Physical Therapists Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for physical therapistss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $105,280 ≈ $51/hr
National median salary $102,760
Total employment 267,330 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +10.9%
Much faster than average
Annual openings 13,200 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 267,200 → 296,400 (+29,300)
Typical entry education Doctoral or professional degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- California$122,580
- Nevada$120,700
- Alaska$115,830
- New Jersey$114,550
- District of Columbia$112,400
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- North Dakota$92,480
- South Dakota$93,200
- Montana$93,440
- Iowa$94,780
- Kansas$95,540
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $122,580 | $124,190 | $59 | +16.4% | 26,580 |
| 2 | Nevada | $120,700 | $111,250 | $58 | +14.6% | 2,030 |
| 3 | Alaska | $115,830 | $115,280 | $56 | +10% | 680 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $114,550 | $112,140 | $55 | +8.8% | 9,750 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $112,400 | $101,640 | $54 | +6.8% | 610 |
| 6 | Maryland | $110,700 | $106,890 | $53 | +5.1% | 3,940 |
| 7 | New Mexico | $110,060 | $106,880 | $53 | +4.5% | 1,330 |
| 8 | Texas | $109,270 | $105,810 | $53 | +3.8% | 21,870 |
| 9 | Illinois | $109,080 | $105,250 | $52 | +3.6% | 9,800 |
| 10 | Washington | $108,550 | $105,950 | $52 | +3.1% | 5,370 |
| 11 | Delaware | $108,470 | $102,050 | $52 | +3% | 1,260 |
| 12 | Arizona | $107,360 | $103,220 | $52 | +2% | 5,170 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $106,900 | $103,790 | $51 | +1.5% | 6,850 |
| 14 | Oregon | $106,510 | $103,510 | $51 | +1.2% | 3,210 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $105,460 | $104,360 | $51 | +0.2% | 4,060 |
| 16 | Virginia | $104,070 | $101,450 | $50 | -1.1% | 7,630 |
| 17 | Colorado | $103,870 | $102,030 | $50 | -1.3% | 5,630 |
| 18 | Georgia | $103,240 | $102,700 | $50 | -1.9% | 6,780 |
| 19 | New York | $102,740 | $100,660 | $49 | -2.4% | 20,940 |
| 20 | Ohio | $102,740 | $103,050 | $49 | -2.4% | 10,280 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $102,520 | $99,400 | $49 | -2.6% | 1,020 |
| 22 | Indiana | $102,240 | $101,560 | $49 | -2.9% | 6,130 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $102,240 | $102,010 | $49 | -2.9% | 5,180 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $102,210 | $101,840 | $49 | -2.9% | 5,580 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $101,650 | $101,380 | $49 | -3.4% | 11,710 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $101,050 | $101,700 | $49 | -4% | 950 |
| 27 | Michigan | $100,630 | $100,900 | $48 | -4.4% | 8,630 |
| 28 | Alabama | $100,190 | $97,290 | $48 | -4.8% | 3,040 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $100,010 | $99,910 | $48 | -5% | 7,350 |
| 30 | Utah | $99,790 | $99,880 | $48 | -5.2% | 2,300 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $99,480 | $100,400 | $48 | -5.5% | 560 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $99,190 | $100,710 | $48 | -5.8% | 3,390 |
| 33 | Missouri | $98,700 | $99,310 | $47 | -6.2% | 4,900 |
| 34 | Florida | $98,510 | $101,040 | $47 | -6.4% | 16,290 |
| 35 | New Hampshire | $98,420 | $99,850 | $47 | -6.5% | 1,960 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $98,260 | $100,140 | $47 | -6.7% | 4,800 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $98,120 | $99,010 | $47 | -6.8% | 2,680 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $98,100 | $101,330 | $47 | -6.8% | 3,930 |
| 39 | Maine | $97,950 | $99,720 | $47 | -7% | 1,860 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $97,520 | $98,590 | $47 | -7.4% | 2,560 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $97,250 | $98,530 | $47 | -7.6% | 3,280 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $96,880 | $96,600 | $47 | -8% | 1,310 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $96,850 | $99,990 | $47 | -8% | 1,980 |
| 44 | Idaho | $96,830 | $99,000 | $47 | -8% | 1,030 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $95,890 | $97,090 | $46 | -8.9% | 2,140 |
| 46 | Vermont | $95,870 | $97,970 | $46 | -8.9% | 760 |
| 47 | Kansas | $95,540 | $98,290 | $46 | -9.3% | 2,660 |
| 48 | Iowa | $94,780 | $97,560 | $46 | -10% | 2,530 |
| 49 | Montana | $93,440 | $91,450 | $45 | -11.2% | 1,180 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $93,200 | $92,660 | $45 | -11.5% | 1,060 |
| 51 | North Dakota | $92,480 | $85,330 | $44 | -12.2% | 830 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 518 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $141,980 | $145,040 | 3,140 |
| 2 | Vallejo, CA | $141,530 | $132,660 | 300 |
| 3 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $140,100 | $135,520 | 290 |
| 4 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $139,000 | $140,090 | 1,460 |
| 5 | Napa, CA | $138,540 | $136,360 | 50 |
| 6 | Chico, CA | $134,970 | $121,120 | 180 |
| 7 | Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $132,740 | $128,160 | 80 |
| 8 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $131,430 | $128,040 | 1,610 |
| 9 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $129,370 | $123,360 | 110 |
| 10 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $128,680 | $129,040 | 310 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing physical therapistss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Outpatient Care Centers | $126,980 | $125,230 | 6,570 |
| 2 | Other Residential Care Facilities | $123,850 | $116,260 | 180 |
| 3 | Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers | $122,080 | $115,680 | 40 |
| 4 | Educational Support Services, Privately Owned | $122,000 | $122,060 | 130 |
| 5 | Sector 51 - Information | $120,530 | $114,530 | 30 |
| 6 | Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) | $117,430 | $108,570 | 140 |
| 7 | Scientific Research and Development Services | $115,850 | $113,890 | 130 |
| 8 | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $115,850 | $113,890 | 130 |
| 9 | Insurance Carriers | $115,260 | $114,920 | 40 |
| 10 | Home Health Care Services | $114,740 | $118,250 | 30,920 |
| 11 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $112,610 | $113,500 | 2,430 |
| 12 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $112,610 | $113,500 | 2,430 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Top Skills
Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do physical therapists make in the U.S.?
The median physical therapists salary in the United States is $102,760 per year (mean $105,280), and about 80% earn between $77,140 and $135,140.
How much do physical therapists make per hour?
Roughly $51 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $105,280 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays physical therapists the most?
California has the highest average pay for physical therapists at $122,580 per year (median $124,190).
What is the job outlook for physical therapists?
Employment is projected to change +10.9% from 2024 to 2034 (Much faster than average), with about 13,200 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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