How much do physical therapists make? Salary by percentile
Physical therapists make $102,760 a year at the median: half of all physical therapists earn more than $102,760 and half earn less; the middle half are paid between $86,160 and $121,160 a year.[onet_pt][oews] The table adds the hourly equivalent and what a single filer keeps after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.[irs][ssa]
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | Take-home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $77,140 | $37.09 | $63,098 |
| 25th | $86,160 | $41.42 | $69,444 |
| Median (50th) | $102,760 | $49.40 | $81,122 |
| 75th | $121,160 | $58.25 | $94,066 |
| 90th | $135,140 | $64.97 | $103,634 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; before state tax.
The 10th percentile is the closest public figure to a new-graduate PT wage, because the bottom of the range is mostly therapists early in their careers or in lower-paying areas. A $100,000 salary sits around the 46th percentile nationally. BLS counted 267,330 physical therapists on payrolls in May 2025.[oews_api]
Physical therapist hourly pay
Physical therapist hourly pay is $49.40 at the national median, $37.09 at the 10th percentile and $64.97 at the 90th.[onet_pt] BLS converts hourly rates to annual pay at 2,080 hours a year, and its wage excludes overtime, bonuses and per-visit pay.[oews_faq] Home-health and per-diem PTs are often paid by the visit, so divide a visit rate by the real hours a visit takes, including drive time and notes, before comparing it with these figures.
| Percentile | Hourly | 32 h/week, yearly | 40 h/week, weekly | 40 h/week, yearly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $37.09 | $61,712 | $1,483 | $77,140 |
| 25th | $41.42 | $68,928 | $1,657 | $86,160 |
| Median | $49.40 | $82,208 | $1,976 | $102,760 |
| 75th | $58.25 | $96,928 | $2,330 | $121,160 |
| 90th | $64.97 | $108,112 | $2,599 | $135,140 |
Physical therapist salary by state
California pays physical therapists the most, with a median of $124,190, followed by Alaska ($115,280) and New Jersey ($112,140); North Dakota pays the least at $85,330.[onet_pt][oews_api] California, which has 26,580 PT jobs, has a median of $124,190; metro detail is on physical therapist salary California. Florida's 16,290 PTs earn a median $101,040 with no state income tax; see physical therapist salary Florida.
| State | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. California | $124,190 | $59.71 | $85,580 | $163,960 | 26,580 |
| 2. Alaska | $115,280 | $55.42 | $97,950 | $133,690 | 680 |
| 3. New Jersey | $112,140 | $53.91 | $84,640 | $140,040 | 9,750 |
| 4. Nevada | $111,250 | $53.49 | $86,260 | $190,620 | 2,030 |
| 5. Maryland | $106,890 | $51.39 | $79,990 | $138,630 | 3,940 |
| 6. New Mexico | $106,880 | $51.38 | $77,260 | $146,400 | 1,330 |
| 7. Washington | $105,950 | $50.94 | $78,300 | $137,560 | 5,370 |
| 8. Texas | $105,810 | $50.87 | $76,600 | $139,050 | 21,870 |
| 9. Illinois | $105,250 | $50.60 | $83,000 | $140,410 | 9,800 |
| 10. Connecticut | $104,360 | $50.17 | $82,110 | $127,150 | 4,060 |
