How much does a physical therapist make?

The average physical therapist salary in the United States is $73,070. Physical therapist salaries typically range between $56,000 and $94,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for physical therapists is $35.13 per hour. Physical therapist salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Physical therapists earn the highest average salary in California.

Physical therapist salary

Q: What state pays Physical Therapists the most?

California pays Physical Therapists the most in the United States, with an average salary of $106,493 per year, or $51.20 per hour.

Q: How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as a physical therapist?

You know if you are being paid fairly as a physical therapist if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in Alaska you should be paid close to $95,954 per year.

Q: How many vacation days do physical therapists get?

Typically, physical therapists get between 15 to 21 vacation days per year. This is, dependent on factors such as the employer's policies, the therapist's years of experience, and the country or state in which they work.

Q: What is a good starting salary for a Physical Therapist?

A good starting salary for a physical therapist is $62,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a physical therapist in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for physical therapists is $75,776, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a physical therapist can vary by state.

Q: How much do physical therapists make starting out?

Physical therapists make around $67,000 a year starting out. However, the range in earning potential is vast, starting as low as $25,000 a year to as high as. $125,000 a year. The top 90th percentile of entry-level positions for a physical therapist average over $104,000 a year, while the bottom 25th percentile earns $38,500 a year.

Q: What benefits do physical therapists get?

Physical therapists get a variety of benefits, including health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, flexible scheduling, and many other great employee benefits. These types of benefits are typically reserved for physical therapists that work full-time for a specific company or hospital. Specific benefits will vary depending on the industry and employer.

Q: What is the highest-paying physical therapy speciality?

The highest-paying physical therapy speciality on average is neurology. According to the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics, physical therapy professionals that specialize in this area tend to have the highest salaries in the field.

Quoted expert

Gavin Colquitt

Average physical therapist salary

$73,070

$35.13 hourly rate

Entry-level physical therapist salary

$56,000 yearly salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Understanding Physical Therapist Salaries

As a Physical Therapist, your salary can significantly vary depending on several factors. The average annual salary of $73,070 reflects the national standard, but this figure can be influenced by factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and specific areas of specialization.

For instance, states like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for healthcare services. Additionally, physical therapists with advanced certifications or those specializing in areas like geriatrics or sports medicine may command higher wages.

Experience also plays a crucial role; entry-level positions typically start lower, while seasoned professionals can see substantial increases in their compensation. Understanding these dynamics not only prepares you for salary negotiations but also guides your career path. Explore local job listings and resources to find the best opportunities that align with your salary expectations and professional goals.

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Physical therapist salary by:

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Where can a Physical Therapist earn more?

Compare salary by location

121k

101k

81k

61k

41k

Columbus, OH$109,793

Philadelphia, PA$71,347

Compare salary by company

116k

96k

76k

56k

Parkway$98,561

Reliant Rehabilitation$86,307

Physical therapist salaries by experience level

Experience level	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
Entry-level physical therapist	$73,200	$35.21
Mid-level physical therapist	$79,900	$38.39
Senior-level physical therapist	$91,500	$43.99

Physical therapist salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Indeed, Glassdoor, SalaryExpert and CareerExplorer, the average salary for a physical therapist typically falls between $73,070 and $110,903.

zippia

$73,070yearly

glassdoor[1]

$90,707yearly

indeed[2]

$110,903yearly

SalaryExpert[3]

$101,599yearly

CareerExplorer[4]

$95,620yearly

Average physical therapist salary by state

The highest-paying states for physical therapists are California, Alaska, and Washington. The lowest average physical therapist salary states are West Virginia, Iowa, and Florida.

