Healthcare · 70 Cities Ranked

Highest Paying Cities for Physical Therapist (2025)

The median Physical Therapist salary is $141,980 in San Francisco, CA, the highest-paying city for this role. After adjusting for cost of living, Bakersfield, CA offers the best purchasing power at $124,742 adjusted.

The 70 cities below are ranked by median wage for Physical Therapist, drawn from BLS OEWS. Top-of-list cities typically combine high local labor demand with above-baseline cost-of-living, so the gross-wage ranking partly reflects COL adjustment. Reading the ranking carefully: gross median wage is the headline number, but the cost-adjusted figure (which divides by the city's cost-of-living index) tells a different story for high-COL cities. The ranking sorts on gross wage; the per-city pages surface the adjusted figure.

For workers evaluating Physical Therapist relocation, the top of the ranking is the obvious starting point — but the bottom of the list (low gross wage, low COL) is often where cost-adjusted real income is highest. The role-specific pages link to per-city detail.

$104,738

National Median

$141,980

Highest City

$83,070

Lowest City

Cities Ranked

Ranked by Median Salary

Rank	City	Median	Range (10th-90th)	COL Index	COL-Adjusted	Jobs
1	San Francisco, CA	$141,980	$103,860, $188,070	179.6	$79,053	3,140
2	San Jose, CA	$139,000	$104,000, $171,560	195.8	$70,991	1,460
3	Sacramento, CA	$131,430	$99,240, $159,250	124.7	$105,397	1,610
4	Bakersfield, CA	$125,490	$98,300, $156,370	100.6	$124,742	310
5	Fresno, CA	$123,820	$96,250, $142,770	105.5	$117,365	620
6	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$120,110	$97,370, $164,370	122.4	$98,129	2,240
7	Las Vegas, NV	$116,480	$86,260, $190,700	109	$106,862	1,530
8	San Diego, CA	$113,850	$77,500, $158,700	160.2	$71,067	2,680
9	Anchorage, AK	$112,590	$97,330, $133,300	127	$88,654	460
10	Los Angeles, CA	$108,170	$85,580, $160,070	166	$65,163	9,750
11	Dallas, TX	$107,780	$77,280, $144,740	104.1	$103,535	6,100
12	Houston, TX	$107,700	$78,250, $142,570	96.5	$111,606	4,680
13	New York, NY	$107,650	$75,390, $141,870	187.2	$57,505	21,240
14	Seattle, WA	$107,290	$64,790, $144,960	149.4	$71,814	2,950
15	Reno, NV	$106,840	$95,260, $141,320	106.5	$100,319	360
16	Portland, OR	$106,250	$82,270, $134,610	130.1	$81,668	1,810
17	San Antonio, TX	$106,010	$76,010, $137,240	91.5	$115,858	1,700
18	Baltimore, MD	$105,810	$78,530, $138,630	114.2	$92,653	2,050
19	Philadelphia, PA	$105,790	$80,240, $131,760	118.4	$89,350	6,250
20	Chicago, IL	$105,720	$85,220, $142,320	107.3	$98,527	7,880
21	Hartford, CT	$105,230	$81,450, $122,740	112.6	$93,455	1,370
22	Bridgeport, CT	$105,160	$83,980, $134,910	137.5	$76,480	1,030
23	Columbus, OH	$105,130	$79,060, $124,110	93.1	$112,922	2,030
24	Salt Lake City, UT	$103,840	$62,090, $135,960	101.4	$102,406	1,040
25	Indianapolis, IN	$103,770	$77,790, $124,760	90.1	$115,172	2,790
26	Austin, TX	$103,630	$82,330, $135,320	103	$100,612	2,470
