Physical Therapists Salary 2025: $104,738 Median Pay (BLS OEWS)
- Official U.S. BLS OEWS data (May 2025)
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- Not self-reported estimates
$104,738 per year is the national median annual wage for physical therapists (BLS OEWS, May 2025 reference period). That works out to about $50/hour, with a 10th–90th percentile range of $103,860 to $188,070. The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies this role under SOC code 29-1123.
Key Facts (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- Median annual wage
- $104,738
- Median hourly wage
- $50/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $107,923
- Total US employment
- 163,910
- Top-paying metro
- San Francisco, CA, CA ($141,980)
- BLS SOC code
- 29-1123
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.
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The national median wage for physical therapists (BLS SOC 29-1123) is $104,738 per year — about $50/hour — across 163,910 workers in 70 U.S. metros in the BLS OEWS May 2025 release. The mean wage of $107,923 sits above the median, which means a minority of high earners pulls the average up — the median is the more honest benchmark for a typical offer.
Experience drives the range as much as anything: the 10th percentile earns $79,421 while the 90th earns $137,346 — a 1.7× gap from entry-level to the top of the field. Most physical therapists land in the $90,023–$121,637 band (25th–75th percentile), which is the right anchor when you size up an offer.
Location matters too. San Francisco, CA, CA posts the highest median at $141,980, versus $83,070 in Rochester, NY, NY — a 71% gap. But adjusted for cost of living, Bakersfield, CA delivers the strongest real purchasing power ($124,742 in national-average dollars), which can flip the nominal ranking for anyone weighing a move.
In Healthcare, physical therapist wages reflect a regulated labor market: state licensing and credentialing constrain supply, so pay holds up more evenly across regions than in unregulated fields. The figures here are base wage and exclude shift differentials and overtime.
Physical Therapists Salary by Experience Level (2025)
BLS OEWS doesn’t publish wages by years of experience, but its national percentile bands map cleanly to career stages. Here’s what physical therapists earn from entry-level to the top of the field.
| Career stage | Typical experience | BLS percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level | 0–2 years | 10th | $79,421 |
| Junior / early-career | 2–5 years | 25th | $90,023 |
| Mid-career | 5–10 years | 50th (median) | $105,928 |
| Senior | 10–15 years | 75th | $121,637 |
| Top earners | 15+ years | 90th | $137,346 |
Experience bands are SalaryTruth’s interpretation of BLS OEWS percentiles, not a separate BLS series. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and region.
Salary Range (BLS Percentiles)
Physical Therapists salaries range from $83,070 to $141,980 median across cities, depending on location, experience, and industry.
Physical Therapists Salary by City (BLS OEWS)
| City | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $103,860 | $119,108 | $141,980 | $165,025 | $188,070 | $79,053 | 3,140 |
| San Jose, CA | $104,000 | $118,000 | $139,000 | $155,280 | $171,560 | $70,991 | 1,460 |
| Sacramento, CA | $99,240 | $112,116 | $131,430 | $145,340 | $159,250 | $105,397 | 1,610 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $98,300 | $109,176 | $125,490 | $140,930 | $156,370 | $124,742 | 310 |
| Fresno, CA | $96,250 | $107,278 | $123,820 | $133,295 | $142,770 | $117,365 | 620 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | $97,370 | $106,466 | $120,110 | $142,240 | $164,370 | $98,129 | 2,240 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $86,260 | $98,348 | $116,480 | $153,590 | $190,700 | $106,862 | 1,530 |