State view
County view

Average salary:

Highest paying states for physical therapists

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	Washington	$88,437	$42.52
2	Alaska	$95,954	$46.13
3	California	$106,493	$51.20
4	New Hampshire	$76,203	$36.64
5	Nevada	$85,244	$40.98
6	Rhode Island	$76,918	$36.98
7	Wyoming	$76,240	$36.65
8	Nebraska	$74,016	$35.58
9	New Jersey	$78,760	$37.87
10	Idaho	$74,891	$36.01
11	Minnesota	$77,587	$37.30
12	New Mexico	$74,292	$35.72
13	Oregon	$78,937	$37.95
14	Delaware	$76,926	$36.98
15	Massachusetts	$79,796	$38.36
16	Mississippi	$75,221	$36.16
17	Texas	$72,675	$34.94
18	Illinois	$75,232	$36.17
19	Arizona	$77,008	$37.02
20	Indiana	$70,909	$34.09
21	Oklahoma	$71,849	$34.54
22	Alabama	$73,562	$35.37
23	Maryland	$76,765	$36.91
24	North Dakota	$70,298	$33.80
25	Louisiana	$73,531	$35.35
26	Hawaii	$81,840	$39.35
27	Connecticut	$76,988	$37.01
28	Michigan	$71,589	$34.42
29	Virginia	$75,627	$36.36
30	West Virginia	$67,957	$32.67
31	Kansas	$69,896	$33.60
32	Pennsylvania	$71,255	$34.26
33	Wisconsin	$71,769	$34.50
34	District of Columbia	$78,179	$37.59
35	Colorado	$72,634	$34.92
36	Maine	$70,091	$33.70
37	Kentucky	$69,892	$33.60
38	Tennessee	$68,632	$33.00
39	Georgia	$70,314	$33.80
40	South Carolina	$71,724	$34.48
41	New York	$74,295	$35.72
42	Ohio	$69,275	$33.31
43	North Carolina	$70,975	$34.12
44	Montana	$69,053	$33.20
45	Missouri	$68,447	$32.91
46	Iowa	$67,671	$32.53
47	South Dakota	$66,170	$31.81
48	Vermont	$65,309	$31.40
49	Utah	$69,855	$33.58
50	Arkansas	$64,149	$30.84
51	Florida	$67,478	$32.44

Top physical therapist jobs near you

Highest paying cities for physical therapists

The highest-paying cities for physical therapists are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and Las Vegas, NV.

Rank	City	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	San Francisco, CA	$109,793	$52.79
2	Seattle, WA	$88,886	$42.73
3	Las Vegas, NV	$85,363	$41.04
4	Boston, MA	$79,814	$38.37
5	Jackson, NJ	$78,894	$37.93
6	Portland, OR	$78,788	$37.88
7	Washington, DC	$78,216	$37.60
8	Austin, MN	$77,664	$37.34
9	Phoenix, AZ	$77,440	$37.23
10	Wilmington, DE	$76,981	$37.01
11	Baltimore, MD	$76,787	$36.92
12	Arlington, VA	$75,642	$36.37
13	Chicago, IL	$75,246	$36.18
14	Jackson, MS	$75,185	$36.15
15	Albuquerque, NM	$74,431	$35.78
16	New York, NY	$74,394	$35.77
17	San Antonio, TX	$73,105	$35.15
18	Denver, CO	$72,659	$34.93
19	Detroit, MI	$71,681	$34.46
20	Philadelphia, PA	$71,347	$34.30

Physical Therapists are the most in-demand in these five cities:

Physical therapist salary details

A physical therapist's salary ranges from $56,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $94,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average physical therapist salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a physical therapist's salary?

Percentile	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate
90th Percentile	$94,000	$7,833	$45
75th Percentile	$83,000	$6,917	$40
Average	$73,070	$6,089	$35
25th Percentile	$63,000	$5,250	$30
10th Percentile	$56,000	$4,667	$27

Highest paying physical therapist jobs

The highest paying types of physical therapists are director of physical therapy, occupational therapist, and pediatric physical therapist.

