Best cities for a primary therapist
The best cities for primary therapists are Long Beach, CA, Oakland, CA, and Santa Ana, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for primary therapists vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for primary therapists in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a primary therapist or considering a move, this list of the best cities for primary therapists to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for primary therapists. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a primary therapist. While the absolute best city for primary therapists is Long Beach, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for primary therapists in 2024.
If you're looking for a primary therapist job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for primary therapists in 2026
1. Long Beach, CA
Total primary therapist jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $80,246 Lowest 10 percent warn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $124,000 Location quotient: 3.03 2. Oakland, CA
Total primary therapist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $81,174 Lowest 10 percent warn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $126,000 Location quotient: 1.29 3. Santa Ana, CA
Total primary therapist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $80,023 Lowest 10 percent warn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location quotient: 2.47 4. Los Angeles, CA
Total primary therapist jobs: 15 Average annual salary: $80,420 Lowest 10 percent warn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $124,000 Location quotient: 1.08 5. Anaheim, CA
Total primary therapist jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $80,069 Lowest 10 percent warn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $124,000 Location quotient: 1.22 6. Sacramento, CA
Total primary therapist jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $79,799 Lowest 10 percent warn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location quotient: 1.18 7. Albuquerque, NM
Total primary therapist jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $66,321 Lowest 10 percent warn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location quotient: 0.46 8. San Jose, CA
Total primary therapist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $81,311 Lowest 10 percent warn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $127,000 Location quotient: 0.00 9. Fremont, CA
Total primary therapist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $81,192 Lowest 10 percent warn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $126,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. Bakersfield, CA
Total primary therapist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $80,558 Lowest 10 percent warn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $125,000 Location quotient: 0.00
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Best cities for primary therapists
- Long Beach, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Santa Ana, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Anaheim, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- Albuquerque, NM
- San Jose, CA
- Fremont, CA
- Bakersfield, CA
- (3 primary therapist jobs)
- (2 primary therapist jobs)
- (2 primary therapist jobs)
- (15 primary therapist jobs)
- (1 primary therapist jobs)
- (4 primary therapist jobs)
- (1 primary therapist jobs)
- (0 primary therapist jobs)
- (0 primary therapist jobs)
- (0 primary therapist jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a primary therapist
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Long Beach, CA | $80,246 | $51,000 | 470,130 | 3 |
| 2 | Oakland, CA | $81,174 | $51,000 | 420,005 | 2 |
| 3 | Santa Ana, CA | $80,023 | $51,000 | 334,217 | 2 |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $80,420 | $51,000 | 3,976,322 | 15 |
| 5 | Anaheim, CA | $80,069 | $51,000 | 351,043 | 1 |
| 6 | Sacramento, CA | $79,799 | $51,000 | 495,234 | 4 |
| 7 | Albuquerque, NM | $66,321 | $44,000 | 559,277 | 1 |
| 8 | San Jose, CA | $81,311 | $51,000 | 1,025,350 | - |
| 9 | Fremont, CA | $81,192 | $51,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 10 | Bakersfield, CA | $80,558 | $51,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 11 | Stockton, CA | $80,316 | $51,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 12 | Fresno, CA | $80,200 | $51,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 13 | Reno, NV | $77,421 | $50,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 14 | Las Vegas, NV | $76,886 | $49,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 15 | Henderson, NV | $76,814 | $49,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 16 | Seattle, WA | $66,078 | $44,000 | 704,352 | 15 |
| 17 | North Las Vegas, NV | $76,670 | $49,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 18 | Lexington, KY | $54,078 | $33,000 | 318,449 | 1 |
| 19 | Irvine, CA | $79,936 | $51,000 | 266,122 | - |
| 20 | Riverside, CA | $79,662 | $51,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 21 | San Francisco, CA | $81,317 | $52,000 | 870,887 | - |
| 22 | San Diego, CA | $79,034 | $51,000 | 1,406,630 | - |
| 23 | Chula Vista, CA | $78,787 | $51,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 24 | Portland, OR | $66,140 | $44,000 | 639,863 | 2 |
| 25 | Houston, TX | $53,387 | $35,000 | 2,303,482 | 7 |
| 26 | Denver, CO | $57,985 | $40,000 | 693,060 | 27 |
| 27 | Aurora, CO | $57,967 | $40,000 | 361,710 | 5 |
| 28 | San Antonio, TX | $54,198 | $35,000 | 1,492,510 | - |
| 29 | Laredo, TX | $54,184 | $35,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 30 | Anchorage, AK | $68,709 | $59,000 | 298,192 | - |
| 31 | Louisville, KY | $54,457 | $34,000 | 597,337 | - |
| 32 | Austin, TX | $53,812 | $35,000 | 947,890 | - |
| 33 | Colorado Springs, CO | $58,053 | $40,000 | 465,101 | 3 |
| 34 | Corpus Christi, TX | $53,697 | $35,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 35 | Minneapolis, MN | $55,992 | $34,000 | 413,651 | 1 |
| 36 | Fort Worth, TX | $53,064 | $35,000 | 854,113 | - |
| 37 | El Paso, TX | $56,734 | $38,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 38 | Arlington, TX | $52,994 | $35,000 | 392,772 | - |
| 39 | Dallas, TX | $52,902 | $35,000 | 1,317,929 | 1 |
| 40 | Plano, TX | $52,837 | $35,000 | 286,057 | 1 |
| 41 | Charlotte, NC | $51,678 | $31,000 | 842,051 | 2 |
| 42 | Lubbock, TX | $54,621 | $36,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 43 | Irving, TX | $52,944 | $35,000 | 238,289 | - |
| 44 | Saint Paul, MN | $55,870 | $34,000 | 302,398 | - |
| 45 | Garland, TX | $52,838 | $35,000 | 234,943 | - |
| 46 | Winston-Salem, NC | $51,416 | $31,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 47 | Indianapolis, IN | $48,226 | $30,000 | 855,164 | 2 |
| 48 | Chicago, IL | $55,261 | $33,000 | 2,704,958 | 1 |
| 49 | Scottsdale, AZ | $47,581 | $31,000 | 246,645 | 1 |
| 50 | Greensboro, NC | $51,267 | $30,000 | 287,027 | - |
Highest paying cities for primary therapists
| Rank | City | Avg. primary therapist salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thousand Oaks, CA | $80,719 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $66,078 |
| 3 | Bend, OR | $65,877 |
| 4 | Wheat Ridge, CO | $58,037 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $55,261 |
| 6 | Houston, TX | $53,387 |
| 7 | North Brunswick, NJ | $48,515 |
| 8 | Leesburg, VA | $47,396 |
| 9 | Atlanta, GA | $41,477 |
| 10 | Rochester, NY | $37,653 |
| 11 | Norwich, CT | $33,487 |
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Updated January 8, 2025