | 31.1% |
