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How Much Does a Physical Therapist Make?

A physical therapist in the US earns a median salary of $102,760 a year, or $49.40 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $105,280, and the middle half earn between $86,160 and $121,160.

Median a year $102,760
Median an hour $49.40
Median a month $8,563
Average a year $105,280

Physical therapist pay range

What physical therapists earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $77,140 $37.09
25th $86,160 $41.42
Median (50th) $102,760 $49.40
75th $121,160 $58.25
90th (top 10%) $135,140 $64.97

The median is 102% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 267,330 people work as physical therapists in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,976
Every two weeks
$3,952
Twice a month
$4,282
A month
$8,563

At the median salary, before tax.

Physical therapist salary by state

Sorted by average pay. California pays physical therapists the most, at $122,580 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
California $122,580 $124,190 26,580 After tax
Nevada $120,700 $111,250 2,030 After tax
Alaska $115,830 $115,280 680 After tax
New Jersey $114,550 $112,140 9,750 After tax
District of Columbia $112,400 $101,640 610 After tax
Maryland $110,700 $106,890 3,940 After tax
New Mexico $110,060 $106,880 1,330 After tax
Texas $109,270 $105,810 21,870 After tax
Illinois $109,080 $105,250 9,800 After tax
Washington $108,550 $105,950 5,370 After tax
Delaware $108,470 $102,050 1,260 After tax
Arizona $107,360 $103,220 5,170 After tax
Massachusetts $106,900 $103,790 6,850 After tax
Oregon $106,510 $103,510 3,210 After tax
Connecticut $105,460 $104,360 4,060 After tax
Virginia $104,070 $101,450 7,630 After tax
Colorado $103,870 $102,030 5,630 After tax
Georgia $103,240 $102,700 6,780 After tax
New York $102,740 $100,660 20,940 After tax
Ohio $102,740 $103,050 10,280 After tax
Rhode Island $102,520 $99,400 1,020 After tax
Indiana $102,240 $101,560 6,130 After tax
Minnesota $102,240 $102,010 5,180 After tax
Wisconsin $102,210 $101,840 5,580 After tax
Pennsylvania $101,650 $101,380 11,710 After tax
Hawaii $101,050 $101,700 950 After tax
Michigan $100,630 $100,900 8,630 After tax
Alabama $100,190 $97,290 3,040 After tax
North Carolina $100,010 $99,910 7,350 After tax
Utah $99,790 $99,880 2,300 After tax
Wyoming $99,480 $100,400 560 After tax
Kentucky $99,190 $100,710 3,390 After tax
Missouri $98,700 $99,310 4,900 After tax
Florida $98,510 $101,040 16,290 After tax
New Hampshire $98,420 $99,850 1,960 After tax
Tennessee $98,260 $100,140 4,800 After tax
Arkansas $98,120 $99,010 2,680 After tax
South Carolina $98,100 $101,330 3,930 After tax
Maine $97,950 $99,720 1,860 After tax
Oklahoma $97,520 $98,590 2,560 After tax
Louisiana $97,250 $98,530 3,280 After tax
West Virginia $96,880 $96,600 1,310 After tax
Mississippi $96,850 $99,990 1,980 After tax
Idaho $96,830 $99,000 1,030 After tax
Nebraska $95,890 $97,090 2,140 After tax
Vermont $95,870 $97,970 760 After tax
Kansas $95,540 $98,290 2,660 After tax
Iowa $94,780 $97,560 2,530 After tax
Montana $93,440 $91,450 1,180 After tax
South Dakota $93,200 $92,660 1,060 After tax
North Dakota $92,480 $85,330 830 After tax
Puerto Rico $59,440 $60,250 570

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other healthcare practitioners jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Physical Therapists” (SOC 29-1123). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a physical therapist make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a physical therapist is $49.40, and the average is $50.62. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $37.09 an hour and the top 10% over $64.97.

How much does a physical therapist make a month?

At the median salary of $102,760, a physical therapist earns about $8,563 a month before tax, or $3,952 every two weeks.

Which state pays physical therapists the most?

California has the highest average pay for a physical therapist, at $122,580 a year. Next are Nevada and Alaska. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a physical therapist?

The lowest-paid 10% of physical therapists earn less than $77,140 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $86,160. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid physical therapists make?

The top 10% earn more than $135,140 a year, and the top 25% more than $121,160.