27	Boston, MA	$103,550	$81,220, $130,220	152.1	$68,080	5,330
28	Albuquerque, NM	$103,510	$77,570, $135,320	94	$110,117	690
29	Atlanta, GA	$103,440	$81,280, $132,100	99.2	$104,274	4,250
30	Nashville, TN	$103,380	$68,060, $129,430	100.3	$103,071	1,400
31	Phoenix, AZ	$103,220	$82,840, $134,410	100.7	$102,502	3,760
32	Milwaukee, WI	$103,030	$83,090, $125,170	97.4	$105,780	1,710
33	Washington, DC	$102,980	$79,080, $137,070	152.8	$67,395	4,540
34	Detroit, MI	$102,970	$80,690, $131,140	95.1	$108,275	3,770
35	Cincinnati, OH	$102,890	$80,190, $125,800	91.2	$112,818	2,090
36	Madison, WI	$102,810	$80,340, $123,220	103.8	$99,046	900
37	Richmond, VA	$102,700	$77,870, $125,890	102.1	$100,588	1,300
38	Minneapolis, MN	$102,450	$86,590, $121,340	106.2	$96,469	3,360
39	Tampa, FL	$102,430	$80,230, $120,690	99.6	$102,841	2,350
40	Tucson, AZ	$102,420	$80,410, $136,580	95.4	$107,358	660
41	Denver, CO	$102,340	$79,040, $134,640	112.8	$90,727	2,730
42	Louisville, KY	$102,260	$77,800, $122,130	90.2	$113,370	1,140
43	Orlando, FL	$101,530	$78,280, $119,960	103.1	$98,477	1,560
44	Kansas City, MO	$101,270	$75,170, $125,790	95.4	$106,153	2,010
45	Charlotte, NC	$101,060	$80,840, $126,180	96.7	$104,509	1,680
46	Greenville, SC	$101,020	$78,390, $121,620	90.1	$112,120	940
47	Miami, FL	$100,870	$60,370, $125,360	123.1	$81,942	4,950
48	Tulsa, OK	$100,840	$74,780, $127,510	86.8	$116,175	710
49	St. Louis, MO	$100,600	$77,390, $124,190	90	$111,778	2,480
50	New Orleans, LA	$100,530	$60,150, $123,900	95.9	$104,828	710
51	Providence, RI	$100,290	$80,470, $129,220	119.4	$83,995	1,440
52	Jacksonville, FL	$100,150	$80,640, $120,450	95.1	$105,310	1,330
53	Boise, ID	$100,120	$79,120, $122,510	102.1	$98,061	400
54	Memphis, TN	$100,000	$71,240, $126,090	84	$119,048	800
55	Little Rock, AR	$99,940	$73,640, $126,480	88.2	$113,311	1,040
56	Raleigh, NC	$99,900	$78,490, $127,530	99.8	$100,100	1,190
57	Oklahoma City, OK	$99,730	$73,740, $126,650	86.5	$115,295	1,120
58	Spokane, WA	$99,690	$80,120, $127,050	97.4	$102,351	580
59	Omaha, NE	$99,630	$77,540, $120,390	91.8	$108,529	1,120
60	Greensboro, NC	$99,320	$78,720, $122,960	91.3	$108,784	540
61	Colorado Springs, CO	$97,900	$74,710, $135,200	104.5	$93,684	790
62	Des Moines, IA	$97,790	$75,510, $120,730	93.3	$104,812	740
63	Pittsburgh, PA	$97,750	$76,800, $118,220	92.3	$105,905	2,120
64	Birmingham, AL	$97,750	$77,750, $134,300	90.4	$108,131	1,030
65	Wichita, KS	$97,400	$71,960, $118,780	84	$115,952	580
66	Knoxville, TN	$96,110	$64,850, $124,190	90.3	$106,434	590
67	Buffalo, NY	$95,800	$66,210, $116,420	92.5	$103,568	1,410
68	Lexington, KY	$94,710	$65,700, $123,220	91.3	$103,735	590
69	Albany, NY	$94,020	$71,130, $108,510	100.7	$93,366	790
70	Rochester, NY	$83,070	$66,070, $112,740	92.9	$89,419	1,140

Ranked by Purchasing Power (COL-Adjusted)

Cost-of-living adjusted salaries show where your Physical Therapist paycheck goes furthest. A lower COL index means your dollars stretch further.