Job title	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
Rehabilitation Technician	$29,533	$2,461	$14.20	31,196
Certified Athletic Trainer	$47,184	$3,932	$22.68	90,171
Athletic Trainer	$47,028	$3,919	$22.61	56,812
Exercise Physiologist	$49,399	$4,117	$23.75	38,633
In Home Therapist	$51,706	$4,309	$24.86	113,993
Occupational Therapist	$75,707	$6,309	$36.40	78,315

How would you rate the starting salaries for physical therapists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?

Gavin Colquitt

Professor, Georgia Southern University

Salaries do not tell the entire story for teachers, although the benefit is substantial. According to the Georgia Department of Education, a teacher's starting pay, with a bachelor's degree, is ~$37,000. However, school districts often provide an additional local supplement, which can significantly increase their starting salary.

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 physical therapists now:

Which companies pay physical therapists the most?

Physical therapist salaries at Parkway and The Angelus are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average physical therapist salary at companies like The Evergreens and The Osborn are highly competitive.

Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate
1	Parkway	$98,561	$47.39
2	The Angelus	$97,280	$46.77
3	The Evergreens	$93,986	$45.19
4	The Osborn	$93,936	$45.16
5	Scripps Health	$92,217	$44.34
6	Ohio's Hospice of Dayton	$90,860	$43.68
7	Huntington Hospital	$89,764	$43.16
8	Dignity Health	$89,402	$42.98
9	Mayo Clinic	$89,006	$42.79
10	Kisco Senior Living	$88,974	$42.78
11	Sun-Mar	$88,324	$42.46
12	Consonus Healthcare	$87,219	$41.93
13	Alameda Health System	$86,973	$41.81
14	Home Health & Hospice Care	$86,907	$41.78
15	Renewal Rehab	$86,622	$41.65
16	Healthcare Therapy Services	$86,621	$41.64
17	Therapy Resources Management	$86,476	$41.58
18	Hebrew SeniorLife	$86,349	$41.51
19	Highland General Hospital	$86,319	$41.50
20	Reliant Rehabilitation	$86,307	$41.49

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$69,000$68,200$67,400$66,600$65,800$65,000

MaleFemale

Physical therapist salary trends

The average physical therapist salary has risen by $10,228 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average physical therapist earned $62,842 annually, but today, they earn $73,070 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for physical therapists over the last decade.

Compare physical therapist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average physical therapist salary over time

Compare physical therapist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Physical therapist salary by year

Year	Avg. salary	Hourly rate	% Change
2025	$73,100	$35.13	+1.7%
2024	$71,800	$34.52	+1.7%
2023	$70,600	$33.94	+1.2%
2022	$69,700	$33.52	+1.7%
2021	$68,600	$32.96	+1.6%

Recently added physical therapist salaries

Company	Job	Location	Date added	Salary
U.S. Physical Therapy	Physical Therapist	Fairfax, VA	06/30/2025	$85,000
Elara Holdings	Physical Therapist Home Health PRN	Rockford, IL	06/30/2025	$156,525
Interim Healthcare	Physical Therapist \| Home Health	Fort Wayne, IN	06/30/2025	$90,000
Aegis Therapies	Physical Therapist/	Fredericksburg, VA	06/30/2025	$110,611
Aegis Therapies	Physical Therapist/	San Diego, CA	06/30/2025	$87,654
Aegis Therapies	Physical Therapist/	Saint Charles, MO	06/30/2025	$104,350
Virtua	Physical Therapist, Early Intervention-(PER Diem)	Marlton, NJ	06/30/2025	$126,472
Compassus	Physical Therapist	Seattle, WA	06/30/2025	$103,098
Amergis	Physical Therapist	Middletown, PA	06/30/2025	$106,750
Enhabit Home Health & Hospice	Physical Therapist-Home Health	Springfield, IL	06/30/2025	$100,000

Physical therapist salary FAQs

What state pays Physical Therapists the most?

How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as a physical therapist?

How many vacation days do physical therapists get?

What is a good starting salary for a Physical Therapist?

How much do physical therapists make starting out?

What benefits do physical therapists get?

What is the highest-paying physical therapy speciality?

Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

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