| 11. Massachusetts | $103,790 | $49.90 | $82,760 | $130,220 | 6,850 |
| 12. Oregon | $103,510 | $49.76 | $79,440 | $133,950 | 3,210 |
| 13. Arizona | $103,220 | $49.63 | $81,560 | $134,050 | 5,170 |
| 14. Ohio | $103,050 | $49.54 | $79,070 | $126,060 | 10,280 |
| 15. Georgia | $102,700 | $49.38 | $78,580 | $130,630 | 6,780 |
| 16. Delaware | $102,050 | $49.06 | $79,930 | $136,350 | 1,260 |
| 17. Colorado | $102,030 | $49.05 | $76,460 | $132,010 | 5,630 |
| 18. Minnesota | $102,010 | $49.04 | $83,570 | $121,340 | 5,180 |
| 19. Wisconsin | $101,840 | $48.96 | $80,740 | $124,640 | 5,580 |
| 20. Hawaii | $101,700 | $48.89 | $78,630 | $123,280 | 950 |
| 21. District of Columbia | $101,640 | $48.87 | $85,620 | $129,470 | 610 |
| 22. Indiana | $101,560 | $48.83 | $76,960 | $125,390 | 6,130 |
| 23. Virginia | $101,450 | $48.77 | $75,720 | $132,860 | 7,630 |
| 24. Pennsylvania | $101,380 | $48.74 | $76,960 | $127,060 | 11,710 |
| 25. South Carolina | $101,330 | $48.72 | $72,810 | $123,480 | 3,930 |
| 26. Florida | $101,040 | $48.58 | $73,630 | $122,880 | 16,290 |
| 27. Michigan | $100,900 | $48.51 | $79,600 | $123,980 | 8,630 |
| 28. Kentucky | $100,710 | $48.42 | $73,900 | $126,920 | 3,390 |
| 29. New York | $100,660 | $48.39 | $73,580 | $136,120 | 20,940 |
| 30. Wyoming | $100,400 | $48.27 | $75,900 | $125,930 | 560 |
| 31. Tennessee | $100,140 | $48.14 | $67,280 | $127,500 | 4,800 |
| 32. Mississippi | $99,990 | $48.07 | $73,700 | $121,740 | 1,980 |
| 33. North Carolina | $99,910 | $48.03 | $78,020 | $125,940 | 7,350 |
| 34. Utah | $99,880 | $48.02 | $66,160 | $136,970 | 2,300 |
| 35. New Hampshire | $99,850 | $48.00 | $76,180 | $122,560 | 1,960 |
| 36. Maine | $99,720 | $47.94 | $78,020 | $121,030 | 1,860 |
| 37. Rhode Island | $99,400 | $47.79 | $80,770 | $125,390 | 1,020 |
| 38. Missouri | $99,310 | $47.75 | $76,110 | $124,530 | 4,900 |
| 39. Arkansas | $99,010 | $47.60 | $73,050 | $127,210 | 2,680 |
| 40. Idaho | $99,000 | $47.60 | $74,570 | $122,100 | 1,030 |
| 41. Oklahoma | $98,590 | $47.40 | $68,330 | $128,000 | 2,560 |
| 42. Louisiana | $98,530 | $47.37 | $60,150 | $127,640 | 3,280 |
| 43. Kansas | $98,290 | $47.25 | $72,290 | $122,130 | 2,660 |
| 44. Vermont | $97,970 | $47.10 | $75,040 | $115,860 | 760 |
| 45. Iowa | $97,560 | $46.90 | $73,780 | $120,730 | 2,530 |
| 46. Alabama | $97,290 | $46.77 | $74,770 | $133,710 | 3,040 |
| 47. Nebraska | $97,090 | $46.68 | $77,540 | $120,190 | 2,140 |
| 48. West Virginia | $96,600 | $46.44 | $73,130 | $126,380 | 1,310 |
| 49. South Dakota | $92,660 | $44.55 | $77,890 | $107,870 | 1,060 |
| 50. Montana | $91,450 | $43.97 | $78,490 | $115,540 | 1,180 |
| 51. North Dakota | $85,330 | $41.02 | $75,290 | $113,600 | 830 |
Jobs: BLS OEWS employment estimate, May 2025.
Highest-paying metro areas for physical therapists
The best-paying metro area for physical therapists is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, at a median of $141,980.[onet_pt] Pick a state in the calculator and every metro and nonmetro area BLS publishes for it loads in the "Metro area" box.