Rank	City	COL-Adjusted	Raw Median	COL Index
1	Bakersfield, CA	$124,742	$125,490	100.6
2	Memphis, TN	$119,048	$100,000	84
3	Fresno, CA	$117,365	$123,820	105.5
4	Tulsa, OK	$116,175	$100,840	86.8
5	Wichita, KS	$115,952	$97,400	84
6	San Antonio, TX	$115,858	$106,010	91.5
7	Oklahoma City, OK	$115,295	$99,730	86.5
8	Indianapolis, IN	$115,172	$103,770	90.1
9	Louisville, KY	$113,370	$102,260	90.2
10	Little Rock, AR	$113,311	$99,940	88.2
11	Columbus, OH	$112,922	$105,130	93.1
12	Cincinnati, OH	$112,818	$102,890	91.2
13	Greenville, SC	$112,120	$101,020	90.1
14	St. Louis, MO	$111,778	$100,600	90
15	Houston, TX	$111,606	$107,700	96.5
16	Albuquerque, NM	$110,117	$103,510	94
17	Greensboro, NC	$108,784	$99,320	91.3
18	Omaha, NE	$108,529	$99,630	91.8
19	Detroit, MI	$108,275	$102,970	95.1
20	Birmingham, AL	$108,131	$97,750	90.4
21	Tucson, AZ	$107,358	$102,420	95.4
22	Las Vegas, NV	$106,862	$116,480	109
23	Knoxville, TN	$106,434	$96,110	90.3
24	Kansas City, MO	$106,153	$101,270	95.4
25	Pittsburgh, PA	$105,905	$97,750	92.3
26	Milwaukee, WI	$105,780	$103,030	97.4
27	Sacramento, CA	$105,397	$131,430	124.7
28	Jacksonville, FL	$105,310	$100,150	95.1
29	New Orleans, LA	$104,828	$100,530	95.9
30	Des Moines, IA	$104,812	$97,790	93.3
31	Charlotte, NC	$104,509	$101,060	96.7
32	Atlanta, GA	$104,274	$103,440	99.2
33	Lexington, KY	$103,735	$94,710	91.3
34	Buffalo, NY	$103,568	$95,800	92.5
35	Dallas, TX	$103,535	$107,780	104.1
36	Nashville, TN	$103,071	$103,380	100.3
37	Tampa, FL	$102,841	$102,430	99.6
38	Phoenix, AZ	$102,502	$103,220	100.7
39	Salt Lake City, UT	$102,406	$103,840	101.4
40	Spokane, WA	$102,351	$99,690	97.4
41	Austin, TX	$100,612	$103,630	103
42	Richmond, VA	$100,588	$102,700	102.1
43	Reno, NV	$100,319	$106,840	106.5
44	Raleigh, NC	$100,100	$99,900	99.8
45	Madison, WI	$99,046	$102,810	103.8
46	Chicago, IL	$98,527	$105,720	107.3
47	Orlando, FL	$98,477	$101,530	103.1
48	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$98,129	$120,110	122.4
49	Boise, ID	$98,061	$100,120	102.1
50	Minneapolis, MN	$96,469	$102,450	106.2
51	Colorado Springs, CO	$93,684	$97,900	104.5
52	Hartford, CT	$93,455	$105,230	112.6
53	Albany, NY	$93,366	$94,020	100.7
54	Baltimore, MD	$92,653	$105,810	114.2
55	Denver, CO	$90,727	$102,340	112.8
56	Rochester, NY	$89,419	$83,070	92.9
57	Philadelphia, PA	$89,350	$105,790	118.4
58	Anchorage, AK	$88,654	$112,590	127
59	Providence, RI	$83,995	$100,290	119.4
60	Miami, FL	$81,942	$100,870	123.1
61	Portland, OR	$81,668	$106,250	130.1
62	San Francisco, CA	$79,053	$141,980	179.6
63	Bridgeport, CT	$76,480	$105,160	137.5
64	Seattle, WA	$71,814	$107,290	149.4
65	San Diego, CA	$71,067	$113,850	160.2
66	San Jose, CA	$70,991	$139,000	195.8
67	Boston, MA	$68,080	$103,550	152.1
68	Washington, DC	$67,395	$102,980	152.8
69	Los Angeles, CA	$65,163	$108,170	166
70	New York, NY	$57,505	$107,650	187.2

Frequently Asked Questions

San Francisco, CA pays the highest median Physical Therapist salary at $141,980. However, after cost-of-living adjustment, Bakersfield, CA offers the most purchasing power at $124,742 adjusted.

The national median Physical Therapist salary is $104,738 based on BLS data. Salaries range from $83,070 to $141,980 depending on city.

Not necessarily. A city with higher nominal pay may have a higher cost of living that offsets the salary difference. Compare the "COL-Adjusted" column in both tables above, cities with lower costs of living often offer better real purchasing power.