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Registered physical therapist salary
Average registered physical therapist salary
$72,910
Understanding Registered Physical Therapist Salaries
The average salary for a Registered Physical Therapist stands at $72,910 annually. This figure can vary based on several factors, including geographical location, years of experience, and specific work settings. For example, states like California and Texas often offer higher salaries due to demand in healthcare services. In addition, physical therapists with more years of experience tend to command higher wages, reflecting their expertise.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level physical therapists can expect to earn less than those with significant experience. Typically, salaries increase as therapists gain clinical experience and specialize in certain areas. This upward trajectory in earnings highlights the importance of continuous professional development and specialization.
Highest Paying Cities
Cities such as San Francisco and New York City frequently top the list for the highest paying locations for physical therapists. The cost of living in these areas is also higher, which potential job seekers should consider.
Ultimately, understanding the salary landscape can help aspiring physical therapists make informed decisions about their career paths and where to focus their job search.
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Where can a Registered Physical Therapist earn more?
Registered physical therapist salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level registered physical therapist | $73,100 | $35.14 |
| Mid-level registered physical therapist | $79,700 | $38.31 |
| Senior-level registered physical therapist | $91,300 | $43.89 |
Average registered physical therapist salary by state
The highest-paying states for registered physical therapists are California, Washington, and Massachusetts. The lowest average registered physical therapist salary states are Arkansas, Arizona, and Louisiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for registered physical therapists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $96,792 | $46.53 |
| 2 | New Mexico | $86,642 | $41.65 |
| 3 | Washington | $103,911 | $49.96 |
| 4 | California | $111,144 | $53.43 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $80,872 | $38.88 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $78,750 | $37.86 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $81,884 | $39.37 |
| 8 | Illinois | $83,821 | $40.30 |
| 9 | Indiana | $75,689 | $36.39 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $99,759 | $47.96 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $85,419 | $41.07 |
| 12 | Nebraska | $75,654 | $36.37 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $88,056 | $42.33 |
| 14 | Idaho | $77,718 | $37.36 |
| 15 | Delaware | $80,416 | $38.66 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $71,255 | $34.26 |
| 17 | Maine | $73,625 | $35.40 |
| 18 | Oregon | $81,555 | $39.21 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $75,891 | $36.49 |
| 20 | Kansas | $71,597 | $34.42 |
| 21 | Utah | $77,115 | $37.07 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $78,889 | $37.93 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $67,975 | $32.68 |
| 24 | Michigan | $73,147 | $35.17 |
| 25 | Texas | $70,874 | $34.07 |
| 26 | South Carolina | $69,901 | $33.61 |
| 27 | Vermont | $68,484 | $32.92 |
| 28 | Ohio | $69,901 | $33.61 |
| 29 | Missouri | $69,091 | $33.22 |
| 30 | Maryland | $74,618 | $35.87 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $70,622 | $33.95 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $79,657 | $38.30 |
| 33 | Georgia | $68,724 | $33.04 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $66,181 | $31.82 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $71,161 | $34.21 |
| 36 | Nevada | $70,412 | $33.85 |
| 37 | Montana | $67,856 | $32.62 |
| 38 | Colorado | $69,828 | $33.57 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $67,437 | $32.42 |
| 40 | New York | $69,891 | $33.60 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $64,910 | $31.21 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $65,321 | $31.40 |
| 43 | Alabama | $65,540 | $31.51 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $62,654 | $30.12 |
| 45 | Iowa | $59,763 | $28.73 |
| 46 | Florida | $66,025 | $31.74 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $58,927 | $28.33 |
| 48 | Arizona | $64,673 | $31.09 |
| 49 | Virginia | $66,723 | $32.08 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $56,826 | $27.32 |
| 51 | District of Columbia | $66,432 | $31.94 |
Highest paying cities for registered physical therapists
The highest-paying cities for registered physical therapists are Richmond, CA, Federal Way, WA, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richmond, CA | $117,085 | $56.29 |
| 2 | Federal Way, WA | $104,725 | $50.35 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $99,787 | $47.97 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $83,936 | $40.35 |
| 5 | East Providence, RI | $81,907 | $39.38 |
| 6 | Casper, WY | $78,387 | $37.69 |
| 7 | Hilo, HI | $78,367 | $37.68 |
| 8 | Coeur dAlene, ID | $77,862 | $37.43 |
| 9 | Michigan City, IN | $75,880 | $36.48 |
| 10 | Omaha, NE | $75,550 | $36.32 |
| 11 | Rochester Hills, MI | $73,266 | $35.22 |
| 12 | Columbia, SC | $70,281 | $33.79 |
| 13 | Elyria, OH | $70,198 | $33.75 |
| 14 | Pueblo, CO | $70,047 | $33.68 |
| 15 | Houston, TX | $69,989 | $33.65 |
| 16 | New York, NY | $69,963 | $33.64 |
| 17 | Macon, GA | $68,322 | $32.85 |
| 18 | Altamonte Springs, FL | $66,618 | $32.03 |
| 19 | Chandler, AZ | $64,675 | $31.09 |
| 20 | Columbia, TN | $56,730 | $27.27 |
Registered physical therapist salary details
A registered physical therapist's salary ranges from $49,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $107,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a registered physical therapist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $107,000 | $8,917 | $51 |
| 75th Percentile | $89,000 | $7,417 | $43 |
| Average | $72,910 | $6,076 | $35 |
| 25th Percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28 |
| 10th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
Highest paying registered physical therapist jobs
The highest paying types of registered physical therapists are director of physical therapy, pediatric physical therapist, and lead therapist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Therapist | $55,943 | $4,662 | $26.90 | 159,770 |
| In Home Therapist | $51,706 | $4,309 | $24.86 | 113,993 |
| Physical Therapy Internship | $71,624 | $5,969 | $34.43 | 127,064 |
| Clinical Therapist | $57,864 | $4,822 | $27.82 | 136,898 |
| Director Of Physical Therapy | $107,759 | $8,980 | $51.81 | 65,423 |
| Outpatient Physical Therapist | $66,359 | $5,530 | $31.90 | 119,973 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for registered physical therapists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Gavin Colquitt
Professor, Georgia Southern University
Additionally, pay in the teaching field is based on education and experience. Each advanced degree- masters, specialist, and doctorate- corresponds with a 10% raise. For example, a teacher's starting salary with a doctorate is ~$52,000 in year 1! The base salary for a teacher with a doctorate and 21+ years of experience is ~$76,000!