| San Diego, CA | $77,500 | $92,040 | $113,850 | $136,275 | $158,700 | $71,067 | 2,680 |
| Anchorage, AK | $97,330 | $103,434 | $112,590 | $122,945 | $133,300 | $88,654 | 460 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $85,580 | $94,616 | $108,170 | $134,120 | $160,070 | $65,163 | 9,750 |
| Dallas, TX | $77,280 | $89,480 | $107,780 | $126,260 | $144,740 | $103,535 | 6,100 |
| Houston, TX | $78,250 | $90,030 | $107,700 | $125,135 | $142,570 | $111,606 | 4,680 |
| New York, NY | $75,390 | $88,294 | $107,650 | $124,760 | $141,870 | $57,505 | 21,240 |
| Seattle, WA | $64,790 | $81,790 | $107,290 | $126,125 | $144,960 | $71,814 | 2,950 |
| Reno, NV | $95,260 | $99,892 | $106,840 | $124,080 | $141,320 | $100,319 | 360 |
| Portland, OR | $82,270 | $91,862 | $106,250 | $120,430 | $134,610 | $81,668 | 1,810 |
| San Antonio, TX | $76,010 | $88,010 | $106,010 | $121,625 | $137,240 | $115,858 | 1,700 |
| Baltimore, MD | $78,530 | $89,442 | $105,810 | $122,220 | $138,630 | $92,653 | 2,050 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $80,240 | $90,460 | $105,790 | $118,775 | $131,760 | $89,350 | 6,250 |
| Chicago, IL | $85,220 | $93,420 | $105,720 | $124,020 | $142,320 | $98,527 | 7,880 |
| Hartford, CT | $81,450 | $90,962 | $105,230 | $113,985 | $122,740 | $93,455 | 1,370 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $83,980 | $92,452 | $105,160 | $120,035 | $134,910 | $76,480 | 1,030 |
| Columbus, OH | $79,060 | $89,488 | $105,130 | $114,620 | $124,110 | $112,922 | 2,030 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $62,090 | $78,790 | $103,840 | $119,900 | $135,960 | $102,406 | 1,040 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $77,790 | $88,182 | $103,770 | $114,265 | $124,760 | $115,172 | 2,790 |
| Austin, TX | $82,330 | $90,850 | $103,630 | $119,475 | $135,320 | $100,612 | 2,470 |
| Boston, MA | $81,220 | $90,152 | $103,550 | $116,885 | $130,220 | $68,080 | 5,330 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $77,570 | $87,946 | $103,510 | $119,415 | $135,320 | $110,117 | 690 |
| Atlanta, GA | $81,280 | $90,144 | $103,440 | $117,770 | $132,100 | $104,274 | 4,250 |
| Nashville, TN | $68,060 | $82,188 | $103,380 | $116,405 | $129,430 | $103,071 | 1,400 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $82,840 | $90,992 | $103,220 | $118,815 | $134,410 | $102,502 | 3,760 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $83,090 | $91,066 | $103,030 | $114,100 | $125,170 | $105,780 | 1,710 |
| Washington, DC | $79,080 | $88,640 | $102,980 | $120,025 | $137,070 | $67,395 | 4,540 |
| Detroit, MI | $80,690 | $89,602 | $102,970 | $117,055 | $131,140 | $108,275 | 3,770 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $80,190 | $89,270 | $102,890 | $114,345 | $125,800 | $112,818 | 2,090 |
| Madison, WI | $80,340 | $89,328 | $102,810 | $113,015 | $123,220 | $99,046 | 900 |
| Richmond, VA | $77,870 | $87,802 | $102,700 | $114,295 | $125,890 | $100,588 | 1,300 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $86,590 | $92,934 | $102,450 | $111,895 | $121,340 | $96,469 | 3,360 |
| Tampa, FL | $80,230 | $89,110 | $102,430 | $111,560 | $120,690 | $102,841 | 2,350 |
| Tucson, AZ | $80,410 | $89,214 | $102,420 | $119,500 | $136,580 | $107,358 | 660 |
| Denver, CO | $79,040 | $88,360 | $102,340 | $118,490 | $134,640 | $90,727 | 2,730 |
| Louisville, KY | $77,800 | $87,584 | $102,260 | $112,195 | $122,130 | $113,370 | 1,140 |
| Orlando, FL | $78,280 | $87,580 | $101,530 | $110,745 | $119,960 | $98,477 | 1,560 |
| Kansas City, MO | $75,170 | $85,610 | $101,270 | $113,530 | $125,790 | $106,153 | 2,010 |
| Charlotte, NC | $80,840 | $88,928 | $101,060 | $113,620 | $126,180 | $104,509 | 1,680 |
| Greenville, SC | $78,390 | $87,442 | $101,020 | $111,320 | $121,620 | $112,120 | 940 |
| Miami, FL | $60,370 | $76,570 | $100,870 | $113,115 | $125,360 | $81,942 | 4,950 |
| Tulsa, OK | $74,780 | $85,204 | $100,840 | $114,175 | $127,510 | $116,175 | 710 |