| Metro area | Median | Hourly | 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $141,980 | $68.26 | $188,070 |
| 2. Vallejo, CA | $141,530 | $68.04 | $170,480 |
| 3. Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $140,100 | $67.36 | $167,530 |
| 4. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $139,000 | $66.83 | $171,560 |
| 5. Napa, CA | $138,540 | $66.61 | $166,660 |
| 6. Chico, CA | $134,970 | $64.89 | $149,110 |
| 7. Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $132,740 | $63.82 | $152,480 |
| 8. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $131,430 | $63.19 | $159,250 |
| 9. North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $129,370 | $62.20 | $158,120 |
| 10. Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $128,680 | $61.87 | $164,830 |
| 11. Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $127,460 | $61.28 | $145,750 |
| 12. Salinas, CA | $127,120 | $61.12 | $155,840 |
Physical therapy salary for assistants
Physical therapist assistants earn $34,380 a year less than physical therapists at the medians ($68,380 against $102,760). PTAs work under a PT's supervision after a two-year associate degree from a CAPTE-accredited program (about 73 weeks on average); PTs need a Doctor of Physical Therapy.[onet_pta][onet_pt][capte_degree][capte_pta] California pays PTAs the most, at $83,110. PTA pay by percentile, state and metro area is on PTA salary, and how the two jobs differ from occupational therapy on occupational therapy vs physical therapy.
PT pay compared with other therapy careers
Physical therapists are the best-paid of the six therapy careers on this site, with occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists close behind; respiratory therapists and the two assistant roles earn less.[onet_pt][onet_slp][onet_ot][onet_rt][onet_pta][onet_ota] For how much therapists make across all 13 therapy careers, counselors included, see how much do therapists make. The chart shows each career's full pay range from the same survey.
- Occupational therapist salaryOTs and OT assistants, $100,330 median
- Speech pathologist salarySpeech-language pathologists, $97,870 median
- Respiratory therapist salary$82,280 median, by state and metro
- PTA salaryPhysical therapist assistants, $68,380 median
- PT vs OTPay, school and the daily work compared
- Physical therapy school costDPT tuition, loan limits and payback
Becoming a physical therapist
Every physical therapist earns a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) from a CAPTE-accredited program and passes the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) before a state license.[capte_degree][fsbpt_npte] DPT programs accredited by CAPTE last 122.4 weeks on average, about three years, including roughly 35 weeks of full-time clinical education.[capte_agg] Tuition, the 2026 federal loan limits for DPT students and a payback calculator are on physical therapy school cost. If you are weighing therapy careers, occupational therapy school and respiratory therapy school lay out the shorter and cheaper routes. The full path is on how to become a physical therapist, the assistant route on PTA programs, and every therapy career is ranked on therapist salary.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a physical therapist make an hour?
$49.40 at the national median (BLS, May 2025). The 10th percentile is $37.09 and the 90th is $64.97.
How much does a physical therapist make a month?
About $8,563 before tax at the national median, or roughly $6,760 after federal tax and FICA for a single filer with no state tax.
What state pays physical therapists the most?
California, with a median of $124,190, then Alaska and New Jersey. North Dakota pays the least at $85,330.
How much do physical therapists make a year?
$102,760 at the national median (BLS, May 2025). The middle half of physical therapists earn $86,160 to $121,160 a year, and the top 10% more than $135,140.
How much does a new-grad physical therapist make?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The 10th percentile, $77,140, and the 25th, $86,160, are the closest public figures for a first PT job.
Sources
- Local Wages: 29-1123.00 Physical Therapists (state and metro percentiles)
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates
- OEWS May 2025 employment and median wage series (OEUN/OEUS), Public Data API v2
- OEWS Frequently Asked Questions (wage definition; 2,080-hour year)
- IRS releases tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32)
- Contribution and Benefit Base ($184,500 for 2026)
- Local Wages: 31-2021.00 Physical Therapist Assistants (state and metro percentiles)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Physical Therapist Assistants and Aides
- Standards and Required Elements for Accreditation of Physical Therapist Education Programs (DPT as the entry-level degree)
- 2025 Physical Therapist Assistant Education Programs Fact Sheet (aggregate program data)
- 2025 Physical Therapist Education Programs Fact Sheet (aggregate program data: tuition, total cost, weeks in program, pass rates)
- NPTE registration and payment ($485 PT and PTA)
- Local Wages: 29-1127.00 Speech-Language Pathologists (state and metro percentiles)
- Local Wages: 29-1122.00 Occupational Therapists (state and metro percentiles)
- Local Wages: 29-1126.00 Respiratory Therapists (state and metro percentiles)
- Local Wages: 31-2011.00 Occupational Therapy Assistants (state and metro percentiles)