The long term financial gains for teachers are the benefits. Teachers have great insurance plans and are one of the only fields with a defined benefit plan. A 401k is a defined contribution plan, and there is a lot of variabilities. In Georgia, teachers can retire after 30 years with full benefits, earning 2% of their salary each year. Therefore, a teacher retiring after 30 years will be making 60% of their pay for the rest of their lives. When considering that retirement and other benefits are no longer taken out of that pay, this is a substantial and secure retirement plan with a take-home income similar to full-time earnings.
Top companies hiring registered physical therapists now:
Which companies pay registered physical therapists the most?
Registered physical therapist salaries at Functional Pathways and Notre Dame Health Care are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average registered physical therapist salary at companies like Lane Regional Medical Center and Conway Medical Center are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Functional Pathways | $88,867 | $42.72 |
| 2 | Notre Dame Health Care | $86,596 | $41.63 |
| 3 | Lane Regional Medical Center | $82,412 | $39.62 |
| 4 | Conway Medical Center | $80,566 | $38.73 |
| 5 | Alpena Regional Medical Center | $79,287 | $38.12 |
| 6 | Clinical Management Consultants | $79,264 | $38.11 |
| 7 | Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company | $78,871 | $37.92 |
| 8 | Kootenai Health | $78,292 | $37.64 |
| 9 | Life Care Centers of America | $77,061 | $37.05 |
| 10 | Cooper University Health Care | $77,039 | $37.04 |
| 11 | Anderson Hospital | $76,786 | $36.92 |
| 12 | Lake Charles Memorial Health System | $75,700 | $36.39 |
| 13 | Professional Home Care Associates and Neurosport Rehabilitation Associates | $74,968 | $36.04 |
| 14 | Brattleboro Memorial Hospital | $74,520 | $35.83 |
| 15 | Hutchinson Regional Medical Center | $74,317 | $35.73 |
| 16 | Atrium Health Floyd | $74,119 | $35.63 |
| 17 | Life Care Solutions | $72,279 | $34.75 |
| 18 | Virginia Mason Medical Center | $72,248 | $34.73 |
| 19 | Penn Medicine Princeton Health | $70,970 | $34.12 |
| 20 | CoxHealth | $70,956 | $34.11 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Registered physical therapist salary trends
The average registered physical therapist salary has risen by $10,206 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average registered physical therapist earned $62,704 annually, but today, they earn $72,910 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for registered physical therapists over the last decade.
Compare registered physical therapist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average registered physical therapist salary over time
Compare registered physical therapist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Registered physical therapist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $72,900 | $35.05 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $71,700 | $34.45 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $70,400 | $33.87 | +1.2% |
| 2022 | $69,600 | $33.45 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $68,400 | $32.89 | +1.6% |
Recently added registered physical therapist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Health & Human Services Commission | Registered Therapist V-OT | Mexia, TX | 06/16/2025 | $117,397 |
| Flexstaff | Physical Therapist License), Contract-To-, School Hours | Albertson, NY | 06/11/2025 | $110,611 |
| Texas Health & Human Services Commission | Registered Therapist II | Austin, TX | 05/20/2025 | $73,788 |
| Kootenai Health | Physical Therapist Registered | Hope, ID | 04/30/2025 | $87,654 |
| Kootenai Health | Physical Therapist Registered | Hope, ID | 03/25/2025 | $87,654 |
| Texas Health & Human Services Commission | Registered Therapist V Physical Therapist | Richmond, TX | 03/07/2025 | $100,629 |
| Humana | Registered Physical Therapist 2-PPV | Corpus Christi, TX | 02/27/2025 | $85,400 |
| Empire Care Centers | Registered Physical Therapist | Sarasota, FL | 02/20/2025 | $104,350 |
| Humana | Home Health/Registered Physical Therapist | Boca Raton, FL | 02/18/2025 | $85,400 |
| Miindia | Registered Physical Therapist | Oakland, CA | 02/17/2025 | $135,655 |
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