| St. Louis, MO | $77,390 | $86,674 | $100,600 | $112,395 | $124,190 | $111,778 | 2,480 |
| New Orleans, LA | $60,150 | $76,302 | $100,530 | $112,215 | $123,900 | $104,828 | 710 |
| Providence, RI | $80,470 | $88,398 | $100,290 | $114,755 | $129,220 | $83,995 | 1,440 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $80,640 | $88,444 | $100,150 | $110,300 | $120,450 | $105,310 | 1,330 |
| Boise, ID | $79,120 | $87,520 | $100,120 | $111,315 | $122,510 | $98,061 | 400 |
| Memphis, TN | $71,240 | $82,744 | $100,000 | $113,045 | $126,090 | $119,048 | 800 |
| Little Rock, AR | $73,640 | $84,160 | $99,940 | $113,210 | $126,480 | $113,311 | 1,040 |
| Raleigh, NC | $78,490 | $87,054 | $99,900 | $113,715 | $127,530 | $100,100 | 1,190 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $73,740 | $84,136 | $99,730 | $113,190 | $126,650 | $115,295 | 1,120 |
| Spokane, WA | $80,120 | $87,948 | $99,690 | $113,370 | $127,050 | $102,351 | 580 |
| Omaha, NE | $77,540 | $86,376 | $99,630 | $110,010 | $120,390 | $108,529 | 1,120 |
| Greensboro, NC | $78,720 | $86,960 | $99,320 | $111,140 | $122,960 | $108,784 | 540 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $74,710 | $83,986 | $97,900 | $116,550 | $135,200 | $93,684 | 790 |
| Des Moines, IA | $75,510 | $84,422 | $97,790 | $109,260 | $120,730 | $104,812 | 740 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $76,800 | $85,180 | $97,750 | $107,985 | $118,220 | $105,905 | 2,120 |
| Birmingham, AL | $77,750 | $85,750 | $97,750 | $116,025 | $134,300 | $108,131 | 1,030 |
| Wichita, KS | $71,960 | $82,136 | $97,400 | $108,090 | $118,780 | $115,952 | 580 |
| Knoxville, TN | $64,850 | $77,354 | $96,110 | $110,150 | $124,190 | $106,434 | 590 |
| Buffalo, NY | $66,210 | $78,046 | $95,800 | $106,110 | $116,420 | $103,568 | 1,410 |
| Lexington, KY | $65,700 | $77,304 | $94,710 | $108,965 | $123,220 | $103,735 | 590 |
| Albany, NY | $71,130 | $80,286 | $94,020 | $101,265 | $108,510 | $93,366 | 790 |
| Rochester, NY | $66,070 | $72,870 | $83,070 | $97,905 | $112,740 | $89,419 | 1,140 |
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Physical Therapist & H-1B Prevailing Wage
Sponsoring or filing an H-1B, PERM, or E-3 case? See the DOL prevailing-wage levels (1–4) for Physical Therapist, including the 2026 proposed increase.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for Physical Therapist is $104,738 as of 2025 (BLS OEWS). The national mean (average) is $107,923. Salaries range from $83,070 to $141,980 median depending on city and cost of living.
Entry-level physical therapists (10th percentile) earn about $79,421 per year nationally. Pay rises with experience to a median of $104,738, $121,637 at the 75th percentile, and $137,346 for the top 10% of earners.
The median physical therapist earns about $50/hour, based on the $104,738 annual median over a standard 2,080-hour work year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
San Francisco, CA, CA posts the highest median for Physical Therapist at $141,980, well above the national median of $104,738. Cost of living matters, though — see the COL-adjusted column in the city table above, which can reorder the rankings.
There are approximately 163,910 Physical Therapist positions in the US across 70 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey.
The 90th percentile physical therapist earns $137,346 — about 1.7× the $79,421 entry-level wage. A spread that wide signals real income growth potential with experience, specialization, and location.
No. BLS OEWS reports base wages only — bonuses, commissions, overtime, and equity are excluded. For roles where variable pay is common, total compensation runs above the figures shown here.
Salary data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. COL adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parities.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.